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Monarchs with Muscles

Cycling

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Kathleen's Monarchs with Muscles

The Hamstrings

Your hamstrings are the muscles and tendons located on the back of your thigh and behind your knee. They play an important role in all activities such as walking, running, and bending. They allow the knee to ben and aide in extending the hip. Straining the hamstring, also known as a “pulled hamstring”, is very common among athletes and can cause an otherwise healthy active person to be unable to continue their daily workouts. As a result, we must strengthen and stretch develop strong hamstrings on a regular basis.

Three of the best exercises for developing your hamstrings are the Dumbbell leg curl, the hamstring roll on the udderball, and the dumbbell dead lift.

Leg Curls with Dumbbell

Pictures coming soon...

  1. On the floor support your body on your hands and knees
  2. Place a 3 or 5 lb dumbbell behind one knee and maintain a neutral spine and contracted abs.
  3. Raise the knee with the dumbbell 6 to 8 inches off the ground, squeezing the dumbbell and using your hamstring to hold it in place.
  4. Lower the leg and repeat

Hamstring Roll on Udderball

  1. Lying down on a mat place both feet flat on an udderball and press your palms to the ground.
  2. Pull shoulder blades down and back and lift the hips into a bridge position.
  3. Extend the legs strait keep the feet flexed.
  4. Slowly roll the ball back, keeping the hips lifted.

Dumbbell Dead Lifts

Pictures coming soon...

  1. Standing with feet hip-width distance apart and soft knees hold a dumbbell in each hand, in front of each thighs.
  2. Keeping the shoulders back, abs in and the back straight, and knees soft, hinge from the hips and lower the weights towards the floor.
  3. Slowly lower as far as your flexibility allows and keep your eyes looking forward.
  4. Putting weight in your heels, keep your back flat, abs in and shoulders pulled back. Slowly bring your self up to standing.

Static Hamstring Stretch

  1. Lie on your mat and loop a resistance band or jump rope around your right foot. Extend the left left on the ground.
  2. Hold the band with your hands and gently pull your right leg, keeping it straight.
  3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds while breathing deeply.