From what I read there are some very strong guys on this site & was just thinking, how many of you guys can do a proper manual hamstring curl (from the floor)? Can anybody do them plantarflexed & with extra weight? I find these bloody tough to do (I do two variations, one pulley assisted & the other on a old incline ab board decreasing the height as I get stronger) getting very close to the floor at the moment (maybe 20-30 degrees off the ground from a static start) so I expect some guys can bang out these without a problem. Watched Adam Archeleta (spelling?) on a clip a year or so ago do them with a 25lb dumbell with ease, anyone know anyone who can use big weights on this?
I’m guessing you’re talking about glute-ham raises. I can do them no problem from the ground without any weight and I don’t consider my hamstrings freakishly strong(I deadlift 405 at 190 which isn’t that impressive). I occasionally do them with a 25 lbs plate and vary the range of motion and the distance the plate is from my body to get varying degrees of resistance.
mmmmn. My knee flexion must sorta suck then. Deadlift is 462 off a 4" block at 182-187lbs theres no way I could do one from the floor! A 25lb plate is something I see in the future but not near by! anyone else use weights? once you do work upto weight wheres the best place to hold the bar? Behind the neck?
Now that I think about it, I use a dumbell more often than a plate. I hold it at chest level. You can vary the resistance numerous ways.
-Start at the top and only do partials
-Do partials mostly focusing on back extension
-Vary the distance the weight is from your body
-Push off more from the ground
-use a lighter dumbell
Manual Leg Curls are the correct name for this exercise. There is no hip extension thus no glute-ham raise.