Hamstring curl machine?

[Connor Davies]

Okay I'm going to start this by saying machines are bad, isolation exercises are stupid and all that good stuff.

 

Now that that's out of the way, I'm trying to work my way up to a GHR/NLC.  Are hamstring curls a good way of training for this?  I've heard some people say they can cause misfiring of the posterior chain due to muscle imbalances.  Given that there's zero glute activation during a hamstring curl but it's called a GLUTE-ham-raise, would I just be wasting my time training this exercise on a machine?

 

Oh, I'd also like someone to weight in on the curls=bad for your knees issue, especially as it relates to the GHR.

[Alan Tseng]

If you have those worries, then doing Foundation will help you achieve the exact results you want

[Scott Pelton-Stroud]

That post is funny, since Bipocni has Foundation already...

I don't have any empirical evidence, but I would guess that the hamstring curl would help GHR/NLC about as much as a bicep curl would help a pull-up or a tricep extension to a pushup. Namely, it would probably help you somewhat, but would probably not be the most efficient path and perhaps would not even get you very far (since it neglects at least half the muscles used and doesn't teach any muscles to work together). To me, leg curls feel completely different from NLCs, I think largely because of the increasing force as you extend the leg. And the entire backside of body activation thing

If you are open to other options, SLS/SE1>iM and SLS/SE2>iM from F2 are a great build up to NLC. If those are too hard, I have also tried lowering my rings to just above ground-level, and doing the exercise as those 2 iMs, but with much less friction. EDIT: if that variation is still too hard, you can start with a static hold in the extended position, then go to a negative, then to the ring-curls.

 

DOUBLE-EDIT: if you're actually closer to achieving the NLC, this article is super helpful if you have the equipment and don't mind the provacative picture up front: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_gluteham_raise_from_a_to_z

[Jan Reipert]

from my experience, a hamstring-curl machine does exactly nothing for your hamstring-strength. i saw much, much, much better development with a glute-ham-developer (if you have access to it).

[ASNB]

The hamstring machine is a difficult machine to use properly and it depends largely on the quality of the machine. Most people use far too much weight on it.  Even when I was squatting in the mid 400's i was only using max 80-100 lbs on the ham curls, both legs, slow eccentric, high reps at least 12 and you need to feel the hams working, ie they will burn. 

 

If you are able to use the exercise properly you will experience carryover to a glute ham raise.  I preferred a standing ham curl done for individual legs because laying down is a bit disorienting -it is hard to concentrate on the muscles you want to hit.

 

The glute ham raise itself I found at my weight 200-220, was too stressful on my knees and I need quite a bit of assistance to minimize momentum to an acceptable level.   Most people use inadequate padding as well. 

 

Since I have migrated entirely to body-weight, I found SLS works my hams plenty.  Straight bridges, I was surprised, also hit the hams quite well and the entire posterior chain, but these will quickly become very high rep.  IMO this is not a bad thing when it comes to hams and low back.

 

i think for overall health a strong base should be built around SLS before approaching a glute ham raise or exercise that extend the knee joint.

 

good luck

[Douglas Wadle]

The problem with the hamstring curl machine is it treats the hamstrings as a knee flexion muscle, when in reality is a hip extension muscle.  Hamstring curls do not do much to train the hamstrings, and they do risk hamstring strains and tendonitis behind the knee.  They do nothing for glutes.  I avoid them like the plague.

[Josh Schmitter]

The problem with the hamstring curl machine is it treats the hamstrings as a knee flexion muscle, when in reality is a hip extension muscle.  Hamstring curls do not do much to train the hamstrings, and they do risk hamstring strains and tendonitis behind the knee.  They do nothing for glutes.  I avoid them like the plague.

I agree with you about the anatomy, but I think the plague has been getting a bad rap for a while now. Maybe it just needs a friend. Change starts with you.