Today you will learn how to build your biceps femoris. We will show effective exercises, muscle anatomy, and talk about the features of workout.
Biceps femoris is a separate name that indicates not one but several muscles located on the back of the thigh. The biceps femoris has two heads – a long and a short one, which together form a muscle that works to flex the lower leg in the knee joint, and turn the thigh in and out.
With the proper work of these muscles, the overall definition of the athlete’s legs is clearly noticeable. The hips are fairly added in volume, their shape improves. For women, the harmonious development of the quadriceps and biceps of the hips allows them to have much more attractive legs and beautiful hips.
Table of Contents
Anatomy of Biceps Femoris
The biceps femoris muscle extends the leg in the hip joint and rotates it outwards. It is also a strong flexor of the knee joint from the extension position and rotates the shin outwards. When bending the knee joint and fixing the lower leg (for example, shifting the buttocks to the side in a sitting position on the bench and with the feet resting on the floor), this muscle rotates the femur inwards on the fixed lower leg. When straightening a bent trunk, the muscle tilts the pelvis posteriorly, indirectly straightening the lumbar lordosis. The biceps femoris is located on the lateral edge of the back of the thigh. There are two types of muscle – long and short.
- Long muscle – starts from the sciatic tubercle with a small flat tendon.
- The short one is from the lateral lip of the rough line along the lower half of the thigh.
Features of Hamstring Workout
The main pressure on the back of the thigh occurs when we are running, specifically when sprinting. That is why athletes involved in running with obstacles often get sprains and tears of the biceps. Also, there is a danger in the uneven development of the muscles of the front and back of the thigh. Often this happens due to past involvement in any sports. You can be sure that your balance shifted towards the quadriceps, if you play soccer often or jump. And vice versa: the biceps femoris are stronger if you run short distances. Naturally, an imbalance can be developed in the gym. A squat with a wide stance of the legs below the parallel can lead to the imbalance.
Stretching plays a large role in the development of the posterior thigh and in preventing injuries. Since the target region is very large, some efforts have to be made to achieve an adequate stretching. But you don’t need to “tear” the muscle – rather methodically and gradually increase the amplitude of the movement.
Remember that before training, you need to do dynamic stretching, but after training, static, when the muscle is in a stretched state, and do remain stretched for up to 30 seconds. Please note that the stretched muscle must not be strained. This leads to painful sensations and an even greater stress. Try to breathe calmly and slowly, then you can catch the moment when the muscle is stretched, but it does not instinctively strain. You can feel the work on the back of the thigh in the best way. The implementation of these simple recommendations will allow you to move the refractory muscle, and reduce the imbalance in development, and prepare it for more stressful loads.
Train your biceps femoris once a week during your leg workout. Perform 2-3 exercises in 3-4 sets of 8-14 repetitions in each set. This is quite enough for the muscles to grow in volume and have some time to recover.
The 20 Best Exercises for Biceps Femoris Workout
Here you will find the best exercises for the high-quality training of the biceps of the hips with a description and a video demonstration.
1. Barbell Squat
Squats with a barbell is one of the main basic exercises in powerlifting and bodybuilding for training the muscles of the legs and buttocks.
2. Dumbbell Squat
Squatting with dumbbells is an exercise that affects the muscles of the legs and buttocks.
3. Lying Leg Curl
Leg bending in the simulator is an isolated exercise and is aimed at working out a group of hip flexor muscles.
4. Deadlift
Let’s take a closer look at the options and techniques for performing a deadlift, and also discuss the main nuances of this exercise.
5. Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Is it better to do deadlift on straight legs – with dumbbells or with a barbell? Today we will consider both versions of this exercise and see what their main difference is.
6. Hip Abduction Machine
Leg abduction is an auxiliary exercise for training the inner thigh. These muscles are practically not involved in everyday life, so try to perform this exercise on every leg workout.
7. Leg Press
Leg press – is a basic exercise in bodybuilding. It is used to work out the muscles of the legs with an additional focus on the gluteal muscles.
8. Dumbbell Overhead Squat
Squats with dumbbells over your head is an exercise often used in CrossFit, which affects the quadriceps, hips, shoulders, and buttocks.
9. Overhead Barbell Squat
Squats with a barbell above your head is an exercise that develops body flexibility, strength, and balance. In CrossFit, it is believed that overhead squats are the basis of the strength training.
10. Front Barbell Squat
Front squats with a barbell are one of the best exercises in CrossFit and bodybuilding for training the gluteal muscles and the muscles of the back of the thighs.
11. Hack Squats
Hack squats are a basic bodybuilding exercise that affects quadriceps, thigh biceps, and gluteal muscles.
12. Pause Jump Squats
Squat with a pause is a CrossFit exercise to strengthen the legs and buttocks, as well as to increase coordination and a sense of balance.
13. Pistol Squat
Pistol Squat is a CrossFit exercise, which is primarily aimed at training the leg muscles.
14. Air Squats
Air Squat – an exercise that will help you hone the technique that allows you to later correctly and safely squat with weights.
15. Plié Squats
Plié is an exercise that came to fitness from ballet. One of the best if you want to work on your inner thighs.
16. Partner Front Squat
No bar for heavy squat? No problem! There is always a way if you are determined to get results. Ask a girlfriend (wife, partner …) to create an impromptu barbell.
17. Lunges
Lunges are a basic exercise for the muscles of the legs and buttocks. Its implementation mainly involves the buttocks, as well as the muscles of the hips.
18. Walking Lunges
Walking Lunges is an exercise often used in fitness and CrossFit that effectively affects the buttocks, thigh biceps and quadriceps.
19. Jump Lunges
Jumping Lunge is an excellent CrossFit exercise for burning fat, working out the muscles of the legs and buttocks, as well as for developing balance.
20. Biceps Femoris Stretch
A good stretching of the thigh muscles will help to avoid any injuries and keep the leg muscles in a good shape.
I have chronic pain in this area. Any ideas why it occurred? I mean, i did’t overload it or something… and can i still do this workout with my pain?
Repetitive use of the biceps femoris muscle can cause microscopic tears within the tendon. The body tries to repair these microscopic tears by commencing an inflammatory response. This can be the case. And as for workout, yes, you still can exercise, but I wuldn’t recommend using large weights.
I feel a pop on my bicep femoral tendon, in the outside area behind the knee, when I flex my leg past 90. Would this help? Any tips? Thanks
That’s a tough one… I think this is worth a try, but carefully follow the exercise technique. But to give you any advice, I need to know for sure what is going on with your lower extremity and proximal tibiofibular joint.
Can girls do this too? I want to get rid of the cellulite on my hamstrings
Yes, this workout is suitable for both men and women.I would also recommend to build a healthy diet and cut down on fats and bad carbs.
Hi! How long will it take to build hamstrings if you do these exercises 3x a week, 3 sets of 12 reps?
Hi! It depends on your current level of fitness. Usually it takes from 2 to 4 months, but if you’ve never worked out before or have excess fat, it may take up to 6 months.