Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Target Zone: Hamstrings

What's one area of the body that's often overlooked? The hamstrings. They not only flex the knee but they also contribute to hip extension (along with the gluteus maximus). In addition, they provide lateral support for the knee. If you're bored with doing hamstrings on a machine (or don't even work them at all), here are some creative options:


1) Prone Single Leg Curl: Start on your stomach with one leg pull back to 90 degrees keeping the foot relaxed. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
hs1 hs2

2) Single Leg Cable Leg Curl: Standing with hips square andankle strap on one leg, pull back to 90 degrees keeping the foot relaxed. Return to starting position with leg straight. Do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions on each side.
ham2ham1

3) Stability Ball Leg Curl: On the ground, place hands on both sides of your body with feet up on the ball, bend your knees to 90 degrees to bring the ball toward you, then extend the legs back straight to your starting position. Tip: keep hips lifted up. Do 10-20 reps.
ham4
ham3

4) Kettlebell Single Leg Dead Lift: Start on one leg with the kettlebell on the ground. Reach down with your arms keeping the stabilizing leg bent with your other leg extended out and pick up the kettlebell. Do 12-15 reps on each side.
ham5 ham6 ham6