Semitendinosus

The semitendinosus is one of the hamstring muscles located at the back of your thigh. Strengthening this muscle can improve your overall leg function and athletic performance.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Slowly bend your knees and lower your hips as if sitting back into a chair.
  3. Keep your back straight and chest up throughout the movement.
  4. Return to the starting position by pushing through your heels.

How to perform the Semitendinosus

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Semitendinosus using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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