hamstrings not getting worked?

[Malodrax]

it's really weird... when i do exsersises that supposedly work the hams like SLDL, RDL, good mornings, i don't feel it in my hams and my hams aren't sore the next day. But when natural glute ham raises... man it hurts. I kinda makes me wonder how much ur hams actually get worked out during deadlift variations. what do u guys think?

[W8isGR8]

I think those exercises are just heavy stretching. You have to move a muscle through a full ROM for it to get worked properly.

[BPM Osgood]

Deadlift is more of a back exercise. The Hams are more like the support muscles. Do stiff legged deadlifts off a box and allow the weight to drift forword at the bottom. Also dont let the weight touch the floor between reps

[aqua-beowulf]

I think those exercises are just heavy stretching. You have to move a muscle through a full ROM for it to get worked properly.

Maybe, but I've built great hammies with heavy stiff leg deads.

[DiamondDelts]

it's really weird... when i do exsersises that supposedly work the hams like SLDL, RDL, good mornings, i don't feel it in my hams and my hams aren't sore the next day. But when natural glute ham raises... man it hurts. I kinda makes me wonder how much ur hams actually get worked out during deadlift variations. what do u guys think?

I personally believe that the whole "hams get worked hard during deads" mentality is bullh****. All the hams are doing is stabilizing. I don't know how that is supposed to build muscle mass. Glute ham raises on the floor are the KING of ham builders in my book.

[aqua-beowulf]

I personally believe that the whole "hams get worked hard during deads" mentality is bullh****. All the hams are doing is stabilizing. I don't know how that is supposed to build muscle mass. Glute ham raises on the floor are the KING of ham builders in my book.

Well, we can't agree on everything. I hear glute ham raises mentioned quite often by you, but to be honest, I'm not sure how they are performed. Care to enlighten?

[W8isGR8]

Maybe, but I've built great hammies with heavy stiff leg deads.

Are those stiff-legged aqua lifts, done with some pink dumbells standing on a swiss-ball?

[A-rod]

it's really weird... when i do exsersises that supposedly work the hams like SLDL, RDL, good mornings, i don't feel it in my hams and my hams aren't sore the next day. But when natural glute ham raises... man it hurts. I kinda makes me wonder how much ur hams actually get worked out during deadlift variations. what do u guys think?

It depends on upon your style of deadlifting , if you start with your butt lower your hams will get less work , if you are more of a stiff legged freak your hammies will get major work .

[aqua-beowulf]

It depends on upon your style of deadlifting , if you start with your butt lower your hams will get less work , if you are more of a stiff legged freak your hammies will get major work .

Thank you, I agree. Now tell W8 to quit picking on me.

[DiamondDelts]

Well, we can't agree on everything. I hear glute ham raises mentioned quite often by you, but to be honest, I'm not sure how they are performed. Care to enlighten?

Well I do sldl's with a trap bar which have been working wonders for my lower back.

Here's a pick of glute ham raises on the floor the way I do them.

http://www.homefitness101.com/forum/...=post&id=11002

[aqua-beowulf]

Well I do sldl's with a trap bar which have been working wonders for my lower back.

Here's a pick of glute ham raises on the floor the way I do them.

http://www.homefitness101.com/forum/...=post&id=11002

Thanks, I'll give 'em a try.

[Morbid_Mind]

Well I do sldl's with a trap bar which have been working wonders for my lower back.

Here's a pick of glute ham raises on the floor the way I do them.

http://www.homefitness101.com/forum/...=post&id=11002

Never heard of those before. Looks like I've got something to add to leg day!

[W8isGR8]

I think you can do them on the lat pull-down machine too.

[AssToGrass]

Well I do sldl's with a trap bar which have been working wonders for my lower back.

Here's a pick of glute ham raises on the floor the way I do them.

http://www.homefitness101.com/forum/...=post&id=11002

Do you hold a plate across your chest for extra resistance or go with bodyweight?

[Jotun]

Well I do sldl's with a trap bar which have been working wonders for my lower back.

Here's a pick of glute ham raises on the floor the way I do them.

http://www.homefitness101.com/forum/...=post&id=11002

Man, I miss using a trap-bar! We had one back in my college days at the gym that NOBODY used except for me. I'm pretty sure nobody knew what the hell it was. Great for shrugs and deads; really let you pile the weight on without overworking lower back.

[gymratluke]

it's really weird... when i do exsersises that supposedly work the hams like SLDL, RDL, good mornings, i don't feel it in my hams and my hams aren't sore the next day. But when natural glute ham raises... man it hurts. I kinda makes me wonder how much ur hams actually get worked out during deadlift variations. what do u guys think?

Do 4 supersets of Lying Leg Curl/Seated leg curl. Then 4 sets of SLDL and if you dont feel that, you wont feel anything.

[Tyrbolift]

Do 4 supersets of Lying Leg Curl/Seated leg curl. Then 4 sets of SLDL and if you dont feel that, you wont feel anything.

I like rotating my quad/glute, ham, and calf exercises on leg day. Can't superset the lying and seated curl in my gym anyway, there are good odds that I'd never finish it before someone will take over one of those pieces of equipment and move the adjustments. But in addition to the lying and seated, I like to finish with the one legged standing leg curl cable machine.

[gymratluke]

I like rotating my quad/glute, ham, and calf exercises on leg day. Can't superset the lying and seated curl in my gym anyway, there are good odds that I'd never finish it before someone will take over one of those pieces of equipment and move the adjustments. But in addition to the lying and seated, I like to finish with the one legged standing leg curl cable machine.

I stick my towel on the seat that I am not using so no one takes it. And I like to alternate too, but I always SS those two.

[Mr Lee]

Deadlifts are a tremendous hamstring builder, romanian deadlifts are awesome too. If you don't feel it in the hamstrings i'd say you are doing it wrong.

[Malodrax]

i don't think i'm doing it wrong... i stick my but out bend at the knees and go slightly below knee level like many sites have said... is this incorrect form for the RDL?

The glute ham clip that was posted is not the right form i think u should be going down farther..http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do...ydra?id=459279

[DiamondDelts]

i don't think i'm doing it wrong... i stick my but out bend at the knees and slightly below knee level like many sites have said... is this incorrect form for the RDL?

The glute ham clip that was posted is not the right form i think u should be going down farther..http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do...ydra?id=459279

i do go lower than pictured in my clip from earlier. But I would NEVER use my hands to stop myself at floor level like in your link. What A complete WASTE of T.U.T. I do mine like everything with a partial rom, going withing3-4 inches of floor level and then back up again.

[Malodrax]

i think the hand stopping is just for begginners who cannot go down that far w/o falling forward. Also what would u recommend as the best strength beuilder for the hams, i know u said GHR are best for mass, but what about strength?

[RU4A69]

Good mornings, if done properly, offer much more ROM than SL deads.

I agree fully with diamonddelts, that a regular deadlift does NOTHING for hamstrings. A proper stiif or straight legged dead off of a platform is a different story.

[G_Train]

Personally, I do SLDL's off a platform such that the bar hits my toes at the bottom of the rep. I feel this hits my hammie's rather nicely, they are probably one of my best muscles (and most flexible)

[mantou]

I never feel soreness after leg curls, but SLDLs, DLs, GMs all seem to work quite well

Floor GHR are damned hard for me, can't wait til I can do one without my hands pushing off

[Damien]

Of course any type of hip extension will work the "hamstrings".
The hamstrings are made up of many different muscles, most of which extend the hip, along with the glute muscles.
There are 1-2 muscles (I think) that flex the knee.

Try to sit back a lot during Good mornings, sldl, rdl, etc, will help you activate the glutes and hams more.

[W8isGR8]

I never feel soreness after leg curls, but SLDLs, DLs, GMs all seem to work quite well

Floor GHR are damned hard for me, can't wait til I can do one without my hands pushing off

Most likely because people tend to do a much slower negative on the deads as opposed to leg curls. I always feel it right where my glutes/hams tie in.

[Flex_Or_Die]

Do your SLDLs on a platform, lower the bar until it touches your feet... keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent... when you go to complete the rep and stand up, just pull up with your ass and hams, not so much your back

if that still doesnt work your hams then you are not normal

[bigpump23]

trainining ham's in the normal hypertrohpy range(8-12) will severely limit your development

[xXxCG1785xXx]

It depends on upon your style of deadlifting , if you start with your butt lower your hams will get less work , if you are more of a stiff legged freak your hammies will get major work .

NOT QUITE. remember guys, in order to understand how to work ur hamstrings, u must first understand how ur hamstrings work. ur hamstrings connect to ur ischial tuberosity (u know..the two big bony protrusions behind all that fat in ur ass, and attach to the medial and lateral heads of ur tibia and fibula. ur hamstrings adduct ur leg and flex the knee. now, if the exercise u are performing already has ur knee flexed, ur hamstrings are already contracted, so how will u work ur hamstrings if they are already contracted? if ur legs are straight, ur hamstrings are fully lengthened, so on a stiffed leg exercise...how exactly will u be working ur hamstrings? u won't. if anything, u will be stretching ur hamstrings and possibly harming them if ur not warmed up properly. that is why hamstrings are the number one muscle group injured...it is always lengthened when ur legs are straight, so any torque applied to a already lengthened muscle may cause it to pull or tear. so if u think about it...if u want to work ur hamstrings, don't do stiff legged deadlifts. if u perform the classic deadlift u will be working ur hamstrings only on the eccentric movement as u lower the weight, and actively stretching ur hamstrings during the concentric movement. if u want an effective exercise, believe it or not, get onto the hamstring machine (i can't remember the name...how ironic lol...the one in which u have ur knee straight with the pad behind ur leg then u flex ur knee as u adduct at the same time...which should show u right there it works because u are performing the correct ROM of ur hamstring with some opposing force!). hope this helps.