#1 Strengthen The Hamstrings Themselves:
Often the hamstrings don’t get the attention they deserve. You focus on squats, lunges, sit-ups and press-ups but where do the hamstrings fit in here? The hamstring has a vital role in slowing your leg down during running and strengthening them is crucial to help reduce the chance of overload on these muscles. Exercises like bridges, RDLs, traditional deadlifts and Nordic curls are great for promoting hamstring strength.
Hamstring Strengthening - Roll outs. This is an advanced hamstring strengthening exercise that can be done at home. As you get stronger you can roll the foam out further. We recommend 3 sets of 8 each side 3 times a week.
#2 Strengthen the Calf Muscles:
Other than previous injury to the hamstring itself, a previous calf strain is a major risk factor for hamstring injury. Your body’s ability to produce and absorb force during running is dependent on the resilience of the muscles along your kinetic chain. By strengthening the calf muscles it increases your ability to produce propulsion force during running and reduces the load on the hamstrings themselves.
#3 Practice High Speed Running:
The hamstrings are under most force during high speed running sprinting. By practicing running at high speeds (>70% of your max speed) it helps to promote positive adaptations and increase the resilience of the hamstring muscles during running.