If you’ve ever struggled to feel your hamstrings fire up during workouts, you’re not alone. Many women (especially those who sit for long hours, are hypermobile or deal with back and hip tension) find that their hamstrings are either under active or compensating in ways that cause discomfort. T
The good news? With the right drills, you can restore balance, build strength, and protect your lower back.
In this blog, I’ll share one of my favourite hamstring activation exercises using a stability ball and wall support, plus why it works. (And yes, I filmed a full demo so you can follow along, scroll down to watch the video).
Your hamstrings aren’t just about powering you through squats and deadlifts. They’re a key part of your posterior chain. The system of muscles and fascia that stabilises your pelvis, supports your lower back, and keeps your posture aligned.
When your hamstrings don’t “switch on” properly, a few things often happen:
Your glutes can’t fire optimally, leaving your hips unstable.
Your lower back takes on too much strain, leading to tightness or pain.
You feel more pressure in your knees instead of balanced strength through your legs.
That’s why hamstring activation drills are essential, not just for athletes, but for anyone who wants to move pain-free, feel stronger, and improve posture.
This exercise combines the support of a wall with the instability of a Swiss ball to wake up your hamstrings in a safe, effective way.
How to do it:
Sit on the floor with your feet on the stability ball and roll back so you can press your heels gently against the wall.
Place your arms by your sides for support.
Gently press your heels into the wall as if you’re trying to “drag” it down. You’ll feel your hamstrings contract immediately.
Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat.
Pro tip: Focus on breathing and keeping your pelvis neutral. Don’t arch your lower back. The goal is quality activation, not quantity of reps.
Wall support gives you feedback for your feet which helps the brain communicate to the right areas as you press into it, you’ll know exactly where your hamstrings are working.
Ball instability forces your deep stabilisers to join in, making it a fascia-friendly, whole body drill.
It’s a safe option for women with back pain, hip tension, or weak core control.
By combining wall pressure with ball stability, you’re not just training your muscles, you’re re-educating your nervous system to switch on the right areas at the right time.
Stronger, more responsive hamstrings
Better glute activation (your “foundation” muscles)
Reduced pressure in your lower back and hips
More balance and control in daily movement and workouts
Want to see exactly how it’s done? I recorded a quick demo so you can follow along and feel the difference right away.
Sometimes the breakthrough isn’t more effort, it’s restoring balance. If you’ve been struggling with weak or “sleepy” hamstrings, give this ball + wall drill a try. Even a few minutes can create noticeable change in how your lower body feels and performs.
And if you want more simple, fascia-focused strength tips like this, make sure you subscribe to my channel and download my free Strong Core Guide.
Hi and welcome from the Fit Booty Body family! We...
The best way to use your Fit Booty Body scrub...
We know you work hard for your booty. You push...
We're giving away $100 worth of Fit Booty Body scrubs,...
It's officially back to work for the majority of us...
Gone are the days of beach laying, sun kissed...
There will come a point where you can only do...
Whether you've got more curves than you want or not...
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …
© 2025 Fit Booty Body.
