If one performs full Olympic weightlifting style squats, does the hamstring get enough work in the bottom portion to keep pace with quad strength, or does a specific hamstring exercise have to performed?
Why does no one on this board, such as David Woodhouse or Charlie, recommend doing straight- legged (not stiff, knees slightly unlocked) deadlifts for the hamstrings? Assuming that one does not go to failure by staying at least 2 reps clear, trains with a buffer, does not round the back excessively, does not lift in a ballistic fashion, avoids exagerrated ranges of motion and adheres to good general lifting practises, why can’t this exercise be useful and relatively safe?
I don’t like the sound of the oft recommended glute/ham raises. It strikes me as being one of those exercises that sports scientists drum up to justify their occupations, in that even though it MAY be useful it does exactly the same thing as other exercises that have been around for more than a century. This is just my impression, not an informed opinion. How is performance measured in this lift, considering that few perform it? I don’t think my Olympic weightlifting gym would have the equipment in order to perform it for a start. It sounds like one of those isolation exercises that I have spent my training life trying to avoid. But if someone can convince me that sprinters should be performing it in order to prevent hamstring injuries and run faster, then I will definitely embrace it. I just need convincing.
Does anyone train their hamstrings seperately in order to maintain a strength balance between the left and right legs?
Any other advice on strengthening the hamstings and maintaining strength balance between the quads and the hams, and both legs themselves?
as far as glute ham raises are concerned for strengthening hamstrings, just go ask any westsider…they have the numbers to prove their hamstring strength is through the roof…does this mean they are fast? no, but then again they train for max lifts, and in conjunction with a sprinters training hamstring strengthening exercises are great and this one is the one recomended by westside…
The GHR has been around for a long time. We used in the 60’s. It disappeared, except in athletes circles, in the 80’s when the modern gyms came along. Why? It is a tough exercise and the average person would rather use the 45 degree back raise. (Sort of like doing Leg Press or Smith Machine instead of Squats)
As for Straight Leg Deads. Good exercise but as you say be careful. Read this excellent article. McGill is a world renowned expert on the spine and by the way he practices what he preaches. He is not a “geeky professor”.
GHR is one of the best pos chain exercises ever developed. I do oly squats and do assistance work on the hams as well. (reverse leg press, standing/seated ham curls) I do not go really heavy on them though, just an assistance exercise. (8-10 reps)
It depends how you value specificity of movements to competition lifts/sports which you choose. They are both specific with respect to the muscles used in lifting/sprinting.
GHR is not specific with respect to the forces at joint angles - greatest difficulty at/near full extension. This is one reason why they are not so popular with weightlifters in general. However westsiders do train it, but they don’t focus on specificity to competition lifts so much. I’m not sure if they use it as a max effort exercise or a special (assistance) exercise
SLDL is not used very regularly by weightlifters because of the difference in coordination between this and the classic lifts/regular pulls, with possible negative effects on technique. The stress in addition to all other lifts (pulls, cleans and squats will be there constantly) can make injury much more likely. For them it can be used, sparingly and cautiously. Drechsler recommends partial deadlifts instead, for safety and specificity (movement pattern)
Westside seem to prefer good mornings for some reason, although these stress the muscles in a similar nature. I think they do use it as a max effort exercise.
For sprinting though, rule the exercises out if you doubt the safety of them, after considering the info.
For what this is worth: before I started doing ghr’s a couple of years ago, I read an article online about how they stretch the sarcomeres in the hamstring muscles, and were excellent for preventing hamstring injuries in sprinters. Sorry I have no idea where I read that, maybe someone else has a clue. Since including them, never had a hamstring pull after years of being plagued by minor strains. (Though I’m not a full time sprinter, I only use sprints as a small part of training) Any actual sprinters have any input as to the injury prevention benefits of GHR’s? I love em.
PS Westside lifters do the GHR as either assistance or include it in their warmups, never max effort.
The world record holder in the squat “Brent Mikesall” 1077 pound squat, does glute ham raises in both his weakly leg sessions. He also includes reverse hypers I think in both sessions to. No other exercise is done more than once per weak.
Question for Charlie, how was Ben Johnson able to develope such hamstring strength without glute ham raises? I’ve not seen any other exercise with as much recruitment of fibres or hamstring intensity. Leg curls are close on but don’t have the hip extension. People who have done reverse hypers tend to say they feel it more in the glutes than hamstrings. Can the squat be all that is needed plus reverse hypers?
All I do are SLDL (well with a slight bend) and Squats, Deadlifts and from time to time some fast concentrics slow eccentrics with bands at 2 angles - seems to be working well for me.
I’m not Charlie, but from what I’ve read in his books: sprinting and reverse leg press. It also said in the forum review(I think) that Charlie is big on reverse hypers.
How are guys doing the reverse leg press? I know Charlie recommends using a universal leg press machine, but they aren’t around anymore. Any good ideas or what is a good subsititute for the reverse leg press?
i’m no charlie but from reading his material, ben did a lot of half squating which won’t affect the hamstrings as much as a full squat. it seems to me that ben’s high quality sprint work was the reason for his hamstring strength and thickness.
Try glute-ham raises for your hamstrings. They work great. If you don’t have an apparatus for them, kneel down in front of a leg extension machine and load the weight all the way up. Lock your feet underneath the foot padding and do the exercise. I always put a mat under my knees so they don’t get wrecked from the ground.