On most posts I see about BSS and muscles activated, hamstrings are always listed (besides the obvious quads and glutes), but is it enough for significant hamstring growth?
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On most posts I see about BSS and muscles activated, hamstrings are always listed (besides the obvious quads and glutes), but is it enough for significant hamstring growth?
Are bulgarian split squats your own leg movement? Most people would argue that is not enough. The hamstrings seem to respond best to both curling motions (think knee function) and "stretching"/loading movements like RDL's. However, many people get by focusing mostly on the loading of hamstrings with heavy deads, RDL's, cleans, etc. A split squat is not enough IMO but is a good accessory movement. A good lower focused day to me could be front squats, RDL's, and high rep bulgarian split squats.
Do BSS with your front leg far in front of the back leg so you are sitting back and down into it with your knee behind your foot and you will get a ton of glute/hamstring activation. It still won't hit the hamstring fibers that mainly curl the leg though, so I would still include a curling movement.
I guess BSS is on a lot peoples mind. To answer your question, the short of the bicep femoris(just a part of the hamstrings) ONLY bends your knee so a lunge, squat or hinge wouldnt train that muscle
[QUOTE=KyeGuy;1695114223]On most posts I see about BSS and muscles activated, hamstrings are always listed (besides the obvious quads and glutes), but is it enough for significant hamstring growth?[/QUOTE]
Have you ever tried Nordic curls ?
In most cases, there won't be much hamstring focus in the early progression. Quad activation in an exercise makes the movement very efficient between the muscles until you start getting into deep stretches. The constrictive nature of BSS doesn't encourage deeper stretch and actually makes for more rigid control by the quad instead.
Even then though, as was said, curling moves and deadlifts are going to be much more proficient as a sole exercise for hamstring growth. You'd have just as much reason biasing hamstrings with a deadlift as an only movement as you'd have biasing quads with a squat. The legs aren't really a "one exercise fits all" kind of muscle group