You’re working on your leg muscles today and have decided to focus on the backs of your legs. Everyone at the gym is using the hamsters, so you won’t be able to use them. You need to adhere to a training schedule, and you do not have the time nor the patience to wait for the hamstring curl machine to become available.
Don’t worry, you can still give your hamstrings the care they need to grow.
Standing Hamstring Curl
If you’re new to isolating your hamstrings, don’t worry. If you want to get stronger, you don’t have to lift really heavy weights or use weird devices.
This machine will help you improve your balance and get accustomed to the range of motion that is necessary for successful hamstring curls. If you’ve had injuries to your knee or foot in the past, you may not be used to bending your knee through its full range of motion or even straightening it out all the way. This move can help with that.
How to Do the Standing Hamstring Curl
To begin, stand with good posture and your feet shoulder-width apart. If maintaining balance is difficult for you, try standing with your feet slightly further apart. You can also stand in front of a wall or stable chair and use your hand to help with balance. Root down into your left foot. Bend your left knee and raise your left foot. Bring your left foot up to your left buttock. Slowly lower. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
Resistance Band Hamstring Curl
The resistance band hamstring curl provides resistance throughout the range of motion. By spending more time under max tension, your muscles will grow larger. That bodes well for your muscle-building potential.
This variation of the exercise can be performed while seated, with the resistance band anchored in front of you. The exercise can also be performed while lying on your stomach with the resistance band anchored behind you. Make sure the band is secure before continuing.
How to Do the Resistance Band Hamstring Curl
Secure a resistance band around a low anchor that is behind you. secure the band around your ankles, with the other end looped. Place yourself on your stomach with your back to the anchor. Check for stability. Control the movement by contracting your hamstrings to raise your feet up towards your glutes. Hold at peak tension for a beat. Lower with control. Repeat for reps.
Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
This time you will lie on your back and use a stability ball rather than weights to challenge your balance and hamstring strength.
Not only does this exercise work your hamstrings, but it also works your glutes. Your abdominal muscles will also help to keep your upper body stable while your lower body moves.
How to Do the Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
To do this exercise, start by lying on your back with your feet up on a stability ball. Sit on the ball with your legs extended straight and your feet on top of the ball. To stabilize your upper body, press your upper back into the ground. To avoid hyperextending your lower back, squeeze your glutes. Bend your knees and bring the ball toward your rear end with your feet. Reverse directions when you reach maximal contraction. Repeat for reps.
Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
When the curl machine is taken, you can still work on your hamstrings by grabbing a weight bench and dumbbell. This exercise is a variation of the prone hamstring curl, but with a dumbbell placed between your feet.
Use light dumbbells with large handles so you can keep a firm grip on them with your feet. You don’t want to drop anything on your glutes.
How to Do the Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
Secure a dumbbell between your feet. To begin, lie face down on a bench with your lower legs off the end. Walk around to make sure your feet are secure. Squat down, bringing your feet closer to your buttocks. During the exercise, be sure to keep your feet close together. Reverse the movement. Repeat for reps.
Core Slider Hamstring Curl
Core sliders aren’t just for your core. There are many ways you can use them including for push-ups and dynamic planks. These also come in handy for bodyweight hamstring curls.
You will continue to develop a strong sense of balance and improve your proprioception. You will need to use your glutes a lot to stay stable when you make this move.
How to Do the Core Slider Hamstring Curl
Start by lying on your back on the ground with your feet flat on the ground and your legs extended. Place the sliders under your heels so they are secure. Step 1: Press your heels into the ground Step 2: Bend your knees Step 3: Squeeze your glutes Slide your heels toward your glutes with control. Reverse slowly. Repeat for reps.
Lunges and Lunge Variations for Strong and Sculpted Legs
Lunges are a great exercise to do because they have a high return on investment. Not only do squats engage and strengthen lower body muscles, but they also get your heart rate up and give you a big old boost of endorphins.
Once you’ve mastered the forward lunge, you may be tempted to relegate the move to the ‘functional, but not that fun’ category.
That’s where lunge variations come in. One way to make your workout more interesting is to modify and build on the basic lunge exercise.
How do I do a lunge?
So, how to do lunge? The word ‘lunge’ is used to describe the action of stepping forward or backward with one leg, while lowering the other. Not quite got the gist? It’s the OG’s down-on-one-knee engagement stance.
20 Lunges And Lunge Variations To Tone And Sculpt
1. Curtsy Lunge
Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right. Keeping your body upright, bend your knees until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
Return to the start and repeat. You can alternate legs or stick with one and then swap.
2. Bodyweight Pulse Lunge
Come into a lunge position with your back knee raised a few inches off the ground and your front knee tracking over your toes.
Raise up a few inches, keeping your core and leg muscles engaged but not coming up fully.
Lower back down and repeat the pulse movement.
3. Jump Lunge
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, core engaged, and shoulders back. Take a step back with your left leg, with the weight on the ball of your back foot and your front foot flat on the floor.
Jump up to switch your legs in mid-air – left leg forward and right leg back. Use your arms to help you jump explosively and make sure your chest is lifted, before landing with both knees at 90 degrees. Keep switching legs without your knees moving out of line.
4. Walking Lunge
Like a normal lunge, take a big step forwards with your right foot in line with your right hip, keeping your knee tracking directly over your right foot.
Engage your right quads and hamstring by pushing your foot into the floor, then stand up to step forward onto your left foot.
5. Lateral Lunge
Standing at the top of your mat with your feet together, engage your core and lunge laterally, pushing your bum out behind you and keeping your upper back flat.
Push through the heel of your lunging foot and repeat.
6. Forward Lunge
Keep your back straight, engage your core muscles, and place your hands on your hips to stay balanced.
Take a big step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
7. Reverse Lunge
Standing with your feet hip-width apart and keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles. Place your hands on your hips to stay balanced.
Take a big step backward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
Step back to the starting position. You can alternate legs or stick with one and then swap.
8. Kettlebell Curtsy Lunge
Standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in both hands.
Lunge backward, crossing your lunging leg over to the opposite side. You’ll arrive in a deep curtsy position.
9. Kettlebell Forward Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in both hands. Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right. Keeping your body upright, bend your knees until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
Return to the start and repeat, alternating legs.
10. Kettlebell Overhead Reverse Lunge
Keep your back straight, engage your core muscles, and hold a kettlebell overhead in an under grip in your right hand, palm facing forward.
Take a big step backward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
Step back to the starting position and complete the number of reps on this side before repeating on the opposite leg, with the weight in the opposite hand.
11. Kettlebell Alternating Forward Lunge
Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles, holding a kettlebell in both hands.
Take a big step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
12. Kettlebell Alternating Reverse Lunge
Keep your back straight, engage your core muscles, and hold a kettlebell in both hands.
Take a big step backward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
13. Kettlebell Lateral Lunge
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in both hands in front of your chest.
Take a big step to the side with your left leg, then bend your left knee, push your hips back, and lower until your left knee is bent 90 degrees. This should take around two seconds.
Push back to start. You can alternate, or complete the reps on your left leg before moving on to your right.
14. Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right. Keeping your body upright, bend your knees until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
Return to the start and repeat, alternating legs.
15. Dumbbell Forward Twist Lunge
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell at either end in front of your chest with your elbows bent. With your right foot, step forward into a basic lunge position, tracking your front knee over your ankle.
From your midsection, twist your upper body to the right, keeping your hands and weight in the same position. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes. In one seamless move, return back to the center and slowly step back to the starting position.
16. Dumbbell Forward Lunge
Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Take a big step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
17. Dumbbell Lateral Lunge
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in both hands in front of your chest.
Take a big step to the side with your left leg, then bend your left knee, push your hips back, and lower until your left knee is bent 90 degrees. This should take around two seconds.
Push back to start. You can alternate, or complete the reps on your left leg before moving on to your right.
18. Dumbbell Pulse Lunge
Holding two dumbbells at either side of your legs, come into a lunge position with your back knee raised a few inches off the ground and your front knee tracking over your toes.
Raise up a few inches, keeping your core and leg muscles engaged but not coming up fully.
Lower back down and repeat the pulse movement.
19. Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, feet shoulder-width apart. Hinge at the hips until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Keep a slight bend in your knees.
Let the weights hang in front of you, palms facing each other. Avoid arching your back or slumping over.
Squeezing your shoulder blades, raise each arm out to each side. With control lower the weights back to starting position and repeat.
20. Dumbbell Static Curtsy Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right. Keeping your body upright, bend your knees until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
Straighten your legs and repeat, alternating legs.
