Contraction
Lying leg curl
Lie on your stomach and tighten your abdominals, pressing your pelvis into the pad. Bring the feet up, pointing the toes down. Squeeze the hamstrings as hard as possible.
Seated leg curl
Make sure you are locked into position with your knees even with the cam of the machine. Bring the curling arm all the way under your body and contact the hamstrings fully.
Standing leg curl
Keep your body upright and avoid the tendency to throw your body forward with the lift. Squeeze the hamstring as you lift your foot up behind you. This should provide and intense contraction, similar to concentration curls for the biceps.
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Stretch position
Hyperextension
Squeeze your legs together and pull from the hamstrings, keeping the back slightly rounded. You need not come up to parallel to fully contract the hamstring on this one. Focus on the hamstrings, not the lower back here.
Reverse Hyperextension
Squeeze your legs together and pull from the hamstrings. Do this exercise very slowly and controlled. Focus on the hamstrings, not the lower back here.
Stiff leg deadlift
Keep your back absolutely straight throughout the movement and keep a slight bend in the knees to help deter excessive stress on the lower back. Try to lower yourself straight down and push the glutes backward to focus on the hamstring.
Inner thigh
Adductor
For hip stability, twisting power, as well as normal toning.
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