

If you don’t want to miss your workouts every other day due to hamstring injuries, you should work on them at least twice a week.

Plus, some hamstring injuries can significantly affect the way you walk. Not just recreational trainers like you and us, even athletes suffer from hamstring-related injuries, which could take weeks to recover. This is the reason why it is highly prone to injuries such as pulls and strains. Yet, it is one of the most ignored muscles of the body. The hamstring is a large muscle group of the leg. Nordic hamstring curls help prevent injuries Here is what will happen if you start doing nordic curls regularly. Well, that's because most of us don’t really know why it is important to build stronger hamstrings other than to make your legs look enviable. Benefits of Nordic hamstring curlsĪs we stated at the beginning of the article, Nordic hamstring curls are highly recommended for building and strengthening your hamstring muscles.ĭoesn't sound quite interesting and appealing, right? If you are just getting started and do not have enough balance or strength, you can use resistance bands to help you do the curls in a controlled way. LAT machines and adjustable benches can also be used. If you have a smith machine, you can lower the barbell all the way down, secure it and that should work. You can use household furniture such as a sofa but we do not recommend that because modern furniture isn't heavy enough to bear the upward pressure you will apply. You can secure your ankles under a weighted barbell, provided you have locked it in place using a jack or something that prevents the barbell from rolling. Any product that lets you anchor your ankles to the floor so you can bend forward can be used for doing inverse leg curls. To be honest, you don’t actually need a dedicated nordic hamstring curl machine. Do you need a Nordic hamstring curl machine? But, believe us, the bodyweight one is quite challenging even for a pro athlete. You can do nordic hamstring curls with just bodyweight or maybe you can use hex dumbbells to intensify your workouts. Once your ankles are secured, you need to slowly lower your body as much as you can and then use your hands to push yourself up to the starting position. You can even use a specific nordic hamstring curl machine or you may ask someone to hold your ankles. To practice nordic curls, you need to kneel down and secure your ankles under a heavily weighted barbell, or something strong and sturdy that won’t slip or skid when you exercise. When you plug your info into the sign-up form below I’ll send 4 world record training manuals directly to your inbox within the next 60-seconds.The above video should give you an idea of what this hamstring strengthening exercise is all about.īasically, it is an inverse leg curl exercise that involves the use of your bodyweight for activating and strengthening the hamstring muscles (and the glutes to some extent). Want Free Access to 4 World Record Training Manuals?

If the instructional video and information helped you better understand the Nordic Hamstring Curl and how to use it, don’t forget to share it with your lifting buddies so they understand it too. Workout Placement: Near the middle or tail end of your training session after your main lower body movements (squats, deadlifts, etc). use a quicker eccentric) so you don’t excessively strain the hamstrings Sets & Reps: 3-5 sets of 5-8 repetitions per training session. Feel free to go into higher repetition ranges (8-12+) but seriously modify intensity (i.e. Intensity: On a scale of 1-10, difficulty should be a 7-9 on a regular basis. Keep constant tension on the hamstrings the entire time. Use as much upper body as you need to get started but no more than that. Initiate the concentric (ascending) portion by lightly pressing with your arms.

Do Not just free fall towards the floor.ģ. Control the eccentric (lowering) portion for about 3-5 seconds on every rep. Keep your glutes squeezed tight the entire time and do not let your hips flex/hinge backwards throughout the whole drill.Ģ. To put an end to the confusion once and for all I’ve created the brief instructional video below along with a list of technique points and programming considerations.ġ. Unfortunately, most lifters completely botch the technique and subsequently get little-to-no benefit out of the movement. Similar to the Glute-Ham Raise in that strengthens the hamstrings in both primary functions (hip extension and knee flexion), when programmed correctly the Nordic Hamstring Curl can function as an outstanding regression, alternative, and even progression to the GHR. Simultaneously one of the most excruciating and effective exercises I’ve ever tried, I’m excited to introduce you to the Nordic Hamstring Curl.
