hamstring/quad str ratio

[wimp2pimp]

according to exrx.net:

Hamstrings Weakness

Increased risk of knee injury (instability) during knee extension activities, specifically when knees are flexed lower than 90°. Hamstrings / Quadriceps strength ratios should be greater than 56% to 80% depending on the population tested.

* Examples of affected exercises:
o Squat
o Leg Press
o Leg Extension
* Example preventative / corrective exercises:
o Leg Curls
o Straight Leg Deadlift

Supraspinatus Weakness

Are they saying strength ratio hamstring:quad should be on the ratio of 56:80 roughly?

Or are they saying the hamstring should be between 56% - 80% of quad strength. Like 56 - 80 lb leg curls compared to 100 lb leg presses?

[IronAbrams]

I've heard a 3:2 Quad/Hamstring strength ratio thrown around before.

Muscle imbalances are what cause most injuries, like a severe imbalance in strength between internal/external rotator cuffs.

[wimp2pimp]

Yeah bro, that's exactly what I'm thinking.

They say 3:2, but what's the ultimate exercises that tests this. I think the most logical one is leg press/hamstring. But depending on the leg press machien, it's hard to know exactly how much your quads can push.

But I guess a fail-safe approach is to at least leg curl similiar to how much you can squat.

For everyone that posts a knee problem due to squats, i'm going to ask them how much they can leg curl.

[singular]

Hey man, hamstrings are a major player in both leg press and squats, don't you think that leg extensions would be more logical for quads?

[Mike Zero]

Hey man, hamstrings are a major player in both leg press and squats, don't you think that leg extensions would be more logical for quads?

They don't play a MAJOR part, only as dynamic stabilizers. The major players in Squats and Leg Press are Quads and Glutes.

[singular]

They don't play a MAJOR part, only as dynamic stabilizers. The major players in Squats and Leg Press are Quads and Glutes.

Eh? Why nitpick over the definition of 'major'? They are a significant part of those exercises, especially when you're trying to isolate the strength ratios between quads and hams.

[wimp2pimp]

Hey man, hamstrings are a major player in both leg press and squats, don't you think that leg extensions would be more logical for quads?

They play the role of stabilizing the knees, as you work your quads. So in a way they (hamstrings) are worked, but if they are too weak, they wont be strong enough to stabilize your knees and I think that's my case.

This is just a self-diagnosis. I need to go see an orthopedic to make sure because its really starting to bother me. It sucks to hear that your body is too weak to even squat.

It also might be a Vastus Medius problem, (weakness in the inner muscle of the thighs) causing the knees to pull outward when bending knees past 20 degrees. http://www.exrx.net/ExInfo/Weaknesse...anchor13238820

In terms of the knees, the most common problems are Vastus Medius and the hamstrings being too weak.

I've isolated the pain to where it mainly hurts when I rotate my foot inwards when knees are bent. If you can't picture this, imagine me kneeling on a chair facing the backrest, with my foot dangling off the edge. Now I'm rotating both foot toward each other. This causes my knees to hurt. Doing further research on exrx.net, http://www.exrx.net/Articulations/Knee.html , I find that the muscles responsible for that movement are the :

Medial Rotation (Internal Rotation)

Rotary movement around the longitudinal axis of the bone toward the center of the body; with the knee bent, turning the lower leg inward.

* Popliteus
* Semimembranosus
* Semitendinosus
* Sartorius
* Gracilis

Muscles in bold.

Anyone know how to strengthen those muscles?

The semimembranosus, and the semitendinosus are part of the hamstrings, so I was thinking doing leg curls while trying to have my foot internally rotated would help. And in terms of the sartorius and gracilis, I don't really know.

Also, since I'm doing the rippetoe routine, and I can't squat due to this hamstring weakness, I was wondering if I should switch it with 3 sets of stiff/standing deadlifts, and also 3 sets of seated leg curls, while doing only the last 20 degrees of leg extensions and leg presses to correct vastus medius if that's really actually the culprit?

Any of your advice would be appreciated.

[wimp2pimp]

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