Weight balance - hamstrings vs. squats

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Seaduck79
Seaduck79 Posts: 35 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am trying to restore some balance in strength in my legs. My quads are stronger than my hamstrings, which caused me to suffer a high hamstring tendinopathy condition last summer. As a distance runner, not being able to run more than a few miles was somewhat limiting. I started doing bridges, but those are too easy now, so I'm adding hamstring curls to my routine. My question is how will I know when the hams are in balance with the quads?

I was doing 3x10 @ 200 lbs on the squat machine. I just started doing the ham curls (lying on stomach machine) at 3x10 @ 100 lbs. At what weight points will I be able to know that the two are somewhat in balance?

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  • FindingMyPerfection
    FindingMyPerfection Posts: 702 Member
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    I believe hams should be able to do 60-75% of what the quads do.
  • cajun_qt
    cajun_qt Posts: 53
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    most DEFINITELY good mornings!!
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    most DEFINITELY good mornings!!

    Hands down my favorite exercise.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    If bridges are 'too easy' add more weight- or do one leg- or do one leg with the other leg on a medicine ball

    Deadlifts
    good mornings
    Ghetto Glute raises
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Stiff-legged dead-lifts will strengthen those babies up quickly.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I believe hams should be able to do 60-75% of what the quads do.

    I heard as high as 80% But that said, since you do different machines how would you know if you are at 60-80%? (I am assuming 1 leg leg-extensions vs. 1 leg hamstring-curls, but that may not be right)
  • Seaduck79
    Seaduck79 Posts: 35 Member
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    True. I'm just looking for a ratio to shoot for. Whether the machines are accurate representations of true load may be another story, but that's a separate issue I can deal with in other ways.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    Stiff-legged dead-lifts will strengthen those babies up quickly.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    There's no one that can give you pinpoint information than a trainer that has looked at your medical history, knowledgeable in that area, and you see regularly.

    Considering the squat even though it's on a machine is a compound movement whereas hamstring curls are an isolation movement. The best thing you can do is what most people have already suggested. Honestly, machines create muscle imbalances and you should always do free weights whenever possible.

    There are plenty of free Youtube videos you can look up if you are dissatisfied with the advice given on MFP.

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