Hams

[massingUP]

Hey all,

Just thought I'd start a thread here on training hams, since we talked about quads a while ago. I, personally, LOVE a big set of hams -- there's something about the thickness and sweep of a big man's hams and the way they arc into the base of his glutes. Woof. Summer olympics are nice and all, but give me the speed-skaters in the winter olympics and their hams... wow!

Anyways, are there any exercises out there that people particularly like for hams? Clearly, there are the obvious ones like lying and standing leg curls... And stiff-legged deadlifts. But are there any little tricks that you've learned? Tidbits to pass along?

My own latest thing is a variation on stiff-legged deds. I see lots of guys doing them on a platform so that they can get the extra depth, but I've never really had that work for me. Instead, I recently discovered that doing them to/from the floor reall works me hard, particularly in the lower hams.

Basically, I just stand on the floor and start with the bar very close to my ankles -- rolled up close to me. I lift from there, keeping my head up, my lower back solid and my knees relatively stiff, and then do a slow negative to retun the bar to that spot, close up against my ankles. I touch the plates to the floor really briefly, and then take it up again, etc...

I have found that by having a fixed place on the floor to lift from and return to, I am a lot stricter about form. And I just feel it in my hams in a way I never have before. I know I'm not getting as "deep" as some guys who use a platform do, but this seems to work much better for me.

Any other ideas for building massive, sweeping hams?

-- J.

[glammaman2000]

this is a problem area for me,&i fully agree that great ham development is HOT!i can do leg curls until i'm blue in the face&nothing happens.the only things that work for me are heavy exercises where the hams act as stabilizers(power cleans!)&one other;kneel on a pad(this can be hard on the knees).brace your ankles under something behind you or have someone hold them down.hands behind your head.IN ONE PIECE lower your body forward as far as it will go&bring it back to upright.you may not be able to go very far.do not bend at the hips.IF IT STARTS TO CRAMP:LIE DOWN&STRETCH IT OUT IMMEDIATELY!the hams are very prone to cramping.it just means the muscle is being stressed in a new way.with consistent use,this should stop.

[glammaman2000]

...another decent ham exercise;decline DB leg curls.i think the fact that it forces you to keep your knees together is the key.

[wbhunk]

I think you nailed it, MassingUp....form is so important with the hamstrings, because there are plenty of muscles around and geared up to help them if you don't focus on working them. In my experience, though, they're a very easy muscle to "feel" as far as being able to work 'em.

I'm a devotee of good leg curls myself, but also do straight-leg deadlifts as a bit of variation. In all cases....start light and always pay attention to form.

Incidentally, if you neglect your hamstrings, it causes problems with your knees and other parts of your body.....your hams should always be capable of about 60% or more of the weight your quads can handle (leg curl vs. leg extension).

[jco2007]

massingUP

I, personally, LOVE a big set of hams -- there's something about the thickness and sweep of a big man's hams and the way they arc into the base of his glutes. Woof. Summer olympics are nice and all, but give me the speed-skaters in the winter olympics and their hams... wow!

Totally, totally agree!!!

I still am working on getting my hams up to par and experimenting.

I have discovered, that when dead-lifting, in the starting position. One should use more leg power in the initial part of the lift (when moving the bar off from its resting position), than back. I find that when I finish my set, my hams are sore and pumped. Agreed this is not direct stimulation for them but every little bit helps.