Brian Gates wrote:
coach wrote:
"A knee flexion exercise is the only way to work the hamstrings"
Are the hamstrings not hip extensors too? When do you ever truly flex your knees so dramatically as in a leg curl machine? The leg curl should be used for nothing but rehab.
I said a knee flexion exercise is only way to work the hamstrings thoroughly since the short head of the biceps only flexes the knee, and exercises that involve hip extension generally work the hamstrings less hard than the back, glutes, and quads. It’s fine to rely on squats and deadlifts, but a skillfully executed leg curl works the hamstrings a little better. The only rational purpose of resistance training is to fatigue the muscle fibers under load to stimulate them to grow stronger, not to somehow replicate the motions involved in extraneous acts like running. A muscle fiber in the hamstrings has no “awareness” of whether it is being used as a knee flexor or hip extensor; all it does is shorten when its motor neuron fires.
Closed kinetic chain exercises are the way to go. Want another good exercise? kettle bell swings, that will work your hamstrings. Stick to non functional exercises like the skillfully executed leg curl and you'll have stronger heavier hamstrings but you won't necessarily be a better runner and certainly will not reduce the chances of a running injury.