I’ve recognized that my back is the dominant factor in my deadlift. What can I do to bring my hamstrings up without doing isolation work?
Straight leg deadlifts… Use 95lb plates to make your ROM even longer.
Olympic LIfts. and lots of em. I was suprised to feel my hamstrings sore the next day. I have both snatch and power clean in my workout…
[quote]beebuddy wrote:
I’ve recognized that my back is the dominant factor in my deadlift. What can I do to bring my hamstrings up without doing isolation work?[/quote]
Do Romanian Deadlifts
I’ll have to try those.
Stiff-legged or Romanian deadlifts, deep Olympic back squats, good mornings (all variations), overhead squats, Olympic lifts (full snatch or clean), lunges with long steps, glute-ham raises (natural or off a glute-ham bench), pull throughs, sprints, and leg curls will all work your hamstrings effectively.
Yup, glute-ham raise!
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
Stiff-legged or Romanian deadlifts, deep Olympic back squats, good mornings (all variations), overhead squats, Olympic lifts (full snatch or clean), lunges with long steps, glute-ham raises (natural or off a glute-ham bench), pull throughs, sprints, and leg curls will all work your hamstrings effectively. [/quote]
I hear you on this, I’ve done most of this things consistantly at one point or another, except snatch, good morning & raise, and my lower back is always dominating.
Does using 35’s intead of 45’s on the dead help? I’m trying to figure out if that’s what RRJC was getting at.
Also, I remember doing really light dumbell RLDL’s got me good once. I’ll try that again.
I think you need some serious pro advice here. Maybe post on one of the author’s lockerrooms.
Is it just me or does this seem like a solid argument FOR hamstring isolation exercises?
What’s wrong with hamstring isolation anyway? I’d be making leg curls my best friend. At least, for now.
[quote]mithious wrote:
I think you need some serious pro advice here. Maybe post on one of the author’s lockerrooms.
Is it just me or does this seem like a solid argument FOR hamstring isolation exercises?
What’s wrong with hamstring isolation anyway? I’d be making leg curls my best friend. At least, for now.[/quote]
If he deadlifts with a style that puts more emphasis on his lower back, strengthening his hammies with leg curls isn’t going to change that. If anything, I would rather do reverse hypers or glute ham raises, than leg curls.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Straight leg deadlifts… Use 95lb plates to make your ROM even longer.[/quote]
If your doing them right your back should be straight and you will be recruiting more hamstrings without rounding your back.
That longer ROM actually recruits more back.
Sprinters have larger hamstrings than most pro bodybuilders
[quote]mithious wrote:
I think you need some serious pro advice here. Maybe post on one of the author’s lockerrooms.
Is it just me or does this seem like a solid argument FOR hamstring isolation exercises?
What’s wrong with hamstring isolation anyway? I’d be making leg curls my best friend. At least, for now.[/quote]
Whats wrong with it is that your hamstring never works by itself in real life. Why should you train it that way?
Cyah
[quote]DanErickson wrote:
mithious wrote:
I think you need some serious pro advice here. Maybe post on one of the author’s lockerrooms.
Is it just me or does this seem like a solid argument FOR hamstring isolation exercises?
What’s wrong with hamstring isolation anyway? I’d be making leg curls my best friend. At least, for now.
Whats wrong with it is that your hamstring never works by itself in real life. Why should you train it that way?
Cyah
[/quote]
I disagree. If looking for complete hamstring development (for hypertrophy purposes) you should use exercises for hamstring flexion and extension. This would mean using exercises such as RDL’s or Good Mornings and leg curls.
I think it’s a good idea to include both in your workout. I’ve recently added hamstring curls to my workouts after not using them for at least 3-4 years, and I could tell the difference almost immediately (legs grew and I was stronger).
[begin rant]
I really hate that there are so many things people are against when it comes to weight training (especially on the forums). There is no reason to avoid isolation work. No, it shouldn’t be the cornerstone of your program, but it shouldn’t be left out if you want complete development.
In the past, I fell for the “deadlift, squat, bench, chin, row and overhead press” routine only. Yes, I became bigger and stronger. But in the process my shoulders, calves and arms fell far behind. Everyone on here says, “Stick with the basics! Get bigger and stronger and stop curling (or doing other isolation work)!”
That’s a bunch of crap! It depends on your goals. If you’re an athlete, you can get away with avoiding most isolation work (depending on your sport). However, if you are looking for an asthetically pleasing physique (or hopes of competing in bodybuilding), it is crucial to include isolation exercises (free weights and machines - GASP!) along with compound, multi-joint exercises (squats, chins, deads, benches, presses, rows, etc.) for complete development.
There is no best way! So telling everyone to not use “this” or “that” exercise is wrong and perpetuates the misinformation about weight training that still continues to this day.
[end rant]
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
[begin rant]
[end rant][/quote]
I agree, and I usually do isolation/assistance work at the end of my training sessions after doing all my O-lifts/PL work and bigger compound work. It just seems to have worked for me, and it’s been corroborated in the Elite indices. That and a dollar…
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
[begin rant]
[end rant][/quote]
You’re a feisty little midget, huh.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Nate Dogg wrote:
[begin rant]
[end rant]
You’re a feisty little midget, huh.[/quote]
Do you value your achilles tendon? If you make any more short jokes, I’m going to bite through your achilles like a rabid chihuahua!!!
Better yet, I’ll cut you into a bunch of small pieces! Just like I do to the little girls that come to the haunted house that I work at every year!