Hamstring prep for rugby: why nordics alone won’t keep you on the pitch

Nordics get all the attention—and for good reason. They're proven to reduce hamstring injury risk by up to 51%, according to a 2021 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

But in rugby, they’re not enough.

If you want hamstrings that hold up to sprints, sidesteps, and 80 minutes of chaos, you need more than just slow eccentrics on a mat.

The problem: too much focus on one exercise

Nordics train the hamstring eccentrically at long lengths. That’s important. But rugby demands more:

• Deceleration under load

• Change of direction at pace

• Contact and chaos in unpredictable positions

Your hamstrings don’t just extend the hip or flex the knee. They stabilise everything—from pelvis to foot—under speed and fatigue.

Where nordics fall short

Nordics build strength in one plane—slowly, in a fixed position.

That’s useful, but on its own, it doesn’t prep you for:

• High-speed sprinting

• Reactive movements off one leg

• Dynamic trunk and pelvic control

It’s like building a solid brake system, but forgetting you also need steering and suspension.

What rugby hamstrings actually need

To bulletproof your hamstrings for rugby, you need a full spectrum of work:

1. sprint exposure

Sprinting is the best way to train hamstrings at high speed and high force—especially terminal swing phase mechanics.

Focus: max effort sprints, flying sprints, resisted accelerations.

2. hip hinge strength

Think RDLs, single-leg RDLs, and trap bar deadlifts. They build strength at length and support sprint power.

Focus: slow eccentrics, full range, controlled load.

3. unilateral stability

Rugby is chaotic. One-leg control reduces overload on hamstrings in side-steps and collisions.

Focus: single-leg bridges, step-downs, banded balance drills.

4. dynamic trunk + pelvis control

Hamstrings don’t work alone. If your glutes, obliques or lumbopelvic control is off, hamstrings compensate.

Focus: core-to-hip connection drills, anti-rotation work, loaded carries.

What we do at CURVA

Inside CURVA, we don’t just throw nordics in and call it a day.

Every player gets:

• Position-specific hamstring training

• Sprint integration tied to your week

• Progressive loading based on match and training volume

• Prehab flows in our Mobility Hub to keep you moving well, not just lifting heavy

Whether you’re rehabbing or bulletproofing, we tailor your plan to keep you fast—and on the pitch.

Bottom line

Nordics are great. But they’re one piece of a bigger puzzle.

Train your hamstrings the way you use them—fast, reactive, and under pressure. That’s how you prevent injury and play harder, longer.