Semitendinosus

With a lengthy tendon insertion, the semitendinosus is likely more commonly known as being part of the hamstrings, located the rear of the upper leg, and responsible for the flexion of the knee and also the extension of the hip joint.

Being recruited via two limb movements, the hamstrings can be targeted via two totally different planes of motion, allowing training to switch up the stress the hamstrings receives. The hamstrings have been shown to have a high population of fast twitch muscle fibres.

The leg curl would seem a wise choice for targeting the hamstrings via flexion of the knee, with the exercise likely the most popular exercise to directly target the hamstrings. The leg curl can be performed in an isolateral manner also, with each leg working independently of the other, reducing the chance of imbalances in strength and size as each leg receives equal workload.

The stiff leg dead lift is another popular exercise to target the hamstrings muscles via the extension of the hip.

When training for muscular size it is often best to train in a rep range of 6-12 repetitions, although there is often much debate on the optimal rep range. It would be advisable to experiment with different ranges to see which suits you.

Semitendinosus courtesy of Fitness Uncovered - Bodybuilding & Fitness

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