Thread: Do you believe...

Originally Posted by L Armstrong

it is possible to get great hamstrings without doing curls?

I have a home gym with almost everything i need except the option to do curls.

I really like this exercise, but all i really do for hams is the straight leg deadlift.

Any suggestions/opinions

Hell yeah! Lower body pulling movements are far more important in my opinion.

I never do leg curls, but my hammies are decent size wise and quite strong. You can also try and figure out a way to rig up glute ham raises if you want to work some knee flexion.

Dead lifts and striff leg dead lifts are all you need

Ya I dont even do leg curls because I almost think its a waste of a movement. I would much rather expend my energy on SLDL's.

Read:

http://www.muscletech.com/TRAINING/H...GS/index.shtml

and

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...eHamRaise.html

My gym has a stand that approximates the correct position (albeit not quite horizontal) for these glute ham raises.

do deadlift variations and glute bridge (hip lift) variations.

good mornings could be an option as well if u wanted more variation.

Thanks for your imput, it makes me feel much better about not doing the curls.

Originally Posted by Double D

Ya I dont even do leg curls because I almost think its a waste of a movement. I would much rather expend my energy on SLDL's.

Sorry, i am such a novice

What are SLDL's

cheers
Lisa

straight leg dead lifts

Originally Posted by danchubbz

straight leg dead lifts

OF COURSE Silly me!!!

I did my first leg workout in years, needless to say it was very light weight!

I did

2 sets of squats

2 sets standing calf raise

2 sets SLDL's ;-))

2 set back extensions for glutes.

I left out lunges because i thought it unwise to do too much!

However i normally would do them too, and i would do 3 sets fo each exercise.

Or, do you reckon that would be too much, including both squats and lunges?

I know i cannot walk for a week afterwards!!

I do leg curls, I feel they help. The bulk of my hamstring training is done via DB RDL's and deadlifts..

Originally Posted by L Armstrong

I really like this exercise, but all i really do for hams is the straight leg deadlift.

Stiff legged, not straight. A straight leg invites hyperextending the knee in the wrong direction, and would target the back much more than the legs. You need to bend the knees, if you want to go straight at the top that is fine if that feels natural.

Originally Posted by Mudge

Stiff legged, not straight. A straight leg invites hyperextending the knee in the wrong direction, and would target the back much more than the legs. You need to bend the knees, if you want to go straight at the top that is fine if that feels natural.

Yes, i bend my knees, too much strain otherwise.

Today is the day after the night b4 (training) and my legs are in rag order.....and i thought i had taken it easy...god i'm a weakling

i only do sldls 2 x per week for my lower pull ....and my hams looks good though....i don't do isolation ,, just few of them that's why i donn't do curls...