Why am I balls at hamstrings?

**gYmgIrL** · March 25th, 2008, 01:02 AM

So i decided to really start concentrating on them. My stupid "exclusive" stupid gym, doesn't even have a lying ham raise machine. Its so full of stupid, don't get me started.

Anywhoooo

its got like a almost standing one leg one, and I just cant do it! no matter what the weight! I cant keep my knee on the padding, i cant not twist or use momentum to get it up, it's weird, and also full of stupid. Perhaps it's flexibility that's the problem?

so i got a bench and strapped my feet to some cables and did it that way, i don't know i seem to use every muscle but my hams.

So i stood up and did it, and the same problem.

Lunges seem to only do quads and the only thing that gets em real sore are those straight leg dead lifts, and i dont know if that puts any size on them.

They remind me of dumb.

Any suggestions?

**Insex** · March 25th, 2008, 01:20 AM

Some suggestions:

Hyperextensions - Weighted Hyperextension

Good Mornings - Barbell Good-morning

Hamstring Raise (a place to do these would be at the Lat Pull-Down station) - Barbell Hamstring Raise

Lunges - Instead of doing them the traditional way (on a flat surface) you could place a box about one or two feet high in front of you. Stand about three or four feet away from the box and perform a lunge. The leading foot should rest on top of the box, your other foot should stay behind you. At the same time, let gravity do its work and let your body hang to get a nice stretch in your groin and hamstring. When the leading foot is out in front of you, you should look like you're performing a regular lunge, except that foot is on top of a box. Get the idea?

Lying Leg Curls (Dumbbell) - Grab a bench, lay down on it on your belly. Take a dumbbell and hold it between your feet. Now perform leg curls, just as you would on a lying leg curl machine.

Here is a list of many, many other exercises for the hamstrings:

Thigh Exercise Menu

Hope that helps get you started.

**theatrain** · March 25th, 2008, 01:38 AM

You could lay on a bench on your stomach and place a dumbbell between your two feet and do hamstring leg curls like that.

you would most likely need someone to place the dumbbell between your feet for you, i've never done it without someone helping :x

like this

Howstuffworks "How to Do a Hamstring Curl with Dumbbell"

oh nvm had to edit cause insex already suggested it :/ but heres a pic lol
i didnt see that insex sry dude

inthecircle · March 25th, 2008, 07:50 AM

A few more:

My wife likes the flutters:
Bodybuilding.com - Hamstrings: Exercises, Anatomy And Tips!

Bodybuilding.com - Exercise Guides Database.

**wildstang** · March 25th, 2008, 08:55 AM

most everybodys touched the bases i was gonna so just try them out and pick what gives you the best burn response.

**pliny_2001** · March 25th, 2008, 11:01 AM

I use straight-leg deads as my hamstring mass exercise, and it seems to work for me (though I also use the ham curl, so who knows)

**raijin1** · March 25th, 2008, 12:35 PM

Since you say you are balls at hamstrings, why not try using a ball for hamstrings?

Hamstring Ball Curl

YouTube - Podcast 13 "Hamstring Curl"

This is one of my favorites to have my clients do because of the core stability element it introduces. I am guessing the dual leg version will probably be fairly easy for you, so I suggest one leg curls - point one leg straight to the ceiling while curling and balancing from the other. Just remember to keep your hips bridged high off the mat...

Also, since this is a bodyweight exercise, I would suggest it AFTER (or second in a superset) to your heavier/mass building exercises...

Oh yeah, and another one I like for my more fit clients... Single leg deadlifts... Once again, it puts the stress on one leg at a time while adding a balance/core element...

Single Leg Deadlift

YouTube

**gYmgIrL** · March 25th, 2008, 07:12 PM

oooh! i tried the ball one and couldnt get it to burn anymore! one legged things is an awesome idea!!! I'll do it!!

!

I laid down and tried to cable thing again and got someone to watch for when they saw my hammy flex, then did some pulses on that point. It didnt hurt too much but i did reach failure and it seems to be a little tender today.

I am doing a bazillion leg stretches in the evening so that might be why I'm having trouble or something, or maybe its just my muscle-group thats hard to work out! I'm lucky that other bits get worked out so easilly so I should stop winging and just work harder

**tooncesthecat** · March 25th, 2008, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gYmgIrL

I laid down and tried to cable thing again and got someone to watch for when they saw my hammy flex

Where do I sign up for that job?

LOL

**wildstang** · March 25th, 2008, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tooncesthecat

Where do I sign up for that job?

LOL

i will watch one side and you can the other.

**torofuerte** · March 25th, 2008, 10:59 PM

gymgirl, I strongly suggest you get a set of bands from iron woody. These are bands use by powerlifters and crossfitters. I'd say get the starter package or bands #1 and #2.

Then get some ankle straps, put the strap on one of your ankles, hook a #1 band on it, secure the other end to a pole or something, and while lying belly down, perform your leg curls.

I'm my experience, nothing short of a heavy sumo deadlift or ham/glute raises hits my hamstrings like those. You can adjust the resistance by moving closer or farther away from the band. They are a bit more tedious to do as you may have to do supersets (one set you are closer to the loop, the other farther away) to properly hit the hams, but it's worth it.

As for the lunges, that's curious because they are my prime ham hitters, second only to deadlifts. I do heavy walking lunges with wide, wide steps (as wide as safely possible), 20 steps forward and 20 backwards. I've never been able to hit my hamstrings (with lunges, mind you) with a lower number of reps.

**torofuerte** · March 25th, 2008, 11:08 PM

Other things that can be considered are

kossacks

YouTube - Dr. Courtney Mizuhara-Cheng and the...

jumping lunges

YouTube - EliteFTS.com - The MINX Jumping Lunges

There was a video, that I can no longer find of a lunge variation where you start as if in a stationary lunge. First, you take a step forward, say with your right foot. Then as you come up and bring your right foot back, swing it back performing a reverse lunge.

You do, say 10 of those, meaning 5 forward and 5 backwards. Then you switch using your left foot. That constitutes a set. Forgive my language, but those are a bitch. The key is to make sure the knee reaches the floor. It has to reach the floor, otherwise, you risk turning it into a quadricep-powered exercise.

**raijin1** · March 25th, 2008, 11:22 PM

I will have to try out the kossacks, that is a new one to me... Have done numerous step up/plyo/alternating forms of those lunges...

Quote:

Originally Posted by torofuerte

There was a video, that I can no longer find of a lunge variation where you start as if in a stationary lunge. First, you take a step forward, say with your right foot. Then as you come up and bring your right foot back, swing it back performing a reverse lunge.

You do, say 10 of those, meaning 5 forward and 5 backwards. Then you switch using your left foot. That constitutes a set. Forgive my language, but those are a bitch. The key is to make sure the knee reaches the floor. It has to reach the floor, otherwise, you risk turning it into a quadricep-powered exercise.

I call them 'Pivot' lunges...

**torofuerte** · March 26th, 2008, 08:39 AM

Ah, I found it... I'm such a tard, I had the link in my bookmarks. The "you can do it!" sales pitch is cornier than pop corn, but heck, the exercise is good

YouTube - Giant Lunge

**gYmgIrL** · March 26th, 2008, 08:57 AM

these are all so awesome!!! my hammies are burning this evening! I cant wait til next week to try some more of these!!!

Thanks so much guys!!

!

**Carnitas** · March 27th, 2008, 12:25 AM

Damn toro, that looks like an amazing calf workout. I'm going to have to give that a try cause I as well have been lacking in the calf department.

**torofuerte** · March 27th, 2008, 10:03 AM

Ok guys, finally I found all my bookmarks. This post is mostly about glute ham raises, which is second only to heavy deadlifts (3RM or heavier). This exercise and its variations truly blast the hamstrings.

Self-assisted glute-ham raises.

YouTube - glute ham raise female volleyball...

Notice how she does not try to go all the way down under control. At some point, she lets herself drop, catch her fall and push herself back up (giving enough momentum to lift herself with her hams.)

This another way when you don't have a partner (haven't tried this, but I will this weekend.)

YouTube - Glute ham raise

Or like this if you have proper resistance bands (like the ones sold by iron woody or westside barbell):

YouTube - Assisted Glute ham raises

This how I do them (kinda). Either I go through the whole range of motion (as negatives), or I do partials (in my case, I stay approx. at the last 50% of ROM.)

YouTube - Glute/Ham raises

And this is another option.

YouTube - Reverse Leg Curl

Last but never least, a 5x5 sets of romanian deadlifts would hit your hamstrings really good. Go heavy using no less than your 6-7RM. A lot of people at these so-called health clubs think they do deadlifts when in reality all they do is stiff-leg deadlifts for 10-12 reps (a waste of energy). A romanian is also a good test. If you go heavy and still can't feel your hamstrings, that's a sign your are unable to activate your hamstrings (which could be for a variety of reasons).

YouTube - Romanian Deadlift form tutorial RDL

**Italianangel** · April 3rd, 2008, 08:34 PM

You may also have some scar tissue built up stopping the growth, get a session or 2 of deep tissue on the hams, have them ripped up and then the blood/02 gets in there and you grow again.
Done it, been there, by accident but it worked. after 2 years of stunted growth to my hams, I got 2 inches in 3 mths of ham thickness alone after 3 mths deep tissue......due to car accident.
Linda

**gYmgIrL** · May 23rd, 2008, 10:13 PM

I think I finally cracked the code on these things, in fact, I'm a tard for not cracking it before!

I was just doing the motion of these exercises, and completely forgot to concentrate on the muscle. Now I try and tense my glutes while I do them. For example I used one of those squat machines, and as I pushed myself back up tried to imagine that it was my glutes and hamstrings that were pushing me back up, and finally, my glutes are burning! even that point between glutes and ham. (my body's favourite fat and water spot)

I'm eating well too! so if i keep on like this, hopefully I'll have some results to show you in a few months!

**torofuerte** · May 23rd, 2008, 10:46 PM

There is one method of visualizing the firing up of the glutes, which I call the Van Damme mannouver. Seriously

I don't know if you saw that episode in "Friends" where he (being the invited actor) joked something to the nature he could crack a walnut with his butt.

Well, when my g/f started squatting, she had a hard time activating her glutes, so I kept giving her the cue, "walnut, walnut!" to remind her to contract them. It's really important to have someone giving you a cue, or something, a mental image or word that you repeat mentally to do something. When fatigue gets in, it's easy to forget.

So, just think "walnut" everytime you hamstring curl or squat