Hamstring

[jfarnsworth]

I've found the hamstring to be one of the hardest muscles to train due to limited exercises. If you have found something that works for you then please share with the rest of us. This is what I have used to train this muscle.
Single leg curls
Double leg curls
Stiff Leg deadlifts.
Lunges
Please feel free to share info.

[Jill666]

before I do what I think they are and hurt myself.:erg:

The others I do but I get frustrated as the muscle seems to come along slowly (as compared to the quad, for example) and I'm tentative about pushing it.

Remember chicks often don't know the proper form for these exercises due to social conditioning.
:angel:

[jfarnsworth]

Originally posted by Jill666
Remember chicks often don't know the proper form for these exercises due to social conditioning. :angel:

:rofl: Your too funny sometimes.



Now to your question about the stiff-leg deadlift. During this exercise you do need to keep your knees slightly bent. Do not ever lock out your knees. Keep your feet about 8 -10 inches apart this is not very far but it really puts emphasis on the Glutes. and Hamstrings. From here you want to lift the weights a little bit off of the ground. Keep the hands about shoulder length apart as well. When pushing the weight up what you want to do is push with your hams while moving your butt in towards the bar. When standing erect don't throw your shoulders back like a regular dead lift. You push your hips into the bar to lift it up. There shouldn't be any back pain at all or the lift is being performed wrong. While lowering the bar move your hips backward. If this doesn't make any sense to you say so & I'll see if I can find the article in flex or muscle & fitness I have; scan it and post it up here or just e-mail it to you if you would like. Try this first without any weight and see how you do.

[Crazy Chihuahua]

Cross-trainer machines (the ones you stand on two platforms and kind of pedal in an oval shape) can work wonders for hamstrings if you set the resistance a couple levels higher than you would for normal cardio training.

[Wmarden]

Pull throughs, Glute ham raises, good mornings, overhead lunges, deep squats, one leg deadlift, vehicle pushes, sled dragging, high rep rack pulls

[MartialArtist]

Hamstrings are a very hard muscle to target. One thing professional powerlifters work on is visualization. Since you can't see the hamstrings (like the back which is also fairly hard to work out), you need to visualize it working.

Personally, stiff legged deadlifts work the best.

Also consider three-way lunges.

One thing on the lunge... If you hold it when your knee almost touches the ground, you emphasize your glutes more than your hamstrings more.

[jfarnsworth]

Bump

[TigerWoman]

I also like the ellyptical rider for hamstring work. I also use a wide rubber resistance band to do curls. A rehab person gave it to me and I sure feel it even after just 20 reps. I wrap it around the back of my knee and a post and bend my knee to start and slowly press back and hold. TW

[gumo9]

Hamstring curls with a stability ball (keeping hips high) are great. Progress gradually to one-legged reps.

Smashin' !

Graham
Manchester, UK

[Lisa]

Hamstring curls with a stability ball (keeping hips high) are great. Progress gradually to one-legged reps.

Smashin' !

Graham
Manchester, UK
Those really do work well except I can't seem to do them with one leg, not enough strength I guess. I do them with two legs and do more reps. Keeping the hips high is the key but it is bloody hard :)

[gumo9]

Hi Nalia

A more gradual progression is to use 2 legs but cross your arms over your chest. This gives a bit more instability to the exercise and allows you to build up to 1-legged a bit better. You are right, it is a hard exercise.... fantastic !

best regards

Graham
Manchester, UK

[Lisa]

Thanks for the advice Graham I will try that, and by the way, welcome to MT. There are lots of great people here. Hope you enjoy yourself here :)

[TigerWoman]

Hamstring curls with a stability ball (keeping hips high) are great. Progress gradually to one-legged reps.


How does this exercise go, exactly. I have never used a "stability ball". What position are you in, sitting on the ball? Or is the ball weighted and being pulled up. How is it attached? I'm confused. ?? TW

[jfarnsworth]

How does this exercise go, exactly. I have never used a "stability ball". What position are you in, sitting on the ball? Or is the ball weighted and being pulled up. How is it attached? I'm confused. ?? TW

So am I. :idunno:

[Lisa]

gumo9 seems to be offline so I will try to explain, bare with me cause I have never tried something like this before.


Place yourself on your back, arms crossed over your chest like Graham said. Place your heel on top of the stability ball. Lift yourself up bringing your hips into the air and hold that position, steadying yourself on your neck/back of head while bringing your heels as close to your butt as possible. Then extend your legs back out to their original position without putting hips on the ground. Repeat. I do them with two feet on the ball, ultimately you will be able to do them with one.

Hope this makes sense. :)

[jfarnsworth]

That sounds like it would be very tough to do. Is this stability ball one of those big giant exercise balls? They are like 3 or so feet wide and kind of cushy? :idunno:

[Lisa]

That sounds like it would be very tough to do. Is this stability ball one of those big giant exercise balls? They are like 3 or so feet wide and kind of cushy? :idunno:
They come in different sizes. Here is a picture of the one I use at home. It sounds more difficult then it really is. Takes a little getting used to especially if using only one leg because the ball wants to slip around. It really works the hamstrings and calves well.

[jfarnsworth]

Ok, that's what I thought they were. I have one here at home as well. My 4 year old has some medical problems and we use that for helping strengthen his muscles. I wondered what type of exercises adults could use it for.

[Lisa]

I also do other exercises on it for my abs and I have done push ups on it both with my feet on the ball and with my hands on the ball. The "squishiness" and the mobility of the ball makes it a little more interesting then doing them without it.

[TigerWoman]

Nalia, still confused. You described that you are supposed to have one leg/heel on the ball at the top. What happens to the other leg in the start position? The ball is really unstable so do you carefully slide your leg under you so your heel hits your butt which is up in the air, then stays there?

This sounds like your leg/knee has to be locked to hold the weight of your body. Also it would work more on the hamstrings of this leg holding your weight. What is the purpose of curling the other leg back (which I can't see being exercised) and the ball is made very unstable while doing it? There is no weight in the curling leg. Or are you just supposed to hang there for how many seconds? :idunno: TW

[Lisa]

Nalia, still confused. You described that you are supposed to have one leg/heel on the ball at the top. What happens to the other leg in the start position?
If you are using only one leg, just leave the other leg straight above the ball and bend only the leg you will be exercising. Just lift the other leg slightly and leave it extended. I have also seen it used to help balance a person. I can't do it one legged, I don't have the strength or the balance :)


The ball is really unstable so do you carefully slide your leg under you so your heel hits your butt which is up in the air, then stays there?
Yes you carefully slide your heel towards you butt and then out again to the beginning position. All the while you maintain a straight body with butt in the air.


This sounds like your leg/knee has to be locked to hold the weight of your body. Also it would work more on the hamstrings of this leg holding your weight. What is the purpose of curling the other leg back (which I can't see being exercised) and the ball is made very unstable while doing it? There is no weight in the curling leg. Or are you just supposed to hang there for how many seconds? :idunno: TW
Yes it holds the weight of your body. Don't bother curling the other leg back unless you are holding yourself up with two legs instead of just one. I suppose you can hang there for a second but the exercise is hard enough on your hamstrings and calves that this is not necessary.

Hope this helps a little. If not let me know and I will take some pictures and post them.

[gumo9]

Hello folks, very sorry about the delay in replying (and thank you very much for the welcome !)

Nalia's description is spot on. As you pull your heels towards your backside, remember to lift your hips so that your thighs remain in a straight line with your torso. the back of your shoulder girdle should remain in contact with the ground and you shouldn't feel any discomfort in your neck while performing the exercise. If your neck is hurting then you probably need to use a smaller stability ball.

Stability balls were originally used for sports rehab and physio but are now really popular for recreational exercise too. You can do pretty standard exercises using the ball, for example bench press with the top of your back and neck resting on the ball. This tends to increase the difficulty of the exercise by adding instability to the equation.

In practice you tend to find that the fixator muscles which would normally help you "cheat" at the exercise are kept busy trying to maintain your balance. This leaves your poor old primary muscles (ie pecs and triceps in this example) all on their own to perform the bench press.

As well as exercises for specific body parts, the stability ball tends to work your core muscles. These include your pelvic floor, diaphragm, multifidis and Transverse Abdominus (TVA). Good conditioning in this area results in improved balance, better posture and kissing good bye to many back problems. You also feel really stable too - a very odd realisation when I had always thought my balance was really good prior to doing lots of core work !

happy exercising !

Graham
Manchester, UK