When most people think about improving core strength or pelvic floor function, their attention immediately goes to the abdominals. In some cases, it shifts toward isolated pelvic floor exercises. What is often overlooked in this conversation is the role of the hamstrings.

The hamstrings are not just knee flexors or hip extensors. They play an important role in positioning the pelvis, and pelvic position directly influences how the entire core system functions.

To understand this connection, we need to consider how the pelvis sits within the pressure system. The pelvis forms the base of the abdominal cavity and houses the pelvic floor. Its orientation affects the relationship between the diaphragm at the top and the pelvic floor at the bottom. When these two structures are well aligned, pressure can be distributed efficiently throughout the abdominal wall and rib cage. When they are not, compensation patterns often emerge.

The hamstrings attach to the bottom of the pelvis at the sit bones. When they engage appropriately, they help guide the pelvis into a more neutral orientation by gently encouraging posterior control. This does not mean forcefully tucking the pelvis under, nor does it mean flattening the lower back. Rather, it involves subtle positioning that prevents excessive anterior tilt and allows the rib cage to sit more directly over the pelvis.

In many postpartum women an anterior pelvic orientation becomes common. The rib cage may flare forward, the lower back may extend, and the pelvis may remain tipped forward. In this position, the abdominal wall is lengthened and less able to respond efficiently to changes in pressure. The diaphragm and pelvic floor are no longer stacked in a way that encourages coordinated movement.

By restoring hamstring contribution, the pelvis can be guided into a position that improves the mechanical relationship between the diaphragm and pelvic floor. This creates a more favourable environment for pressure management. The abdominal wall is better able to lengthen on inhale and recoil on exhale. The pelvic floor can respond dynamically rather than being placed under constant downward load or passive stretch.

Importantly, this is not about ‘perfect posture’, It is about integrating your hamstrings into a broader system of pelvic control. When they contribute appropriately, core engagement becomes less about gripping and more about coordination.

Hamstrings and Pelvic Floor Interaction

To understand how the hamstrings influence pelvic floor function, we need to look at how pelvic position affects pressure management.

The pelvic floor does not function in isolation. Its behaviour is influenced by the position of the pelvis, the movement of the diaphragm and the abdominal wall. When the pelvis is excessively anteriorly tilted, the relationship between these structures shifts. The pelvic floor may sit in a more lengthened or inefficient position, and the diaphragm above it may not coordinate optimally with changes in pressure.

The hamstrings attach to the underside of the pelvis at the sit bones. When they engage appropriately, they help guide the pelvis toward a more neutral orientation. This is about providing enough posterior control to prevent excessive anterior tilt. This positional influence matters.

Pelvic floor function depends on its ability to lengthen and recoil in response to breath and load. If the pelvis remains persistently tipped forward, the pelvic floor may struggle to generate effective tension at the right time. It may feel tight and overactive, or weak and difficult to coordinate.

When the hamstrings contribute well, they help restore a pelvic position that improves the mechanical relationship between the diaphragm and pelvic floor. When in a rib-pelvis stack, inhalation allows controlled lengthening, and exhalation supports coordinated recoil. Pressure is more likely to be distributed across the system rather than driven downward.

This is why hamstring-biased drills — such as a 90/90 hip lift or a bridge with heel emphasis — often improve a client’s ability to feel pelvic control without excessive gripping. The hamstrings are not directly strengthening the pelvic floor. They are helping organise the base of the system so the pelvic floor can function more effectively within it.

Viewed this way, hamstring training becomes part of restoring pelvic control and coordinated load transfer — not just building posterior chain strength (although of course, this is important too!).

How to Train Hamstrings for Pelvic Control

If hamstrings influence pelvic position and pressure management, the next question becomes: how should they be trained?

The answer is not simply “add more hamstring strength.” It is about how they are trained, in what position, and with what level of coordination.

When the goal is pelvic control, hamstring work should reinforce alignment and breathing rather than override them.

1. Start in Supported Positions

Early on, supported positions allow you to focus on coordination without excessive load.

Exercises such as a 90/90 hip lift or hooklying hamstring drag are effective because they encourage gentle hamstring engagement while maintaining rib–pelvis alignment. The key is not maximal effort. It is feeling the hamstrings assist in guiding the pelvis without flattening the spine or gripping the glutes aggressively.

You should be able to maintain posterior and lateral rib expansion while the hamstrings engage. If the ribs flare or the lower back arches, the intensity is likely too high.

2. Integrate Breath with Hamstring Engagement

Hamstrings should not work independently of the rest of the system.

During drills such as a hamstring-biased bridge, focus on maintaining subtle abdominal control and smooth breathing. On inhale, allow the ribs to expand. On exhale, let the ribs soften down while the hamstrings and inner thighs provide support.

If the breath disappears or pressure drops downward, that is feedback that the system is losing coordination. The goal is integration, not isolation.

A single-leg hamstring bridge with an isometric pulldown is an excellent example.

In this variation, one heel is elevated on a box or bench while the opposite leg remains lifted. A light band or cable is held overhead and pulled down into an isometric position while you maintain the bridge. The lift is held for approximately five seconds at a time before lowering with control.

This exercise challenges the system in several ways:

• The working hamstring must guide the pelvis and maintain posterior control.
• The isometric pulldown encourages serratus and upper abdominal integration.
• The single-leg demand reduces the ability to compensate through bilateral glute gripping.
• The hold forces you to maintain breath and alignment rather than relying on momentum.

3. Progress to Loaded Hip Hinge and Hamstring-Biased Patterns

Once hamstring contribution improves in supported and integrated drills, the next step is carrying that coordination into more demanding patterns.

Two excellent examples are the deadlift and the valslide leg curl.

A deadlift requires the hamstrings to lengthen under load and then contract to extend the hips. However, if the pelvis begins in excessive anterior tilt or the ribs flare forward, the hamstrings may not be positioned optimally to generate force. In that case, the lower back often compensates.

Before initiating the hinge, establish a stacked rib–pelvis position. The ribs should not be thrust forward, and the pelvis should not be aggressively tucked. As you hinge, think about the hamstrings loading through the back of the thighs while maintaining controlled abdominal tension. You should feel tension develop without the lower back arching excessively or the breath disappearing.

Load should increase only to the degree that alignment and breath can be maintained. The goal is not just moving weight, but maintaining pelvic organisation under load.

A valslide leg curl offers a different but equally valuable challenge. In this position, the pelvis is closer to the floor, and the hamstrings work concentrically and eccentrically while the pelvis must remain controlled. If the pelvis tips forward or the lower back arches during the curl, the hamstrings are no longer guiding position effectively.

In a well-executed valslide leg curl, the ribs remain softly stacked, the pelvis stays organised, and the abdominal wall provides subtle support without pushing outward as you lower the hips to the floor. The movement becomes a test of whether the hamstrings can maintain pelvic control while lengthening and shortening.

Together, these patterns reinforce an important principle: hamstring strength alone is not enough. The hamstrings must function within an aligned system. When they do, hip extension becomes more efficient, pressure is distributed more evenly, and the pelvic floor is less likely to absorb excessive downward force.

Bringing It Together

Hamstrings are rarely the first muscle group people think of in a core or pelvic floor conversation. Yet their influence on pelvic position, pressure management, and coordinated load transfer is significant.

When the hamstrings contribute appropriately, the pelvis is better positioned under the rib cage. This improves the relationship between the diaphragm and pelvic floor, allowing pressure to be distributed more efficiently. Core engagement begins to feel organised rather than forced. Lifts feel more stable. Lower back tension often decreases. Pelvic heaviness is less likely to appear under load.

This is why hamstring work in my programming is never just about “posterior chain strength.” It is layered. It begins with supported positional drills, progresses to integrated patterns, and then carries into loaded hinge work that reflects real-world demands.

Whether you are early postpartum, rebuilding strength after symptoms, or progressing toward heavier lifting and impact, pelvic control is not built in isolation. It is trained through coordinated, system-based strength work.

Inside my training programs, this progression is built in intentionally — from foundational breathing and alignment work to dynamic strength patterns that challenge the system in a structured way.

If you are looking for guidance that goes beyond isolated exercises and instead builds resilient, integrated strength, you can explore the programs inside the app and begin with a 7-day free trial.