2 Exercises For The Hamstring: Build SPEED & Reduce Pain

Summary

This video provides two key exercises to strengthen hamstrings, reduce pain, and improve sprinting performance. The first exercise, stiff knee deadlifts, focuses on slow eccentric movements to lengthen the hamstrings, reducing injury risk. The second exercise, bent knee isometrics, strengthens the tendons and hamstrings, particularly helping those with pain during acceleration sprinting. The video also emphasizes the importance of addressing common hamstring pain causes, including strength imbalances and insufficient recovery. It concludes with a recommendation to strengthen calves to prevent compensatory injuries.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ **Hamstring Pain Check**: Before starting exercises, identify the cause of hamstring pain using a list of seven checks including strength imbalance, fatigue, tightness, inadequate warm-up, previous injury, insufficient recovery, and weak hamstrings.
• 💪 **Exercise 1 - Stiff Knee Deadlifts**: This exercise helps build strong hamstrings for speed, focusing on a slow eccentric movement to reduce the risk of hamstring strains.
• 🔢 **Rep and Set Range**: Perform stiff knee deadlifts for 6 to 12 reps, in 2 to 4 sets, adjusting based on your goals and athletic level.
• 🧍‍♂️ **Proper Form**: Maintain correct form by avoiding back rounding and ensuring the barbell stays on your shins throughout the full range of motion.
• 🔄 **Muscle Length Importance**: Emphasize resting muscle length in hamstrings, which is positively correlated with reduced hamstring strains.
• 🏋️‍♂️ **Variation - Deficit Pulls**: For intermediate to advanced athletes, consider deficit pulls to further challenge hamstring strength.
• 🚫 **Avoid Acceleration Injuries**: Understand that hamstring injuries often occur during the late swing phase of sprinting, which is high velocity and eccentric.
• 🦵 **Exercise 2 - Bent Knee Isometrics**: This exercise is aimed at isometric loading of the tendon and increasing blood flow to the back of the knee.
• ⏱️ **Hold Time**: Hold the bent knee isometric position for 30 to 45 seconds to achieve an 8 out of 10 burn in the hamstring.
• 🔼 **Progression**: Gradually increase resistance by adding weight to your lower stomach area and holding the position for two to three sets of 45 seconds.
• 👟 **Calf Strength**: Remember that strong calves are also crucial to prevent compensatory injuries to the hamstring, so don't neglect calf training.

Q & A

What are the seven checks to identify the cause of hamstring pain?

The seven checks are: 1) Imbalance of muscular strength, 2) Muscular fatigue, 3) Hamstring tightness, 4) Insufficient warm-up, 5) Previous injury usually in the ACL, 6) Insufficient recovery period, and 7) Inadequate strength in the hamstrings.

Why are stiff knee deadlifts recommended for hamstring strength and speed?

Stiff knee deadlifts are recommended because they emphasize the eccentric phase of the movement, which is crucial for reducing hamstring strains that often occur during the late swing phase of sprinting.

What is the proper way to perform a stiff knee deadlift?

To perform a stiff knee deadlift, start with a hip hinge by pushing the hips back, maintain a slow eccentric count of 3 to 5 seconds while lowering the barbell, and avoid rounding the back. The barbell should remain on the shins throughout the full range of motion.

How many sets and reps are recommended for stiff knee deadlifts?

The recommended sets and reps for stiff knee deadlifts can range from 6 to 12 reps for 2 to 4 sets, depending on the individual's goals and athletic level.

What is the purpose of the bent knee isometric exercise mentioned in the script?

The bent knee isometric exercise aims to provide isometric loading to the tendon and increase blood flow to the back of the knee, primarily targeting the ACL, to help reduce hamstring injuries during acceleration.

How should one perform the bent knee isometric exercise correctly?

To perform the bent knee isometric exercise, lie on your back with a slight bend in the knee, push the lower back into the ground to lift the butt slightly, then push through the heel to get more lift, exhale to create tension in the abs, and tilt the top of the foot in while holding the position.

What is the recommended duration for holding the bent knee isometric exercise?

The bent knee isometric exercise should be held for 30 to 45 seconds, aiming for an 8 out of 10 burn in the hamstring.

Why is it important to have strong calves in addition to strong hamstrings?

Having strong calves is important because if the calves are weak, one might compensate with the hamstring, leading to further injuries. The script suggests watching another video to learn how to build strong and athletic calves.

What is the significance of resting muscle length in hamstrings as mentioned in the script?

Resting muscle length in hamstrings is significant because research shows a positive correlation between it and reduced hamstring strains, which is beneficial for athletes aiming to improve speed and reduce injuries.

What is the role of the hamstrings during the late swing phase of sprinting?

During the late swing phase of sprinting, the hamstrings work eccentrically at high velocity, which is a common point of strain and injury. Exercises like the stiff knee deadlift are designed to strengthen the hamstrings in this phase.

What are some progressions for the bent knee isometric exercise to increase difficulty?

A progression for the bent knee isometric exercise is to slowly add 5 to 10 pounds of weight to the lower stomach area and hold the position for two to three sets of 45 seconds before progressing again.