Hammering the Hamstrings

Today’s session at JAM Physio with Matt was all about the hamstrings – an area I’ve always been a bit weak on.

I had a few bad hamstring tears in the past which have left the muscles weak. The hamstring tendon was also used in previous ACL surgeries, which may have affected them also.

So we started with single-leg Nordic curls; an exercise that can be tough but is excellent for hamstring strength and stability. Surprisingly, I felt a good strength here that I hadn’t expected. It’s a good sign of progress and the hard work that has gone into getting my leg to this point.

From there, we moved into single-leg cable hamstring curls. This isolation exercise tests each leg independently and really tests the muscle. It’s a slower and more controlled, but the burn was real.

After we finished with the heavy work, we went outside for a few agility drills. Lateral movement is something to be careful of post-ACL surgery, but today we pushed it hard and I felt confident going through the ladder work.

Working with cones, we focused on sharp lateral movements – steps that I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do by myself. It was a good test for my knee, and I’m happy to say it felt great.

We finished up with some football work around the cones, which added some coordination to the session. It was good for natural movement training, and it also brought back some of the feeling of playing sports, reacting quickly, and making decisions on the go.

After being off the football pitch for so long, these little moments are bittersweet.

Overall, this session left me feeling stronger and with a new confidence. I didn’t think I was quite ready for this kind of lateral, cutting, dynamic work and it feels good to have made it here.