Thread by @LogFitz6, Alright Today we are going to discuss the hamstrings. Neglected by many, [...]

Alright

Today we are going to discuss the hamstrings.

Neglected by many, needed by all, and maybe the root of many of your issues.

No One Talks About This.

(T H R E A D)

What are your hamstrings?

They are 3 muscles (4 if u count adductors which is inside hamstring/groin) and a couple tendons.

Responsible a few functions: knee flexion & stabilization, and assistance to hip extension.

Unfortunately, in the vast majority of people (even athletes) are chronically tight and weak.

Contributing to:

-reduced athletic performance (speed/jumps)
-low back pain/tightness in so many adults
-tons of ACL tears/knee problems/hamstring strains in athletes
-poor posture

What do many people do? Well in a lot of workout regimens, I see a lot of people just doing machine hamstring curls (if they even train them, that case, not good brother

)

And then they sit too much.

And then they don’t stretch.

So what happens?

They go to do their favorite activity or sport.

And boom. Something goes.

Here’s why:

A) Hamstring Weakness

Like I said, the hamstrings are meant to flex the knee, stabilize the knee, and help extend the hip.

The knee problems generally coming from weakness when stabilizing.

You see, muscle groups work in pairs.

Hamstrings & Quads in this case.

The quad musculature can only contract so far as your hamstring can oppose it.

So if you lack stabilizing strength, you will either:

A) stop short of max depth, speed, force, etc as body is protecting you from injury, but governing your performance/athleticism

Or...

B) Land with too much force or too fast for body to stop, and put that strain on patella tendon, ACL, Shins..

This is why you see so many athletic girls tear their ACL. Popular female athletics aren’t big on lifting yet (vball, hoops, soccer) and if they do it’s squat and leave

Another common flare up of weakness is with sprinters or sprinting sports.

The knee helps to extend the hip. But in reality the glute should do the majority of the work, with the hamstrings just there to transfer force/stabilize chain.

But most people are not glute dominant. Hmmm, wonder why.

Oh wait, that’s right! They sit too much, they don’t stretch or work their hamstrings, and if they do, they work them in short ranges.

So in the case of the sprinter, he goes to touch down with 3x (or 4 or 5) BW force

And then you get the notorious high hamstring pull.

The glutes are antagonist pairs with your hip flexor/lower abdominal complex. They work together together to flex and extend the hip (see: rotating your pelvis)

So the weaker your hamstrings, the less range your body will give them in assisting the glutes.

So the glutes get longer. Which ends up being weaker. And then pulling on low back, while making the hip flexors fight harder. This all circles back to make hamstrings weaker (longer without strength there) and feel tighter.

All of this tightness and weakness is wrecking you.

B) and then as we talk about tightness, it’s more of the same. I hope I hammer this down. Tightness & weakness work synergistically between antagonist pairs.

And the more one shuts down, the more the other has to compensate or further shut down too.

So everyone stretches their hamstrings. Stretch stretch stretch. You aren’t fixing the problem.

Because just stretching alone typically has no effect.

Why?

Because you probably

A. Aren’t stretching long enough (most people hit 10 sec and done, just like building muscle, the amount of mechanical tension matters)

B. Are not building strength in the ranges that you are stretching in, so as soon as you aren’t on a comfy yoga mat...

And you try to use this new depth? Your brain limits it. Protecting you from injury. You aren’t strong enough to go there.

So okay- enough of my rant.

Point: your hamstrings work synergistically with quads and hips for their functions, and you need them to be STRONG at length

How do you do train for this?

By stretching. But get 2 min at least time under tension. Hold it, let the neurojnhibitors relax and let you into that range.

Basically some variation of a Pike (touch your toes). SL, DL, whatever. Flex antagonist (quad), get deeper each exhale.

And then strengthen the hamstring at its new length.

With:

Jefferson Curls
Nordics/GHRs/Med Ball Curls
RDL’s

If you don’t know what Jefferson curls are, that means you haven’t read my core thread yet.

In which case wtf u doing I’m giving the playbook out and you’re sleeping...

Go read: https://twitter.com/logfitz6/status/1220150909319241728

https://twitter.com/logfitz6/status/1220150909319241728

The next one is the Nordic or Glute Ham Raise or Med Ball Hamstring curl (preferably single leg too)

Why are these good? Because they allow you to squeeze your glutes and extend your hip WHILE strengthening the hamstring.

At the lengths u need. Nordics best, GHR #2, MB curl 3

Nordics best because fulcrum slightly different, get way more eccentric load on upper hammys.

But all of these strengthen while hips EXTEND. Work hamstrings work @ longer lengths.

So again squeeze your glutes the whole time so you get full effect.

If makes no sense, ask.

Lastly we pull up with the RDL. (Can progress to Single Leg, or use DBells, doesn’t really matter)

What matters is that you hinge with a flat back (nuetral spine) and really push those hips back letting the bar stretch and stress the hamstrings eccentrically. Strength @ length.

That’s all twitter will let me say about hamstrings.

Hope this helps, would love to hear what else you would like to hear helpful info on...

And if it did in fact help, RT the the 1st To save a friends tight hammies

: https://twitter.com/logfitz6/status/1300946714027798529

https://twitter.com/logfitz6/status/1300946714027798529

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