Seated Leg curls WTF? >.<

ok so i love lying leg curls(most do) but my gym also has a "seated" leg curl machine. I have heard good things about it, and that it better hits the semimembronosis/tendinosis(sp?) area. Here's the problem however...every time i try this machine...i can't feel it in my hams at all, even though i have a GREAT mind muscle connection now with my hams, i have tried adjusting the seat, length of the appartus where your heels go, foot placement etc, but nothing. Also when i manipulate the weight it's either too easy or imovable with nothing in between, and when it is moving i basically feel it in my ankles. So am I stuck doing SLDL's and Lying Leg curls for the rest of my life with no other variety for my hams? (btw i add variety to these excercises by varying weight, reps, sets, foot placement and order yadda yadda). Also my gym dosent have a standing leg curl machine or one of those leg curl/reverse leg curl benches. Is there any way to make the seated leg curl work for me? Thank u for any and all input =)

just do em if you want to. Just because you arent feeling it much in the muscle doesnt mean it isnt effective.

[QUOTE=Progressive8;45984431]ok so i love lying leg curls(most do) but my gym also has a "seated" leg curl machine. I have heard good things about it, and that it better hits the semimembronosis/tendinosis(sp?) area. Here's the problem however...every time i try this machine...i can't feel it in my hams at all, even though i have a GREAT mind muscle connection now with my hams, i have tried adjusting the seat, length of the appartus where your heels go, foot placement etc, but nothing. Also when i manipulate the weight it's either too easy or imovable with nothing in between, and when it is moving i basically feel it in my ankles. So am I stuck doing SLDL's and Lying Leg curls for the rest of my life with no other variety for my hams? (btw i add variety to these excercises by varying weight, reps, sets, foot placement and order yadda yadda). Also my gym dosent have a standing leg curl machine or one of those leg curl/reverse leg curl benches. Is there any way to make the seated leg curl work for me? Thank u for any and all input =)[/QUOTE]

I hear you one of the gyms I go to doesnt have a lying down one only the seated one..It takes a while to get use to

Try Romanian Deadlifts and/or Glute/Ham Raises. Way better hip-dominant exercises than leg curls (although leg curls certainly have their place).

Try lightening up and going high rep (25-30). The pump will add some feel to it.

Make sure you're not leaning back at all. Place the seat forward so you're more upright/leaning forward slightly. This pre-stretches the hams. Also, point your toes. That will take the calves out of the movement.

ahhhhh i c thanks, good info, reps(if i coulkd give them to u) lol QUOTE=Pen0r;46084851]Make sure you're not leaning back at all. Place the seat forward so you're more upright/leaning forward slightly. This pre-stretches the hams. Also, point your toes. That will take the calves out of the movement.[/QUOTE]

do romainian deads hit the hams any differnt then SLDL's with knees straight?, and the glute raises are weird i can use more weight than the machine goes up to....i think its more of a movement for female bodybuilders lol[QUOTE=Glaive;46002661]Try Romanian Deadlifts and/or Glute/Ham Raises. Way better hip-dominant exercises than leg curls (although leg curls certainly have their place).[/QUOTE]

[img]http://www.defrancostraining.com/pics/images/pics/female/glute-ham-raise.jpg[/img]

You can add as much weight as you can hold.

ahhh the machine at my gym dosent look like that, u push back againt a unilateral footplate and the weight is machine loaded[QUOTE=J.L.C.;46133781][img]http://www.defrancostraining.com/pics/images/pics/female/glute-ham-raise.jpg[/img]

You can add as much weight as you can hold.[/QUOTE]

If you're not feeling it in your hams, WHERE are you feeling it? You always have to mention that.

If you're not feeling it anywhere else then you're not going hard enough.

well i said like in my ankles or something, certainly not my hams, but once i increase the weight to a certain point, i cant move the appratus >.<

[QUOTE=Tyciol;46251931]If you're not feeling it in your hams, WHERE are you feeling it? You always have to mention that.

If you're not feeling it anywhere else then you're not going hard enough.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Progressive8;45984431]ok so i love lying leg curls(most do) but my gym also has a "seated" leg curl machine. I have heard good things about it, and that it better hits the semimembronosis/tendinosis(sp?) area. Here's the problem however...every time i try this machine...i can't feel it in my hams at all, even though i have a GREAT mind muscle connection now with my hams, i have tried adjusting the seat, length of the appartus where your heels go, foot placement etc, but nothing. Also when i manipulate the weight it's either too easy or imovable with nothing in between, and when it is moving i basically feel it in my ankles. So am I stuck doing SLDL's and Lying Leg curls for the rest of my life with no other variety for my hams? (btw i add variety to these excercises by varying weight, reps, sets, foot placement and order yadda yadda). Also my gym dosent have a standing leg curl machine or one of those leg curl/reverse leg curl benches. Is there any way to make the seated leg curl work for me? Thank u for any and all input =)[/QUOTE]

It takes some getting used to. When I switched gyms I had this problem too. Just start at a weight you can handle, you may not even feel it for awhile, but once you get used to the motion you will be able to increase weight and you will start to feel it better. This worked for me anyways. I still prefer the lying leg curls though.

You're probably moving it more with your calves. Try pointing your toes forward. Other than that, practice makes perfect. You may not like the machine but you'll probably like the results it gives.

thx all, i guess i will give it another go lol, btw say i use 60 pounds on the lying leg curl, if i was used to the seated would i be able to use the same weight?

[QUOTE=Pen0r;46084851]Make sure you're not leaning back at all. Place the seat forward so you're more upright/leaning forward slightly. This pre-stretches the hams. Also, point your toes. That will take the calves out of the movement.[/QUOTE]

Pointing your toes brings calves in; flexing your feet/ankles emphasizes hams. Leaning forward is good though.

good mornings!