For years, I tried to feel my hamstrings working when I did stiff-legged deadlift. I knew it was best exercise to work hip extension function of hamstrings but I never succeeded in feeling my hams work until I came up with this simple technique.

Let me tell you, very rep of very first set I used this technique on, I could feel my hamstrings like never before! It was like a revelation. It was also extraordinarily simple. I guarantee if you’ve never had success with stiff-legged deadlifts, you will definitely have it after applying this technique.

The trick? Elevate your toes on weight plates while you do exercise. That’s it! It’s very simple but very elegant in way it addresses kinesiology and anatomy of hamstrings. I will explain exactly how to set it up and mechanisms of why it works so incredibly well.

How To Do It:

Set two 25-pound weight plates on ground butted up against each other (one for each foot). They should be right beneath barbell you will be using for exercise and placed side-by-side so you can set your feet on both of them.

Stand in front of barbell with your feet half on plates and half off. The front parts of your feet will be on plates and your heels will be on ground. Use weight plates to brace your feet up so that your toes are up in air and your feet are flexed up (known as dorsiflexion). At end of this article you will find a link to a picture of how to set up this exercise.

Bend over and grasp bar at about shoulder width with an overhand grip. Keep your knees locked but slightly bent while doing this exercise and keep a tight arch in your lower back.

Look directly forward while you are coming up and going back down. This will help you to keep an arch in your lower back.

2. Drink more water - regular water intake helps to flush away waste products in body. Get at least six to eight 8 oz. glasses per day. An easy way to do this is to keep a water bottle handy and drink from it frequently.

3. Be inefficient - do you need to go to kitchen to get a couple of things? Break it up into to two trips even if you can do it in one. Being inefficient like this can easily double your activity level, burning calories without even trying.

4. Eat more protein - sources of protein include foods such as chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lean red meats, etc. Your body burns more calories processing protein than either carbohydrates or fats. Protein also helps to support your muscle tissue, which burns calories all day long!

5. Take stairs instead of elevator - any time you can add in a little more physical activity, do it. This doesn’t mean you need to slog up 20 flights of stairs. Even a flight or two done regularly will add up.