Leg workouts provide a strong foundation
(Jenny Krashin/Broadside)
(Jenny Krashin/Broadside)
Normally, I do not favor using machines in the gym because they focus on one muscle when you could be working more. I like biceps curls using free weights, as opposed to a machine because it forces your body to stabilize itself and the lifting action is more dynamic. The hamstring curl is a simple exercise to perform you are basically doing biceps curls with your legs.
To perform the exercise, set the pad underneath your ankles or lower legs. You need a weight that challenges you but does not have you rocking back and forth. Rocking back and forth on the machine cheats your hamstrings. The key is a slow and controlled movement. Too many people try to do these curls quickly and sacrifice the effectiveness of the exercise. It is better to lift less weight in a controlled manner than to cheat and lift more.
Begin curling your feet down and as far back as possible. Slowly allow the weight back to the starting point, being careful not to let it snap back into place. The entire exercise should take a couple of seconds to perform. You may want to count to stay slow and deliberate. At the end of the action, do not fully relax your legs. This will make continuing the exercise harder. Let the weight reach its starting point, and begin the next repetition. You should feel this exercise in your hamstrings, glutes and possibly calves.
Hamstring curls were like biceps curls for your legs, but this is where this comparison ends. If you survey people at the gym, they are probably a lot more concerned about their biceps compared to their hamstrings.
The hamstring is not a sexy muscle that most people care about strengthening.
The hamstrings are probably the most neglected muscle in the most neglected part of the body. This makes them tend to be tighter and weaker than nearby muscles, like the quadriceps. The quads, on the front of your leg, work in conjunction with the hamstring. Extending your leg requires the quads, while the hamstrings control curling your leg behind you.
Therefore, the hamstring is an essential muscle for running and everyday activities. The reason that people seem to pull their hamstring more than any other muscle is because it is neglected in the gym in favor of others. This creates an imbalance in your body and makes you unable to function at an optimal level. A weak hamstring cannot keep up with the other muscles and is a recipe for a pull or strain. Next time you are at the gym, look and see who is working on their legs and, more specifically, their hamstrings. Those are the healthy people who want to be in shape and avoid injury.
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