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Purpose: Strengthen the hamstrings muscles without having to move the knee. Starting Position: Sit in a chair with your heel against the leg of the chair and your feet firmly on the floor. Action: Press your heel firmly backwards into the chair leg feeling the back of your thigh tightening/clenching.
The hamstring muscle fibers gradually become tendon fibers near the knee to attach to bone. One can appreciate the thick tendon bands when feeling behind the knee joint. The hamstring muscle is balanced by the quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh that cause the knee to extend. Together the hamstrings and the quadriceps help control power and stability of the knee joint, allowing activities like walking, running, jumping, and squatting.