5 Varieties Of Hamstring Curls That Will Make Your Thighs Strong

There is a collection of muscles located in the back of your thighs known as the hamstrings. These muscles are, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and the Biceps Femoris Muscle. The bending of your knee and the movement of your thigh back are both the result of these muscles working together. This assists you in walking, running, and jumping better. In this article is going to examine to find what are the 5 different hamstring curls exercise for strength thigh muscles.

An exercise that helps strengthen the hamstrings is called a hamstring curl, which is also often termed a leg curl. To do this, you will need to keep the rest of your body steady while bending your knees and bringing your heels closer to your butt.

The exercise is typically performed on a piece of exercise equipment called a leg curl machine. You may perform hamstring curls at home using a variety of different exercises even if you do not have access to gym equipment or a subscription to a gym.

The only thing you’ll need for these variations is either your own body weight or some basic equipment.

Hamstring Curl Advantages.

When you perform a hamstring curl, the muscles on the back of your thighs work to lift your lower leg. Because your hamstrings and glutes are being used during this exercise, their strength will increase.

When your hamstrings are strong, you have a lower risk of injuring yourself and experiencing pain. The reason for this is that strong hamstrings are better able to withstand the impact of exercise and aid to keep your knees stable.

Curls for your hamstrings also stretch your quadriceps, which can help alleviate tightness in your quads as well as back pain.

Things That Ought To Be Kept In Mind.

During hamstring curls, it is critical to maintain a neutral spine position at all times. When you arch your lower back, it disrupts the normal function of your hamstrings. Your back will end up doing the work instead, which can lead to stiffness and soreness in your back.

By tightening your abdominal muscles while you workout, you can prevent your back from rounding out. Activating your abdominal muscles will assist in the stabilization of your spine. During hamstring curls, the only part of your body that should bend is at the knees.

Moving gently is also very recommended. It’s possible to injure yourself if you move in a jerky or abrupt manner, so make sure to regulate your movements.

If you are experiencing pain in your knees, hips, or back, you should stop doing hamstring curls. Your personal trainer may also recommend other leg exercises that are less risky for you to perform.

1. Hamstring Curls Performed While Standing.

Your hamstring muscles can be toned with the help of a bodyweight exercise called the standing hamstring curl. Workouts like this one are great for increasing balance as well as leg strength.

How To Perform Hamstring Curls While Standing:

1. Take a standing position with your feet about hip-width apart. To maintain your equilibrium, rest your hands on your waist or on a chair. Put your weight on your left leg and continue walking.
2. Bend your right knee slowly, pushing your heel closer to your buttocks as you do so. Maintain a parallel position of your thighs.
3. Bring your foot down more slowly.
4. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
5. Perform the same motions with the other leg.

2. Hamstring Curls While Seated.

A resistance band will be wrapped over your lower thighs as you perform this workout. To move your heels against opposition, your hamstrings will need to put in far more effort than usual.

How To Perform Sitting Hamstring Curls:

1. You can strengthen your workout by tying the ends of a resistance band to something stable, such an exercise machine or a piece of furniture. Place yourself in front of the stage. Keep your feet together and place the loop around one of your heels while doing so.
2. You should pull your heel back while bending your knee and stopping when you can’t pull it any farther.
3. Returning to the beginning posture requires extending your knee.
4. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions. After that, repeat the same on the opposite leg.

3. Prone Hamstring Curl

The prone position of the hamstring curl adds resistance to your lower legs, much like the sitting version does. When you do this, your hamstrings are being worked since you are bending your knees.

How To Perform A Prone Hamstring Curl:

1. Make sure that both ends of the resistance band are anchored to something stable. Position your feet so that they are hip-width apart and lie down on your stomach. Wrap the band around one of your heels, then flex your other ankle.
2. While maintaining contact with the mat with your thighs and hips, bend your knee and bring your heel in toward your butt.
3. When you can no longer pull any further, you should stop. Bring yourself back to the starting position.
4. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.

As your strength increases, you should go to using bigger resistance bands. You also have the option of performing the prone hamstring curl without the use of a resistance band.

4. Perform A Hamstring Curl With A Ball.

When performing the hamstring curl with a ball, you will elevate your hips and legs off the floor using a stability ball. When you bend your knees, your hamstrings will engage, which will cause the ball to roll closer to your body.

How To Perform A Hamstring Curl Of This Variety:

1. Place yourself on your back. Place the balls of your feet and calves on a stability ball. Put some space in between your feet, around the width of a hip, and flex your ankles. Place both palms of your hands on the ground in front of you.
2. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. Engage your glutes.
3. Raise your hips and bend your knees in a slow, controlled motion. Move the ball closer to your body by bringing your heels in toward your buttocks, and continue doing so until the bottoms of your feet touch the ball.
4. Extend both of your knees, and bring both of your hips and your back down to the ground.
5. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.

To increase the intensity of your workout, try keeping one leg up or crossing your arms over your chest.

5. With A Dumbbell For The Hamstrings Curls

During this exercise, you will add resistance to the movement by holding a dumbbell between your feet. When you elevate your lower legs, the additional weight places a burden on your hamstrings.

Begin with a somewhat light dumbbell. As your strength increases, you will be able to lift greater weights.

How To Perform A Hamstring Curl Of This Variety:

1. Place yourself on the floor in a prone position with your arms folded in front of you. Put a dumbbell of a manageable weight in the space between your feet.
2. You should squat down with your knees bent and your heels tucked down against your butt.
3. Bring yourself back to the starting position.
4. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
5. Alternately, you can perform the exercise with ankle weights instead of a dumbbell.

The Bottom Line.

Curling your hamstrings is a fantastic exercise for strengthening the muscles in the back of your thighs, which can help lessen the likelihood that you will sustain an injury. Just remember to keep your back straight and not arch it while you’re doing it.

Before beginning a new exercise routine, you should consult with your primary care physician. They can offer safer alternatives to you if you have a condition that affects your joints or if you are still healing from an injury.