{"id":7068,"date":"2015-08-06T14:09:14","date_gmt":"2015-08-06T13:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/?p=7068"},"modified":"2024-11-25T17:31:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T17:31:24","slug":"5-tips-for-training-hamstrings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/5-tips-for-training-hamstrings\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Training Hamstrings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bodybuilders are convinced they hold the biggest and\u00a0strongest hamstrings of any human being. If you were to state that it was\u00a0in fact the\u00a0track and field athlete\u00a0that tends to have the greatest\u00a0development in this often unloved,\u00a0undeveloped and\u00a0forgotten muscle grouping – many would protest.\u00a0It is however the athlete that holds such hamstring might – as\u00a0it is imperative in\u00a0obtaining speed,\u00a0dynamic power and joint protection.\u00a0Sprinters like Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell will all have substantially developed\u00a0hamstrings, generating\u00a0more power – a faster sprint and protecting\u00a0them from injury.<\/p>\n

Can’t see it – don’t train it<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, for many people hamstrings often fall\u00a0into the category of ‘can’t see it – don’t train it’, leading to them being a neglected muscle group.\u00a0It tends to be the ones on top of their game that are aware\u00a0of\u00a0the necessity of having elite level hamstrings. A\u00a0definitive\u00a0separation between the gluteus maximus and the biceps femoris (part of the hamstring) shows years of dedication, hard work and tons of leg curl variety.<\/p>\n

*Hamstrings consist of three muscles – the primary one is the biceps femoris, which attaches to the gluteus maximus. The semitendinosus and semimembranosus create the inner sweep across the hip and knee joint.<\/p>\n

Hamstrings work together to flex your knee and extend your hips<\/h2>\n

The three muscles of the hamstrings work together to flex your knee and extend your hips – movements you perform on every single stride. Charles Poliquin, owner of the Poliquin Performance Centre for elite athletes, recommends training hamstrings twice on one day. Both sessions he states should be fairly short, first concentrating on strength and power, and second focusing on muscular endurance. This according to Poliquin will dramatically change the appearance of your legs and that such a program could increase your body weight by up to 10 to 20lbs (5-10kgs).<\/p>\n

5 Herculean Hamstring Training Tips<\/h2>\n

1) First things first – number of reps<\/h3>\n

Keep the reps low and the sets high. The hamstrings are predominantly fast twitch, meaning there is little point in training them with high repetitions. You need to train with a heavy resistance otherwise you will not\u00a0create sufficient tension to evoke\u00a0a hypertrophy or strength response.<\/p>\n

2) Eccentric (negative)\u00a0training is key<\/h3>\n

Ensure each repetition focuses more on the eccentric portion of the exercise,\u00a0I am referring to the lowering part –\u00a0which the hamstrings respond very well to.\u00a0Within ‘Poliquin Principles’ Charles Poliquin states how triple jumpers and long jumpers are known for their hamstring development because they have to absorb high-impact landings, prompting high levels of eccentric contractions from the hamstrings.<\/p>\n

3) Train the hamstrings fully<\/h3>\n

It has been identified that\u00a0certain exercises\u00a0specifically target the different functions of the hamstrings. Leg\u00a0Curls will recruit different areas of the hamstring than the Romanian Deadlift.\u00a0Therefore to ensure you are hitting all areas of this muscle – perform exercises that involve both the hip extension function for example the\u00a0Good Morning & Romanian Deadlift\u00a0and the knee flexor function, examples being\u00a0Seated and Prone Leg Curl.<\/p>\n

4) Vary lifting position<\/h3>\n

This is a simple one, even if at your disposal there is a lack of\u00a0sufficient equipment to fully train your hamstrings. For every exercise\u00a0available\u00a0adjust your feet into three separate positions (neutral, inward and outward). This will activate further motor units and muscular fibres within the hamstrings, ensuring full muscular dominance.<\/p>\n

5) Make time for sufficient recovery<\/h3>\n

Finally due to their fast-twitch nature the hamstrings take a long time to\u00a0recover. Ensure you allow plenty of time – I often wait an entire week to train my hamstrings again as I make them as big of a priority as my shoulders and back.<\/p>\n

The gallery below contains snapshots of two exercises listed above (Romanian Deadlift and Seated Leg Curls). When combined both will hit all angles of the hamstring – creating maximum muscular\u00a0fibre recruitment.<\/p>\n

\"Romanian<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Seated<\/p>\n

Please make hamstring training a priority, I guarantee it will take your legs to the next level. Following these tips you are bound to see a noticeable change in size and strength – a well developed hamstring muscle can increase the weight you are able to squat, deadlift and most importantly protect your knees from any discomfort or injury.<\/p>\n

Feed The Fury<\/h2>\n

AFTERMATH<\/a>\u2122 is a perfect post-workout supplement to help you recover from a brutal leg training workout. Not only does it deliver the premium protein (Whey Protein Isolate) you need to help your hammies rebuild and recovery stronger, but the inclusion of premium carbohydrates in the form of Vitargo<\/a>\u00ae ensures your glycogen stores are replenished pronto, supporting the delivery of essential amino acids and nutrients to your muscles when they need them most.<\/p>\n

Or why not reach for a pot of peanut butter after a big session? It’s loaded with calories, mostly from protein and healthy fats, and is an ideal natural food source to feed your muscles and immune system. Plus, peanut butter tastes amazing – it’s reward for all the hard work you put in at the gym!<\/p>\n

Related articles<\/h3>\n

Looking to learn more? We believe that every person, with support, has the right to transform their lives through fitness. That’s why we’ve put together hundreds of articles with expert advice, all to help you on your fitness journey. Here’s some more articles around deadlifts and other leg-related movements.<\/p>\n

Romanian deadlift vs deadlift<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 How to increase your deadlift<\/a>
\nBench press variations<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0How to improve pulling power<\/a>
\nDeadlifting with expert powerlifter<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Deadlifting for beginners<\/a>
\nHip warm-up for squats<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 How to build big quads<\/a>
\nGym exercises for footballers<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 How to train your posterior chain<\/a>
\nDeadlift muscles worked<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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