Recommended
Readings:
Active Recovery - A Threefold Break down
Mobility Training and the Application of Proper Warm-Up for Bodybuilders
Pressurization as Applied To Spinal Stability
The Window of Opportunity
The Ultimate Anatomical Guide to Freaky Big Calves Part I
24 Weeks to Battering Ram Pushing Strength Part V (Triceps Guideline)
Recommended Split
Prioritization for Hamstrings:
|
3 to 5 Day
Split
|
Train Hamstrings
First in Leg Routine |
|
6 Day Split |
Train Hamstrings on
a Day of Their Own |
|
AM/PM Split |
Train Hamstrings in
the AM |
Session One:
Hamstring Raises-
4 sets
The primary exercise of
Session one will incorporate the use of a Hyper/back extension machine as
shown in figure one. Hamstring raises are a power exercise that has the
incredible capacity to make use of the hamstrings’ essential, eccentric
needs.
Figure
One. Hyper Extension Machine
Begin by adjusting
the cushioned supports and kneel upright in the back extension apparatus.
Position the knees on the near-upper side of the padded hump, keeping the
ankles between the padded supports, and feet on the platform. Make sure
the body is tight into the machine for maximal tension on the hamstrings.
As an option for
more advanced athletes, place a barbell on the back of the shoulders and
grasp the bar at the sides.
From this starting
position, lower down until the body is completely horizontal.
Continue lowering
until the knees are straight. Raise the body back up along the concentric
plane of motion, by flexing the knees and only allowing the hips to
slightly bend.
This exercise will
test the athlete’s flexibility and strength. A proper warm-up prior to
this exercise is highly recommended. (See:
Mobility Training and the Application of Proper Warm-Up for Bodybuilders.)
Focus
on a strong eccentric lowering. The handrails on the front of the machine
can be used to take the set further into fatigue, by pressing the body off
of the bottom portion of the movement, effectively cheating on the
positive portion of the exercise.
-
Barbell
Good Mornings - 3 sets
The
Good Morning has been well documented as a renowned lower-body posterior
mass-builder. Utilizing heavy stabilization of the erector spinae, this
movement is a staple exercise of the hypertrophic athlete.
By
exploiting different knee positions, the Good Morning can effectively
target either the hamstrings or the lower back region.
Begin
either form of the Good Morning by
situating the barbell on the back of
shoulders and grasp the bar at the sides.
The difference
between targeting the lower back and hamstrings is knee situation.
 
To hone in on the
lower back, incorporate a slight bend in the knee throughout the lowering
portion of the movement (the quadriceps can be kept bent throughout the
exercise). From this position, bend at the hips to lower the upper-body
until it is parallel to the floor.
Once at the bottom
of the movement, the quadriceps should be angled close to 45 degrees. From
the bottom of the range of motion, raise back up until the hips are
extended.
For isolating the
hamstrings, do not bend the knees during the execution of the movement.
Keep the legs straight and unbent (the unlocked knee position may be
slightly compromised by a minute curve). Doing so will effectively mimic
better hip extension, concentrating effort on the hamstrings.
Throughout both
types of movements, the back should be kept straight.
Incorporate rest-pause
to achieve additional reps beyond failure.
Multi-foot Position Machine Kneeling Leg Curls -
3 sets
All
three muscles that make up the hamstrings extend the hip joint and flex
the knee.
MacConaill and Basmajian (1) demonstrated that the entire hamstring group
contracts, regardless of whether hip extension or knee flexion takes
place. The isolated effectiveness of the semimembranosus, semitendinosus,
and long head of the biceps femoris as extensors of the hip are related to
knee joint action (3).
By utilizing
eversion and inversion, the various heads of the hamstrings can be
effectively targeted.
The standing leg
curl can also be used to identify muscular imbalance in the hamstrings.
As muscular fatigue
is attained, the feet will rotate in one direction if there is an
imbalance between the two heads of the hamstrings. If they medially
rotate, the semi-tendinosus and semi-membranosus are too strong for the
biceps femoris. If they laterally rotate, the biceps femoris is too strong
for the semitendinosus and semimembranosus.
In
general, perform 2 sets with a neutral foot positioning, 1 set with feet
inverted, and 1 set with feet everted. For added intensity, integrate
double or triple drop sets.
However, upon performing the test for muscular imbalance, if one head of
the hamstring grossly overcompensated for the other, perform the correct
foot positioning to more directly train the weaker head.
Session 2:
Dumbbell
Straight-legged Deadlift- 4
sets
Research has shown
the superiority of the stiff-legged deadlifts and leg curl in stimulating
the hamstrings.
Scientists used
integrated electromyography (EMG) and peak EMG to analyze the biceps
femoris and semitendinosus independently during the concentric (CON) and
eccentric (ECC) phase of each exercise.
The
results were as follows: CON-LC and CON-SLDL elicited the greatest
integrated EMG activity (5).
By
emphasizing different methodologies of this compound lift, such as cables,
dumbbells, and machines, maximal hypertrophy can be attained. Dumbbells
offer the advantage of even distribution of weight, forcing both sides of
the body to work more evenly than typical barbell work. This alternative
works well for identifying strength disproportions.
Safety with any form
of dead-lifting movement is fundamental, and is especially vital with the
Straight (or stiff)-Legged Deadlift. Proper execution of the exercise can
be viewed here:
Stiff Legg Deadlift
”Again, on the SLD, your gripping and leg
spacing are similar to the RLD, but, the
exercise is performed stiff-legged. The key here is to get as full a
range of motion as possible without rounding the back. The rounding of
the back places undue strain on the ligamentous structures of the back.
The forces on the lumbar spine are tripled when this occurs.
Note: These
are called stiff-legged, but I would recommend keeping the knees “soft,”
meaning that you will not have them completely locked, but just shy of
lockout throughout. The main difference between the stiff-legged dead
lift and the bent-legged persuasion is that the former eliminates the knee
extensors from entering the movement. This provides much greater
isolation of the posterior chain. However, the latter allows you to lift
a greater load. Both are a must in the battle of the big boys!”-
Jacob Wilson (4)
Begin
the Dumbbell Stiff-legged Deadlift standing
with a shoulder-width or narrower stance, grasping the dumbbells at the
sides.
While keeping the
knees straight, lower the dumbbells to the top or sides of feet by bending
at the hips. Bend at the waist as the dumbbells are lowered. Return by
extending the hips and waist until standing upright.
Keep the arms and
knees straight throughout the lift. The lower back may bend slightly
during full hip flexion.
Standing
One-legged Curl- 3 sets
Here, each leg is
isolated for even fatigue of the hamstring complex.
Begin by attaching
an ankle cuff to a low pulley station. Attach the ankle cuff to the
working leg and grasp the support bar of the pulley station. Keep the
elbows straight and locked to support the body as you lean forward,
stepping far back with the non-working foot, similar to the diagram
below:
 Fig
2 Non-working leg at the left, working leg to the right, from this
point simply curl the working leg in until the ankle touches the gluteus.
Begin the movement
by using the hamstring to pull the cable by flexing the knee, while also
flexing the hip slightly (move hip up), until the knee is completely
flexed.
Return by
straightening the knee and lowering the knee slightly to the original
position.
Barbell Hyper
Extension - 3 sets
Adjust the padding
on the extension machine, so that the thighs are firm against it. From
this position raise the upper body until the hips and waist are at full
extension. Lower the body by bending the hips and waist until fully
flexed.
By extending the
hips, pressure can be taken off the lower back and spinal erectors and
more emphasis can be placed on the hamstrings.
Placing a loaded
barbell on the back of shoulders and grasping the bar at the sides can aid
in applying added resistance.
The pulling motion of the
hyperextension, while targeting the hamstrings, will also synergistically
use the Erectors Spinae, Gluteus Maximus, and Adductor Magnus, working to
help strengthen the trunk.
Weak
trunk muscles and reduced flexibility of the back and hamstrings have been
identified as risk factors in the recurrence and persistence of low back
trouble (3).
For
this reason, emphasis should be placed on stretching between sets of this
exercise.
Upon
muscular fatigue, set the added weight down, and continue the set using
just body weight.
Session 3:
Lying Leg Curls supersetted
with
Leg Presses - 4
sets
This arranged
superset will make use of the P/S Principle.
By combining a stretch movement with a power exercise, a lethal
hypertrophic combination is created, enforcing the Power/Stretch
Principle.
The Hamstring curl
will effectively create a peak contraction of the posterior thigh, aiding
in stimulating maximal contraction of the muscle’s heads.
Again, multi-foot
variation is recommended for balanced exhaustion of the complex.
The Leg Press can
also be utilized in such a location to place extra stress on the
hamstrings.
By positioning the
feet high and close together on the leg press’s footplate, the posterior
leg will achieve greater stimulation.
The leg curl should
be aimed to achieve a repetition range of 8 to 10, while heavy weights
that allow the body builder to achieve failure in the 4 to 6
rep range should be exploited on the leg press.
Smith Machine Straight-Legged Deadlift-3
sets
The
execution used for this exercise is the same as was used with the dumbbell
stiff-legged deadlift.
However, the beginning protocol is slightly different.
Perform this movement on an elevated platform. This will allow for maximum
reach without compromising by allowing the plates to interfere with the
range of motion.
Begin
the Smith Machine Straight-legged Deadlift
standing with a shoulder-width or
narrower stance, grasping the bar. Recommended for this exercise is the
use of wrist straps or a mixed grip to prevent the focus of this movement
from going to the forearms.
While keeping the
knees straight, lower the bar to the top of the feet by bending at the
hips. Lift the bar by extending the hips and waist until standing upright.
Keep the arms and
knees straight throughout the lift. The lower-back may bend slightly
during full hip flexion.
Lying Leg Curls – 3
sets
In part three of session three, exploitation of
Double Your Pain Double Your Gain will be applied.
Along
with this shock implementation, the use of 21’s will be employed for added
distress.
While
typically considered a shock method for the biceps, the 21 formula is an
excellent practice for any muscle group.
Begin
the movement, squeezing seven repetitions from the bottom of the range of
motion, to the mid-point of the range of motion. From this point, resume
the pain-searing pressure by the addition of seven repetitions from the
mid-point of the range of motion to the peak of the exercise’s scope.
This
will fruitfully fatigue the entire multifarious hamstring muscle.
However, another segment remains. Seven full range of motion reps must now
be completed. If the need arises, the weight can be dropped to complete
the full 21 procedure. If a partner is available, maintain the same weight
and have the partner assist in completing reps.
Session
4:
Dumbbell Super Leg Curls
- 3 sets
Begin by positioning facedown on a
flat bench so the knees are just above the bottom edge.
If assistance is available, have a
partner grab a dumbbell, and holding it vertically, place it between the
feet so that the bottom side of the top plates is resting on the soles of
the feet.
Next simply accomplish leg curls in
the typical fashion, holding the feet together so the dumbbell does not
slip out. The concept is two-fold. As the athlete is forced to plantar
flex the foot in order to keep the dumbbell in place, this exercise has a
texture nothing like that of a standard leg curl on a machine.
This movement is a super leg curl and
also works the calves due to this action.
If a partner is not
available, place the dumbbell on the ground, and perform the movement
lying on the ground. This will allow a solo worker to grasp the dumbbell
unaided.
Straight-Legged Cable Deadlifts – 4 sets
Having
pre-exhausted the posterior thighs with the Dumbbell Super Leg Curl, the
constant tension of the Straight-Legged Cable Dead lift will complete the
task of maximum stimulation of the hamstring.
The
technique is the same as with a standard Stiff-Legged Dead lift, however,
the use of the pulley apparatus will provide an alternative impetus.
Adjust
the footplates so that the full extension the Stiff-Legged Dead lift
requires can be applied. Again, use straps or a sumo mixed grip to avoid
forearm fatigue.
Perform four sets of cable straight-legged deadlifts, strongly accenting
the negative.
Upon
muscular fatigue, strip sets can be applied for further intensity.
Sartorius Curls
– 4 sets
 One
of the few bodybuilders whose sartorius is clearly visible is the sultan
of symmetry, Kenneth “Flex” Wheeler. Sartorius is translated “Tailors
Muscle." Careful anatomical examination reveals why.
It is due to how tailors used to bring their ankle up to the
knee -- a process that will rotate the hip as well as flex the knee.
To activate the sartorius and the
hamstrings at the same time, stand sideways next to a low cable pulley and
attach the cuff around the ankle. Curl the leg inwards and across the
body. Then lower to the starting position.
Session 5- Repeat Session 1
Session 6- Repeat Session 2
Session 7- Repeat Session 3
Session 8- Repeat Session 4
Discussion
Functional relevance of
the HYPERplasia journal entries,
“Analysis
of the Muscles Which Act at the Hip”
and “Knee
Joints and the Analysis of
the Posterior Thigh”,
were applied to an eight session phase procedure designed for the explicit
purposes of conjuring hypertrophy/hyperplasia in the regional posterior
thigh muscularity.
As shown, the knee and hip occupy an
impeccable anatomical role in hamstring motion. More specifically hip
extension and knee flexion have demonstrated their roles as the
strategic players in this task.
The knee has demonstrated itself to
have both physical and eternal spiritual properties:
Isaiah 45:18
For
thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the
earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he
formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
I have sworn
by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall
not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall
swear.
References and Sources Cited:
1.
Baratta, R., M
Solomonow, B.H Zhou, D Letson, R Chuinard, and R D'Ambrosia. The role of
the antagonist musculature in maintaining knee stability. Am. J. Sports
Med. 16:113–122. 1988.
2. Biering-Sorensen, F.
Physical measurements as risk indicators for low-back trouble over a
one-year period. Spine. 9:106–119. 1984.
3. Luttgens, K., and K.F
Wells. Kinesiology: Scientific Basis of Human Motion. (7th ed.).
Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing, 1982.
4. Wilson, Jacob.
Anatomy of The Back VI - DeepMuscles of The Back Part II. Journal of
Hyperplasia Research. March 2003.
5. Wright, G.A., T.H.
Delong, and G. Gehlsen. Electromyographic activity of the hamstrings
during performance of the leg curl, stiff leg deadlift and back squat
movements. J. Strength Cond. Res. 13:168–174. 1999.
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