I just tried TC’s hamstring exercise that was described a while back. I did it on an ab board and all i can say is damn. I was very disappointed because i couldnt even lower myself. I felt like my hamstrings were gonna rip off. It was great. You better believe im gonna do them from now on. I figure that by the time i can do ten reps my hamstrings will be huge. Anybody else try them?
i do them on a glute ham machine. the first time i did them i got 2. now, i’m up to 8. very tough and effective.
my workout partner squats over 450 and hasn’t got one yet.
It is actually a standard exercise that my athletes do. You will blow your hamstrings like you wouldn’t believe. You will also develop them as hip flexors and co-incidently avoid a lot of injuries.
Try this, keep your hands at chest level. Lock your hips forward - dont bend at waist. As your torso falls forward, stop yourself at the ground and explosively pushup. Get the feel on pushing up the bare minimum - punish your hams and make them feel it. I prefer to start with sets of 25. - Great work trying them, you'll love the results
In faith,
Coach Davies
Pete: part of the problem is that you have likely been doing your hamstring work as curling motions. It will come. Since you are having such extreme difficulty with the exercise, try adding some Good Mornings (ie 4-5 sets x 15 reps). You need to get that rep count of Glute Hams way up. As an example I like to see an well balanced athlete weighing approximately 200 pounds capable of multiple sets of 40 reps of Glute Hams.
In faith,
Coach Davies
thanks for the feedback. Incidentally i didnt know if this exercise had a name so i named it the Russian Ham Samich.
Could someone post the URL please?
Where do I find details on this exercise? Sound’s interesting.
Can you make this board easily? I don’t have access to a glute ham calf machine. Wont the board flip as your center of gravity moves forward?
I use these not only with my athletes but my personal training clients as well! Women get excellent results with these as far as tightening the hams and lower gluteal area. Try it holding a plate across your chest and also single-legged! I do these by either holding the legs or kneeling on the lat pulldown facing away from the machine. I learned these from Kim Goss, an old Poliquin writer, who termed them ‘Harrop Hamstrings’ from a weightlifter named Robert Harrop.
The article and a pic can be found here: Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION
I just anchor my feet under a couch. No need to construct a special board, any heavy object should work just fine.
Larry Scott taught me this exercise. He even sells a piece of equipment just for that–the “glute/ham roaster”. I miss training at the old gym in Utah with Larry’s custom made equipment. Thick bars, forearm benches, ham roasters…it was nice to have a former Mr. O say hello to you at the gym like you were a friend/neighbor.