Recently started hitting hams more often. Doing the stereotypical 3x10 on hamstring curls with a heavy weight is nice, but following it by dropping the weight 50% and doing a set of 20 with focus on squeezing every rep is killer. Follow that with walking lunges (usually 3 sets with each set being the length of a basketball court) and my hams are toast.
I love the leg curler.
It’s a very under-appreciated and -estimated piece of gym equipment.
If you’re using it right/creatively enough (e.g., as outlined by Blaze ^), you can really hit the hammies hard and heavy. Sad, though, that a lot of leg curler machines have tiny weight stacks. An easy workaround is to use it unilaterally.
[quote]FattyFat wrote:
I love the leg curler.
It’s a very under-appreciated and -estimated piece of gym equipment.
If you’re using it right/creatively enough (e.g., as outlined by Blaze ^), you can really hit the hammies hard and heavy. Sad, though, that a lot of leg curler machines have tiny weight stacks. An easy workaround is to use it unilaterally.
[/quote]
Use that baby often. I also lean forward to put a greater stretch on the hams through the movement.
Bump
Excellent thread, I’ll try those sumo leg presses during leg day tomorrow. I hope they’re as good as everyone says as I could use the hamstring help!
I’m not really down with Shelby, hes a couple of pounds heavier than I am but since hes a midget he muscularly looks much bigger. Fuck that.
Regarding hamstrings, I always hit 'em after squats with stiff legged deadlifts. I used to do lots of leg curls but due to a bad stretching routine I was fucking myself up.
I still do the SLDL’s though. Good stuff.
[quote]Wrestlingmusic wrote:
I’m not really down with Shelby, hes a couple of pounds heavier than I am but since hes a midget he muscularly looks much bigger. Fuck that.
Regarding hamstrings, I always hit 'em after squats with stiff legged deadlifts. I used to do lots of leg curls but due to a bad stretching routine I was fucking myself up.
I still do the SLDL’s though. Good stuff.[/quote]
Hamstrings are going to be hit differently depending on how you hit them. A Romanian Deadlift and a Leg curl are going to affect your semitendinosus/membranosus and biceps femoris differently. Definitely a good idea to use BOTH exercises.
Good point. Next leg day is friday and I’ll incorporate them in. Single leg leg curls okay? Or how about seated vs lying? Any difference?
[quote]Wrestlingmusic wrote:
Good point. Next leg day is friday and I’ll incorporate them in. Single leg leg curls okay? Or how about seated vs lying? Any difference?[/quote]
if thats your preference, sure. Yea there might be a bit of a difference, but thats the obvious since there are two different exercises. Similar movements, but different exercises. BB curl does not = Db curl, ya know?
Those sumo leg presses were excellent, as the weight went up i could really feel it in my hamstrings. I would def recommend it to anyone who was having trouble feeling their hams working!
On a random note, be sure you keep those hammies healthy. Stretching and soft tissue work will go a long way. Especially if you’re quickly changing the amount of volume for them.