Weak hamstrings

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kathrynjean_
kathrynjean_ Posts: 428 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone,

I'm about 6 weeks into StrongLifts and I've realized that compared to the rest of my lower body, my hamstrings are quite weak. I'm beginning to see how it is affecting my squats and deadlifts as I get into heavier weights, and I know that I will need to work to strengthen them in order to maintain form and progress.

A Google search came up with goblet squats and lunges as good exercises. Any other suggestions and/or specific stretches? I am embarrassingly inflexible so I also need to work on incorporating stretching into my routine regularly.

If I'm going about this the right way, would I add these exercises to days I lift at a higher rep count (8-12) after doing the main SL exercises? Or is there a better way to approach this?

Thanks so much for your help!



Replies

  • smslogan317
    smslogan317 Posts: 39 Member
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    When my hamstrings were lacking, the main exercise I used to strengthen them was stiff-legged deadlift, just be careful form is very important with them.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    Yoga is great for it, the warrior pose and the hand to big toe poses.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    I like this kneeling stretch, because It's easier for me to straighten my knee more than in many (don't round your back):
    IMG_7973.jpg

    And it fits in well with more kneeling stretches, like the all-important hip flexor stretch (do stay upright with no arched back to hit it right):
    http://gritbybrit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Hip-flexor-stretch.jpg

    And a nice quad stretch, too:
    http://media3.popsugar-assets.com/files/2013/07/29/788/n/1922729/877d12a429decb15_quad-stretch-lunge.xxxlarge/i/Kneeling-Quad-Stretch.jpg
  • hanymamdouh
    hanymamdouh Posts: 123 Member
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    Stiff-legged Deadlift or Romanian Deadlift, use heavy weights and less reps, I recommend 4x3 set/rep
  • kathrynjean_
    kathrynjean_ Posts: 428 Member
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    @RuNaRoUnDaFiEld and @cafeaulait7 - thank you so much for those stretches! Really appreciate it!

    @smslogan317 and @hanymamdouh - Romanian deadlifts are a great suggestion - thank you! I'm already DLing once or twice a week with the StrongLifts program. Should I switch the traditional deadlifts I've been doing for Romanian ones, or should I add them as a supplementary exercise somehow?

    I'm very new to this but very keen and feel absolutely unqualified to be making adjustments to the program without solid advice from people who know better than I do. Especially because SL5x5 is billed as a complete program and the site warns specifically against DLing too much ...
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    Heel-elevated hip thrusts.

    Best thing I know to isolate the hamstrings (with some glutes in the mix) without a dedicated glute-ham machine. Well, also Russian hamstring curls, but you have to have some hamstring strength already to do those, and I'm not there yet.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I would do RDLS on the days when you're not doing regular deadlifts. I find that staying in the 6-8 rep range for 3 sets works well for me.
  • kathrynjean_
    kathrynjean_ Posts: 428 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I would do RDLS on the days when you're not doing regular deadlifts. I find that staying in the 6-8 rep range for 3 sets works well for me.

    Thank you so much! Will keep you posted on my progress :)

  • whiteblossom14
    whiteblossom14 Posts: 240 Member
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    kathrynjean_ wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    I'm about 6 weeks into StrongLifts and I've realized that compared to the rest of my lower body, my hamstrings are quite weak. I'm beginning to see how it is affecting my squats and deadlifts as I get into heavier weights, and I know that I will need to work to strengthen them in order to maintain form and progress.

    A Google search came up with goblet squats and lunges as good exercises. Any other suggestions and/or specific stretches? I am embarrassingly inflexible so I also need to work on incorporating stretching into my routine regularly.

    If I'm going about this the right way, would I add these exercises to days I lift at a higher rep count (8-12) after doing the main SL exercises? Or is there a better way to approach this?

    Thanks so much for your help!



    I damaged my middle part of my hamstring last year. So much pain it was unreal. Was on strong painkillers but as I don't believe in taken tables for pain I worked through it. My left legs is so much weaker than my right. But the gym trainer gave me exercises to stretch after I have done any exercise as she said stretching helps strengthen them up. If I over do exercise I feel it. But doctor said it takes a long time to repair
  • hanymamdouh
    hanymamdouh Posts: 123 Member
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    kathrynjean_ wrote: »
    @RuNaRoUnDaFiEld and @cafeaulait7 - thank you so much for those stretches! Really appreciate it!

    @smslogan317 and @hanymamdouh - Romanian deadlifts are a great suggestion - thank you! I'm already DLing once or twice a week with the StrongLifts program. Should I switch the traditional deadlifts I've been doing for Romanian ones, or should I add them as a supplementary exercise somehow?

    I'm very new to this but very keen and feel absolutely unqualified to be making adjustments to the program without solid advice from people who know better than I do. Especially because SL5x5 is billed as a complete program and the site warns specifically against DLing too much ...

    Add them as supplementary to your days where you don't do DL. Keep the weight high enough to gain strength and stick to low volume as I mentioned before; 4x3 is fair enough. What is your current DL and Squat 1RM?
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    edited September 2015
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    I'll throw in a few more stretches for the lower body, so your flexibility can get rounded out. If anything seems particularly loose while its opposing muscle is tight, watch for imbalances.

    Inner thighs (adductors) don't round your back (just don't go as far down):
    Spread-Leg-Pose.jpg

    Glutes:
    glute-stretch-tennis.jpg
    That's a pigeon variation from yoga, but it does different things, so don't try full pigeon unless you have massive hip flexor and back flexibility!

    Glute Medius stretch, always a forgotten muscle! -
    Glute-med-stretch.jpg

    I'm terrible about not stretching my calves, so someone else will have to suggest a good one for that! I have a calf glitch at the moment, so I'd better start doing them, too :D
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
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    shelc
    http://willlevy.com/the-shelc-and-the-nordic-hamstring-curl/
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Those Nordic curls are murder! I tried them because I do a similar exercise for the quads, and it wasn't so bad after progressive practice. These cramp up my hams and calves worse than the other side of the body cramps up! But I read that you can do them and fail when you need to and still get effect from that. ??

    I'm actually very hamstring dominant to my glutes (diagnosed by my Phys Therapist), so I'm concentrating on glutes instead for a long while at the moment.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
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    cafeaulait7 wrote: »
    Those Nordic curls are murder! I tried them because I do a similar exercise for the quads, and it wasn't so bad after progressive practice. These cramp up my hams and calves worse than the other side of the body cramps up! But I read that you can do them and fail when you need to and still get effect from that. ??

    I'm actually very hamstring dominant to my glutes (diagnosed by my Phys Therapist), so I'm concentrating on glutes instead for a long while at the moment.

    Yeah, I don't do Nordic curls myself (bad knees) - that link talks about doing the supine hip extension leg curl as a way of progressing up to it. I think (even with just the shelc) it's good to be careful about how many you do to start with, and what kind of lifting you do around it, bc they are hard!

    But yes to bolded, you can do just part of one and gain a benefit.
  • kathrynjean_
    kathrynjean_ Posts: 428 Member
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    Thanks so much everyone! These are awesome and I'm stoked to strengthen up and stretch out these weak hammies of mine! I tried some RDLs today but a having a hard time getting the form right so I'll have to keep trying. Also loving those stretch suggestions @cafeaulait7 !

    @hanymamdouh - according to the BodyBuilding.com calculator (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/other7.htm) my 1RM is 118lbs for both squat and DL. Newbie numbers but oh well ;)

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