Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Health & Body › Hamstrings in supersets?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Hamstrings in supersets? - Page 2

post #16 of 37
1/25/08 at 3:21pm
I guess it would really depend on how intense your routine is. Personally I follow a modified version of the Bill Starr - Glenn Pendlay 5x5 advanced program (google). Its pretty straight forward. Squat, Deadlift, Rows, Bench, Glute-Hammy's. Pretty no non-sense and in the later weeks very intense.

Im ramping up the last few weeks of the program and I can tell you that squating 425x5 for 3 sets (below 90 degrees) I would have a tough time supersetting anything else. In fact it would be very dangerous and most likely the extra fatiqued would translate into comprised form = injury. For the most part i only superset arm exercises or maybe abs/calves.

I know some people have mentioned sprints for leg development but I also do cycling which, if your pedal stroke is proper, works the entire leg.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 37
1/25/08 at 7:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1sinister1 View Post
I know some people have mentioned sprints for leg development but I also do cycling which, if your pedal stroke is proper, works the entire leg.

+1 to this. When I first started cycling, I noticed some almost immediate growth in my upper hamstrings.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 37
1/25/08 at 8:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
That's a full squat (aka Olympic squat). Try them. They're pretty fun...
Yeah, I was just thinkin' how fun they looked.

Don't take this the wrong way, friend -- I mean, I'm appreciative and all -- but there is just no way I'll be doing those. Nope. NFW. No way. I plan on taking my kneecaps with me to the grave, thank you.

Quote:
And get off those damn machines!
I'm with you on that. I only use machines for leg curls, and now you guys have got me thinking about dumping the leg curls.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 37
1/25/08 at 8:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threadbearer View Post
... -- but there is just no way I'll be doing those. Nope. NFW. No way. I plan on taking my kneecaps with me to the grave, thank you.....

I'm not sure what you think is going to happen to your knees. If you are flexible enough to do deep squats and do them correctly they will help strengthen your joints, not blow them across the room. I'm not saying you need to do them, but if you take the time to do them right it's a very satisfying exercise. It makes me leave the gym feeling like I've accomplished something. Just my .02
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 37
1/25/08 at 8:40pm
Deep squats do not damage your knees or cause them to hurt. The knee is actually weakest at 90 degrees- a little knowledge of physics will tell you that it's not the best idea to place a large amount of stress on it right there. I have a slightly bad right knee and full squats feel much better than the 90 degree variety. Completely pain-free. Also, look at little kids naturally squatting down. You'll see a perfect full squat. I'm a fan of full ranges of motion. Your call though.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 37
1/25/08 at 8:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threadbearer View Post
When you look at what muscle groups get utilized during squats, dead lifts, and lunges, they always say hamstrings as well as quads. But I've been alternating hamstring curls with my squats, thinking that the squats work the quads and the curls work the hamstrings in opposition.

I'm curious what others think of this. If squats, deadlifts, and lunges truly give the hamstrings a good workout, then perhaps I shouldn't superset them with exercises that isolate the hamstrings. Opinions, please.

Hamstring curls serve no real practical purpose.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 37
1/25/08 at 11:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sigma View Post
Hamstring curls serve no real practical purpose.

It depends if you consider aesthetics and a crossover to running speed practical or not.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 37
1/25/08 at 11:19pm
Hamstring curls? Nobody does those anymore.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 37
1/26/08 at 4:16pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Philosoph View Post
I have a slightly bad right knee and full squats feel much better than the 90 degree variety.
Since you're going below the thighs-parallel-to-the-floor point in a deep squat, what do you use as your low-point reference instead? In other words, how do you decide when to stop dropping and put it in reverse? (Aside from listening for cracking ribs.) Also, judging by that video clip it looks as if bouncing is a necessary part of the movement. Without a little bounce for momentum, I don't think I could lift any substantial weight from below the 90 degree point. Is that the way deep squats are supposed to be done?

Quote:
Originally Posted by sigma View Post
Hamstring curls serve no real practical purpose.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eason View Post
Hamstring curls? Nobody does those anymore.
What would you recommend as the best 3 or 4 exercises for hamstrings, or, if not for hamstrings in isolation, then for well-balanced legs?
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 37
1/26/08 at 4:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threadbearer View Post
Since you're going below the thighs-parallel-to-the-floor point in a deep squat, what do you use as your low-point reference instead? In other words, how do you decide when to stop dropping and put it in reverse? (Aside from listening for cracking ribs.) Also, judging by that video clip it looks as if bouncing is a necessary part of the movement. Without a little bounce for momentum, I don't think I could lift any substantial weight from below the 90 degree point. Is that the way deep squats are supposed to be done?

I come back up right after my arse hits my calves.

Quote:
What would you recommend as the best 3 or 4 exercises for hamstrings, or, if not for hamstrings in isolation, then for well-balanced legs?

Romanian dead lifts. Stiff-leg dead lifts. Conventional dead lifts. Then, when any of us weighs over 200 lbs, we can start talking about other options.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 37
1/26/08 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threadbearer View Post
Since you're going below the thighs-parallel-to-the-floor point in a deep squat, what do you use as your low-point reference instead? In other words, how do you decide when to stop dropping and put it in reverse? (Aside from listening for cracking ribs.) Also, judging by that video clip it looks as if bouncing is a necessary part of the movement. Without a little bounce for momentum, I don't think I could lift any substantial weight from below the 90 degree point. Is that the way deep squats are supposed to be done? What would you recommend as the best 3 or 4 exercises for hamstrings, or, if not for hamstrings in isolation, then for well-balanced legs?
I was making a reference to American Psycho more than putting down hamstring curls.
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 37
1/26/08 at 4:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threadbearer View Post
Since you're going below the thighs-parallel-to-the-floor point in a deep squat, what do you use as your low-point reference instead? In other words, how do you decide when to stop dropping and put it in reverse? (Aside from listening for cracking ribs.) Also, judging by that video clip it looks as if bouncing is a necessary part of the movement. Without a little bounce for momentum, I don't think I could lift any substantial weight from below the 90 degree point. Is that the way deep squats are supposed to be done?

I don't actually decide to stop the drop. At the bottom your butt or hams will contact your calves, making it impossible to go any lower. That's when you go back up. The bounce happens because of that contact, and it will be greater or less depending on how fast you went down. If you're just doing squats, it probably won't be that much. If you're catching a clean, then you'll want a lot more. You will have to use less weight than you do going to 90 degrees, especially at first. It won't feel light though .
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 37
1/26/08 at 5:59pm
FWIW if you have any knee and/or back problems and are afraid of squatting deep, just start with a light weight, and start with box squats with the box set below parallel, then after a few sets get rid of the box, and start going all the way down. You'll actually be amazed at how much more natural the full motion feels and how much more comfortable it is than halting yourelf at parallel is. The entire movement actually feels quite a bit different.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 37
1/26/08 at 8:35pm
A full squat does not require a bounce at the bottom. In fact, this bounce could be damaging to the knees if it's done with sufficient force as it slightly dislocates the joint.

Tom Platz is not bouncing off his own muscles in that video, he is using plyometrics to his advantage.
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 37
1/26/08 at 9:29pm
Now that I think about it, I don't really feel much of a bounce when doing full back squats. It's mostly with front squats.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Health & Body
Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Health & Body › Hamstrings in supersets?