Richardbrown
Member
No leg curl machine? No problem!
You've chosen to show your legs' backs the appreciation they merit on leg day. Unfortunately, everyone else in the gym had the same notion, which is bad news for your hamstrings. You must adhere to a training program, therefore you don't have time or patience to wait for the hamstring curl machine to become available.
Don't panic; you can still show your hamstrings the affection, care, and development they require. Whether you're using resistance bands, core sliders, dumbbells, or even just your own bodyweight, there are numerous ways to curl a hamstring.
Regardless of what you decide, your hamstrings can still receive the solitary contractions they require to develop to their fullest extent. There's no reason you can't use one or more of these hamstring curl variations to mix up your leg workout even though hamstring curls are typically done on a machine.
Best Hamstring Curl Variations
1. Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
2. Core Slider Hamstring Curl
3. Isometric Hamstring Curl
4. Nordic Hamstring Curl
5. Standing Hamstring Curl
6. Resistance Band Hamstring Curl
7. Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
1. Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
When the curling machine is fully booked, grab a weight bench and a dumbbell to improve your hamstring game. You'll do a prone hamstring curl while holding a dumbbell in the space between your shoes.
Use light dumbbells for this exercise, but make sure the handles are of a size that will allow you to maintain a solid grip on them between your feet. Avoid letting anything fall on your glutes.
Benefits of the Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
You must perform the dumbbell hamstring curl slowly and carefully to prevent any mishaps; you must also pay great attention to your form.
Your lower body's muscle activation will increase when you squeeze your feet together to support the weight.
You won't need to utilize as much weight to have a strong muscle-building stimulus because you'll be squeezing harder than you otherwise might.
How to Do the Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
Put a dumbbell in the space between your feet. Place your lower legs off the end of a bench as you lay face down on it. Make sure the weight is stable by shifting your feet. To raise your feet up to your glutes, flex your knees. Ensure that you are continuously squeezing your feet together. Turn the motion around. For each rep, repeat.
2. Core Slider Hamstring Curl
Not only are core sliders useful for your core. You can use them for a wide variety of moves, including push-up variations and dynamic planks. In this case, they also come in handy for bodyweight hamstring curls.
Once more, you'll be strengthening your sense of balance and enhancing your proprioception. You'll need to strongly engage your glutes during this motion to maintain stability.
Benefits of the Core Slider Hamstring Curl
To maintain your lower body, back, and core stable during this variant, you'll need to engage your glutes.
Your entire lower body will experience more muscle activation as a result of the core sliders' encouragement to actively press your feet into the ground.
Your balance and comprehension of how your body moves in space will both be improved by doing this variant.
How to Do the Core Slider Hamstring Curl
Your feet should be on the ground, and your legs should be extended. Specifically under your heels, fasten a pair of core sliders to the bottom of your foot. Knees should be bent, heels pressed into the ground, and glutes contracted. With control, move your heels in the direction of your glutes. Reverse gradually. For each rep, repeat.
3. Isometric Hamstring Curl
Although the isometric hamstring curl may not appear to be much of an exercise, your hamstrings will be vigorously worked throughout this exercise.
Make sure you're well warmed up before starting this exercise, especially if you're not used to working only your hamstrings. You'll discover that you can exert a lot of force, and not having warmed up sufficiently could cause cramps.
Benefits of the Isometric Hamstring Curl
You might be able to exert even more force by remaining still than you would be able to do by choosing from a number of unweighted hamstring curl choices.
You might be able to strengthen your hamstrings by contracting them more ferociously.
With this technique, you'll get some practice improving your mind-muscle connection because it's all about you and your muscle contraction, not any movement.
How to Do the Isometric Hamstring Curl
Lean backwards against a weight bench. Put your ankles on the bench with your toes pointed upwards and bend your knees to about a 90-degree angle. Contract your hamstrings firmly without moving at all. Your glutes may lift slightly, but the goal is to press down on your calves and heels while tightening your hamstrings to exert as much strain as you can without moving. For 10 to 30 seconds, hold. Rest, unwind, and repeat.
You've chosen to show your legs' backs the appreciation they merit on leg day. Unfortunately, everyone else in the gym had the same notion, which is bad news for your hamstrings. You must adhere to a training program, therefore you don't have time or patience to wait for the hamstring curl machine to become available.
Don't panic; you can still show your hamstrings the affection, care, and development they require. Whether you're using resistance bands, core sliders, dumbbells, or even just your own bodyweight, there are numerous ways to curl a hamstring.
Regardless of what you decide, your hamstrings can still receive the solitary contractions they require to develop to their fullest extent. There's no reason you can't use one or more of these hamstring curl variations to mix up your leg workout even though hamstring curls are typically done on a machine.
Best Hamstring Curl Variations
1. Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
2. Core Slider Hamstring Curl
3. Isometric Hamstring Curl
4. Nordic Hamstring Curl
5. Standing Hamstring Curl
6. Resistance Band Hamstring Curl
7. Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
1. Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
When the curling machine is fully booked, grab a weight bench and a dumbbell to improve your hamstring game. You'll do a prone hamstring curl while holding a dumbbell in the space between your shoes.
Use light dumbbells for this exercise, but make sure the handles are of a size that will allow you to maintain a solid grip on them between your feet. Avoid letting anything fall on your glutes.
Benefits of the Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
You must perform the dumbbell hamstring curl slowly and carefully to prevent any mishaps; you must also pay great attention to your form.
Your lower body's muscle activation will increase when you squeeze your feet together to support the weight.
You won't need to utilize as much weight to have a strong muscle-building stimulus because you'll be squeezing harder than you otherwise might.
How to Do the Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
Put a dumbbell in the space between your feet. Place your lower legs off the end of a bench as you lay face down on it. Make sure the weight is stable by shifting your feet. To raise your feet up to your glutes, flex your knees. Ensure that you are continuously squeezing your feet together. Turn the motion around. For each rep, repeat.
2. Core Slider Hamstring Curl
Not only are core sliders useful for your core. You can use them for a wide variety of moves, including push-up variations and dynamic planks. In this case, they also come in handy for bodyweight hamstring curls.
Once more, you'll be strengthening your sense of balance and enhancing your proprioception. You'll need to strongly engage your glutes during this motion to maintain stability.
Benefits of the Core Slider Hamstring Curl
To maintain your lower body, back, and core stable during this variant, you'll need to engage your glutes.
Your entire lower body will experience more muscle activation as a result of the core sliders' encouragement to actively press your feet into the ground.
Your balance and comprehension of how your body moves in space will both be improved by doing this variant.
How to Do the Core Slider Hamstring Curl
Your feet should be on the ground, and your legs should be extended. Specifically under your heels, fasten a pair of core sliders to the bottom of your foot. Knees should be bent, heels pressed into the ground, and glutes contracted. With control, move your heels in the direction of your glutes. Reverse gradually. For each rep, repeat.
3. Isometric Hamstring Curl
Although the isometric hamstring curl may not appear to be much of an exercise, your hamstrings will be vigorously worked throughout this exercise.
Make sure you're well warmed up before starting this exercise, especially if you're not used to working only your hamstrings. You'll discover that you can exert a lot of force, and not having warmed up sufficiently could cause cramps.
Benefits of the Isometric Hamstring Curl
You might be able to exert even more force by remaining still than you would be able to do by choosing from a number of unweighted hamstring curl choices.
You might be able to strengthen your hamstrings by contracting them more ferociously.
With this technique, you'll get some practice improving your mind-muscle connection because it's all about you and your muscle contraction, not any movement.
How to Do the Isometric Hamstring Curl
Lean backwards against a weight bench. Put your ankles on the bench with your toes pointed upwards and bend your knees to about a 90-degree angle. Contract your hamstrings firmly without moving at all. Your glutes may lift slightly, but the goal is to press down on your calves and heels while tightening your hamstrings to exert as much strain as you can without moving. For 10 to 30 seconds, hold. Rest, unwind, and repeat.