Want to work out your hamstrings in isolation? Learn the technique of performing alternate bends. Exercise creates excellent relief. There are many exercises to build leg muscles. This is quite understandable, because it is the legs that must carry the weight of the whole body. Also, girls pay a lot of attention to training legs, trying to make their figure perfect. Today we will talk about the leg curl exercise in a standing machine.
They are intended for the development of the hamstrings, semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles. They are all roughly the same length, but the hamstrings have the largest cross-sectional dimensions. This movement is very actively used by athletes of different levels of fitness. The degree of development of these three muscles is of great importance in football, wrestling, artistic gymnastics and some other sports disciplines. Among other things, these muscles help to strengthen the anterior and posterior stabilizers of the knee joint.
Technique for performing leg curls in a standing machine
The technique of performing leg curls in a standing simulator directly affects the quality of biceps training and you need to approach the development of the movement with full responsibility. To complete it, you will need a special simulator.
One leg must be raised, resting it on the soft roller of the simulator. The front of the thigh should be pressed tightly against the back and make sure that it is always in this position. Otherwise, the load on the working leg will be reduced.
To make it easier to maintain balance, grab a special stand, resting your chest against the back. After inhaling, hold your breath and bend your working leg. In the extreme upper position of the trajectory, the roller should be located at the very thigh, almost touching it. Exhale in the opposite direction.
If you perform the leg curl in the simulator while standing technically, then the possibility of damage to the knee joint is great. To avoid this, work at a slow pace and do not use heavy weights. So you will not only work out your muscles with high quality, but also not get injured.
Equally important is the point that you should snuggle against the back as tightly as possible. If you allow the movement of the trunk, then the effectiveness of the exercise will drop dramatically.
The main mistakes when bending the legs in the simulator while standing
Do not tear off the chest from the back of the simulator during the movement. This is very common in beginner athletes. If you do not follow this, then most of the load will go from the leg to the back.
Also, you do not need to use large weights, and especially for beginners. If the training experience is short, then the ligaments of the knee joints are weak and may well break under the influence of heavy weight. Getting the movement right is more important than using a heavy weight.
Also, athletes often perform sharp movements. This leads to increased muscle fatigue and, as a result, you will not be able to work them out properly.
Standing Leg Curl Tips for Athletes
First of all, for the correct execution of the movement, it is necessary to adjust the simulator well, namely the height of the roller. It must be located under the caviar. Note that the larger the leverage, the more effective the exercise will be.
Do not lift the knee joint from the back in the extreme upper position of the trajectory. This will lead to the fact that most of the load is shifted to the gluteus muscle. At the same time, if you need to additionally work on the buttocks, then this fact may be useful for you.
Aim for standing leg curls after tilting, deadlifts, and hyperextensions. This will increase the effectiveness of this movement.
Check out the correct standing leg curl technique in this video:
