What is everyones opinion to the effectiveness of hamstring Curls?
I had the a NBA strength coach tell me that the only creat imbalance and that I should take them out of my weight program. They ham curls one of the 3 days
The coach was mentioning that they are not being triggerd by the foot !!!
Coach, hamstring curls are okay but down on the list of exercises I would use to strengthen the glutes and hams. Not that you can’t develop strong hamstrings with a knee flexion exercise, for athletic purposes it’s ideal to train the hamstrings as hip extensors.
Thomas
There is definitely no need to ever perform machine hamstring curls. Swissball hamstring curls, band hamstring curls, ok, maybe as a supplementary exercise. Even still, there are a few better, much more worth while exercises out there that train that range of motion more efficiently and plain out just better.
I think ham curls have a place in a training program. Not the most effective ham exercise out there though. Hip extension is always #1, but knee flexion shouldn’t be neglected either. I have used single leg ham curls while plantar flexing the ankle on the eccentric and have noticed it to be far better than regualr ham curls. Just my opinion… I am always a big fan of RDL’s, GHR, Good mornings, reverse hypers/single leg hypers.
i think you have to train hamstring curls + an exercise for hamstring and glutes togother by simulating the leg amplitude in a sprint.
As a supplementary exercise, they may have a limited role. I’d focus instead on deadlifts and glute-ham raises. Good mornings are an option, along with step ups (high step – to hit the glutes and hams). Reverse hypers and reverse leg press are good, too.
I believe that ham curls are good, but they must be done one leg at a time. Otherwise, the legs are unbalanced. One-leg curls are more neurologically appropriate for sprinting!
Why’s that?
This is only one way you can strengthen your hamstrings -and it’s not the best…
I agree ham curls may not be the best exercise for hams out there but they are can be made more effective by performing them on an incline bench with a dumbell between your feet. Try it, you might like it!