Hamstrings

R

Ruthenian

New Member
I am looking to add back some hamstrings work other than squat initiation.  I wondered if folks who have had the opportunity to use a reverse hyperextension machine have any thoughts on its merits versus RDLs or Good Mornings.  I had good results at one time with alternating RDLs and leg curls, but eventually dropped the leg curls and then all hamstrings specific work after blowing out my back on RDLs.  I realize I need to add it back and am thinking I need to work both hip extension and knee flexion aspects.

Knee flexion can be done with leg curls, but I am unsure if it is worth creating a home-made reverse hyper machine as opposed to just doing RDLs (scary after the back incident) or Good Mornings. I have done both RDLs and GMs and am not sure they are as effective at hitting the hams as I would like.  There are a number of folks on the web who have made a rack-mounted reverse hyper machine and it looks to be fairly simple.  But is it so much better than traditional exercises as to justify making one?  Also, GMs and RDLs probably work the back better, making them a more natural lift, though I am not sure I would characterize them as compound exercises.

Thoughts?
 
I have no experience with reverse hypers, but... I have heard that the best hamstring exercise is the glute ham raise. I've not successfully figured out to do this with my equipment at home.
 
I dunno, I find all those ham machine thingies just feel woefully inadequate and unnatural.

How did you hurt your back doing RDLs? If it was bad form then you need to fix that and build up some confidence again. As well as GMs, SLDLs are another option. None of these exercises are going to isolate the hams so you might feel that you could focus on them better with some kind of thigh curl. However, I really feel that for the majority of trainees, compounds like these provide more bang for buck and will provide you with more functional strength as a bonus.
 
Yup, I'm with Lol on this one. You might be much further ahead with RDLs or GMs. Just gotta watch your form is all...
 
I tried the floor GHR's Tot posted long ago...and like many, could't even do ONE unassisted. I didn't pursue them because I was afraid of my knees being damaged from the extreme pressures on them, but that's just from my imaginings.
I also don't see them as being different from leg curls, and we all know about how effective they are.
 
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(Lol @ Jun. 26 2008,2:37)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">How did you hurt your back doing RDLs?</div>
Yup, bad form.  I was trying to get more stretch in the hamstrings and let my back round too much.  I tried RDLs again a couple of cycles ago and found myself chickening out way too early -- lying on the floor for 15 minutes praying that I would be able to get up again has created quite a mental barrier for me.
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(Totentanz @ Jun. 26 2008,12:42)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I have heard that the best hamstring exercise is the glute ham raise</div>
I think that if you can allow your upper body to bend downward at the initiation of a GH raise that you will get both hip extension and knee flexion.  Thing is, it doesn't really look as though this is how it is done.  Of course it is academic, as GH machines are virtually impossible to find.

It also looks to me like the floor version would loose the hip extension portion.  I agree with Quad that it simply becomes a knee flexion exercise at that point.  Plus I have yet to see a video of someone doing the complete range of motion unassisted.  Since the upward movement is often initiated by an explosive push with the arms, it appears to me that you only get a real workout through a limited range of motion.  That said, hams are said to respond particularly well to eccentrics, so these might have some use.
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(quadancer @ Jun. 26 2008,5:33)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I also don't see them as being different from leg curls, and we all know about how effective they are.
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Leg curls get a bad rap in some circles, which is part of the reason I dropped them.  But from what I can gather they are only really a problem if used as your only hamstring lift, thus missing the hip extension component.  Add RDLS, GMs, or whatever and they balance the effort.

Well, maybe I will stick with GMs.  I got some good DOMS from these the first time I tried them and they worked OK last cycle.  However, I had some problems maintaining form with multiple sets as the weights got heavier.  In retrospect, it appears I need to concentrate on correct form more with these lifts and not try to push the weight too high.
 
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