Nordic Hamstring Curl
Difficulty: Advanced
- Go to your knees and ask someone to hold your ankles.
- Put your hands in front of you
- With a slight bend in your knees slowly bring your body to the ground (slower is better)
- Push up and reset to the starting position.
Machine Hamstring Curl
Difficulty: Beginner
- Lay down on the machine, placing your legs beneath the padded lever. Position your legs so that the padded lever is below your calve muscles.
- Support yourself by grabbing the side handles of the machine, and slowly raise the weight with your legs, toes pointed straight.
- Pause at the apex of the motion, then slowly return to starting position.
Glute Ham Raise
Difficulty: Intermediate
- Position yourself on a glute ham raise machine or find a suitable substitute like a stability ball or bench.
- Adjust the equipment to fit your body by setting the footplate at an appropriate height and making sure your feet are securely anchored.
- Begin the movement by slowly lowering your upper body towards the ground while keeping your torso and legs aligned.
- Once you reach the lowest point where your body is parallel to the ground or as far as you can comfortably go, pause briefly.
- Engage your glutes and hamstrings again as you push yourself back up to the starting position, using the strength of your posterior chain muscles.
Cable Hamstring Curl
Difficulty: Advanced
- Use an ankle attachment with the cable set all the way to the bottom of the machine.
- Stand upright or try bending slightly forward.
- Flex at the knee and pull your ankle straight back.