I kind of changed up my leg workout and have the following
Front Squats: 5x5
Single Legged Leg Press: 5x5
Dumbbell Lunges : 4x8
Seated Calve Raises: 5 x 10
The reason for the single legged movement is herniated disc in lower back. It’s also the reason I do front squats. My goal is primarily to get strength while putting some size on too. I play b-ball once or twice a week and would like to gain some athleticism in that department. Mostly for rebounding and jumping. I’ll be doing this workout about 1 a week. Is there something you guys would add or change?
You can still do two legged leg press as long as you don’t let your lower back come off of the seat. I too have a herniated disk and have no problem doing leg press.
For hammies you can try placing your feet high on the leg press so only your heal is on the platform and do some presses like that. It will feel akward at first but it’s a good excerise.
No, I thought the lunges and and leg presses would hit the hams. I read if you put your foot high enough on the leg press plate, it would hit your hamstrings. I used to to leg curls for them, but I keep reading how it doesn’t do much that would carry over into sports so I left them out of this workout.
[quote]juice82 wrote:
You can still do two legged leg press as long as you don’t let your lower back come off of the seat. I too have a herniated disk and have no problem doing leg press.
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I tried these and it still hurts. I feel the pain when I’m in the seated positions with legs extended (lockout position). Same goes for seated leg extensions. Pain at the lockout position. But doing these with one leg poses no problems. Except that they’re hard as hell. 1 25lb plate on each side kicks my ass for 5x5. I looks embarrassing but gives me a great workout.
[quote]sam_sneed wrote:
No, I though the lunges and and leg presses would hit the hams. I read if you put your foot high enough on the leg press plate, it would hit your hamstrings. I used to to leg curls for them, but I keep reading how it doesn’t do much that would carry over into sports so I left them out of this workout.[/quote]
I was never able to hit my hams effectively by putting my feet high on the leg press.
Ham and glutes exercises that work for me are long stride walking lunges (6-10 reps per side) and single led DLs. I do RDLs but I’m not sure how severe your disc issues are.
I don’t know about leg curls not carrying over to sport. I haven’t read that anywhere.
The leg curls not carrying over in sports is the fact that never do you contract your hamstrings without activating your glutes and erectors, I believe that’s what the argument against is. It’s the whole compound vs isolation argument.
Try glute-ham raises. If you don’t have a glute-ham machine, you can “make” your own.
Check out the picture, and set it up sorta like that in a power rack. That’s how I do them anyway.
[quote]That One Guy wrote:
The leg curls not carrying over in sports is the fact that never do you contract your hamstrings without activating your glutes and erectors, I believe that’s what the argument against is. It’s the whole compound vs isolation argument.
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That makes sense.
I generally consider leg curls something to be done in conjunction with a compound movement to aid in growth. I could see where there might be a problem if it was the primary exercise.
[quote]giterdone wrote:
That One Guy wrote:
The leg curls not carrying over in sports is the fact that never do you contract your hamstrings without activating your glutes and erectors, I believe that’s what the argument against is. It’s the whole compound vs isolation argument.
That makes sense.
I generally consider leg curls something to be done in conjunction with a compound movement to aid in growth. I could see where there might be a problem if it was the primary exercise.[/quote]
I don’t see how doing isolation moves as primary hamstrings builders can create a problem. If you make the muscle stronger it is stronger. The muscle doesn’t know how it got stronger. Injuries occur when there are muscle imbalances (aside from direct trauma). If the muscle is strong enough to support the antagonist injury is rare.
RDL and ham curls have built my hamstrings just fine. Only one joint is moving at a time during each. Human beings get up and down from chairs often enough for your hamstrings to know when to fire along with glutes and stablize quads. Squatting alone is rarely enough to illicit adequate hamstring growth.
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
giterdone wrote:
That One Guy wrote:
The leg curls not carrying over in sports is the fact that never do you contract your hamstrings without activating your glutes and erectors, I believe that’s what the argument against is. It’s the whole compound vs isolation argument.
That makes sense.
I generally consider leg curls something to be done in conjunction with a compound movement to aid in growth. I could see where there might be a problem if it was the primary exercise.
I don’t see how doing isolation moves as primary hamstrings builders can create a problem. If you make the muscle stronger it is stronger. The muscle doesn’t know how it got stronger. Injuries occur when there are muscle imbalances (aside from direct trauma). If the muscle is strong enough to support the antagonist injury is rare.
RDL and ham curls have built my hamstrings just fine. Only one joint is moving at a time during each. Human beings get up and down from chairs often enough for your hamstrings to know when to fire along with glutes and stablize quads. Squatting alone is rarely enough to illicit adequate hamstring growth. [/quote]
I don’t see what you’re arguing with. We’re telling him to add more hamstring exercises and so are you. What’s the difference?
[quote]That One Guy wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
giterdone wrote:
That One Guy wrote:
The leg curls not carrying over in sports is the fact that never do you contract your hamstrings without activating your glutes and erectors, I believe that’s what the argument against is. It’s the whole compound vs isolation argument.
That makes sense.
I generally consider leg curls something to be done in conjunction with a compound movement to aid in growth. I could see where there might be a problem if it was the primary exercise.
I don’t see how doing isolation moves as primary hamstrings builders can create a problem. If you make the muscle stronger it is stronger. The muscle doesn’t know how it got stronger. Injuries occur when there are muscle imbalances (aside from direct trauma). If the muscle is strong enough to support the antagonist injury is rare.
RDL and ham curls have built my hamstrings just fine. Only one joint is moving at a time during each. Human beings get up and down from chairs often enough for your hamstrings to know when to fire along with glutes and stablize quads. Squatting alone is rarely enough to illicit adequate hamstring growth.
I don’t see what you’re arguing with. We’re telling him to add more hamstring exercises and so are you. What’s the difference?
[/quote]
Some people are saying that iso- hamstring moves don’t add “functional” strength. Strength is strength. An argument was made that if someone doesn’t do compound moves for their hams that they are setting themself up for injury. Simply untrue. That’s all. With all of the quad movements in that routine it would make the most sense to add iso ham work to balance things off.
