SLDL or Lying Leg Curls?

[The Long Run]

for the hamstrings?

What I'm wondering is why do many people swear by SLDLs only and not Lying Leg Curls if the hamstrings perform double duty as BOTH a hip joint and knee joint muscle?

Also, does anyone else find their calves start lagging behind if they don't work them directly?

I've been doing squats only for a while now and the rest of my legs are starting to lag behind.

 

[The Long Run]

NVM after doing some searching and reading and getting unexpectedly good info I've decided to go into RDLs. You guys had some good discussions on the correct way to do these movements, very appreciated.

As far as calves I don't have the weights to support these little hulks on my lower legs. I may have to join a gym to get to the heavy stuff to do those.

 

[Lol]

TLR: as I train from home, calves have always been a bit tricky. What I've ended up doing is making a calf raise platform out of some bits of 4x2 and then performing single-legged calf raises on that. I wear my weight belt and load it up. One technique you could try if you have a rack with an overhead chinning bar is to reach up to the bar and push down once you are in the top position, forcefully resisting the decent (forced negs). It's particularly good for finishing off after you have worked your calves hard with regular raises (you can raise with both claves and lower with one, alternating legs each rep). The downside is that you have to gauge how much pressure you are applying, which is why I only do these to finish up - even with fatigued calves I end up pushing down about as hard as I can.

As for hams, I like both RDLs and SLDLs and I think it's a good idea to do both, perhaps alternating between the two on a per cycle basis. Recently, I have been able to consciously involve my hams more during regular back squatting, which I think has come partly from technique and partly from being more aware of what my hams are doing during a squat. Leg curls have their place but I think you will get more bang for your buck (and per precious minute) with heavier deadlift and deadlift variant work.

 

[The Long Run]

Thanks for the info, Lol.

I've been just going through the motions of the RDLs right now getting the correct technique down and I mean without even using so much as bar I already feel it in my hamstrings. They really were out of shape.

 

[TunnelRat]

For my calves I start with a seated calf raise to burn out my soleus muscle. Then when I do my standing calf raises, my gastrocnemius is somewhat isolated and gets a better workout. I use the same weight for standing calf raises as I do for my deadlifts.

I'm a simple guy. I do RDLs because I've been shown how to do them. I cannot figure out how to do SLDLs without rounding my lower back...