A problem area for a lot is hamstring development. Quads? No problem. But hamstrings are the ones we tend to forget about.
The reason for this, in my opinion, is due to an invention in 1835 by Justus von Liebig. Otherwise known as ‘the mirror’.
‘Mirror muscles’ is a phrase often used to define the anterior of your body that you can see in the mirror. Your chest, biceps, abs, quads and anterior/ lateral delt. People often train these very, very hard and often, but neglect our posterior chain – back, glutes, hamstrings and triceps.
With that said, let’s get cracking on hamstrings.
- Train them at different lengths. For example an RDL is at its heaviest in the mid – lengthened range, while a hamstring curl is at its heaviest in its mid- short range. Make sure you don’t neglect 33-50% of your potential ranges.
- Train them with hip extension and flexion. Seated and lying hamstring curls are not the same exercise. Each have different benefits, so it would be wise to place both in your training plan.
- Train them hard. I think it is a misconception that because we are in an exercise like a hamstring curl, we need to train them at higher reps, as they are an ‘isolated movement’. My question is – ‘why?’. A muscle is a muscle, right? An exercise is an exercise, right? So, why don’t we programme a hard set of 6-8 in a seated hamstring curl?
- Prioritise them. If they are a weak body part, why are they at the tail end of a jam packed 6 exercise lower body day? What stimulus can be created there? Put them first and load them up.
- Are you eating enough? We know that – to optimise growth, you need to be in a surplus of calories, don’t we? So, I don’t want to be the barer of bad news for everyone ticking all the above points correctly, but simply not managing energy balance correctly and in a deficit of calories. Get responsive, start to push food to facilitate performance, progression and thus growth.
These are some simple tactics that need to be employed, but there are a hell of a lot more on top of these. If you want to take the guess work out of it, take your physique to the next level, get accountability and thrive in your training, fill out a pre consultation coaching form below, and I will be in touch.
Josh
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