Why we need outside training

[Asteer]

Bleh. I hate the leg curl machine. Totally uncomfortable and puts weird stress on my knees. And feels totally unnatural to me to use. Any other way to build the hamstrings?

I don't believe in machines, but that is just my personal take. I like the "money" exercises that give you bang for your buck. Also, much of the recent literature shows that the ham action is much more that of hip extension than of knee flexion. So, all that being said, the Good Mornings that Bill mentionned are good, but my favorite is the Straight Leg Deadlift (also goes by Romanian Deadlift). There are also tons of variations (2-leg, 1-leg, dumbells, barbell, etc), so you can switch it around as you change training phases.


I don't like how much lumbar flexion this guy does but it gives you the idea... The other great thing about this exercise is that you can play around with how you do it in order to activate how much the glutes are involved in the action. The glutes are another important aspect of maintainging balance between the quads and the posterior chain (ex. weak glutes = more stress on the hams and more risk of injury).

[2Green]

My hams are too tight all the time as well, and sometimes I stress them in front or high kicks. I feel a slight "twinge" or "tearing" sensation when this happens.
I try to loosen them up a little before class, I use the "Anderson Book" stretches, but many feel that stretches should be saved for "warming down" AFTER class.

I prefer "weightless" training whenever possiple, using the body and gravity.

I had a friend who used to stand on his hands and do "inverted pushups" with his arms,( like Nicolas Cage in Con Air while he was in jail).
My friend could actually "walk" around a hall's perimeter on his hands...very impressive.
He used to run with a brick in each hand, and he said that back in Rochester he had friends who could lob a brick 1/2 a block with deadly accuracy.
(That might be a fable.)

Anyway, all the Yoga and situp/pushup folks present a real challenge to the "fitness machine" industry in terms of what you really need for strong core and limb strength and flexibility.

I once read that in Yoga terms "A person's age is determined by the flexibility of their spine."

I personally don't believe I need a room full of machines for MA strength or even "normal-outstanding" strength or flexibility.
I believe that's "externalizing" the problem.

I'll stick with Karate, my mountain bike and a good stretching regimen.

Considering I got wheeled into my doctor's office in '98 unable to stand, and a few years of having to shave while supporting myself with my elbows, and now I'm pain free, free-standing and a brown belt, I'd say this path is working for me.
And, no drugs either.

NM

[Griffin]

An exercise I find very helpfull for hams and lower back is walking lunges. Its pretty much a total body workout with dumb bells and helps tremendously for the entire leg. knees, hips and ankle included.

Another muscle group instructors should pay attention to for their student's sake is the deltoids. If an instructor tends to do allot of kata practice in class, the anterior (front) deltoids will get allot of work, while the posterior (rear) deltoids will be neglected causing shoulder problems later. Trust me, I know first hand. I was one of those skinny youths with an very high metabolism who could never gain weight. If U have any of these kids in your class, check him out. U'll be able to see this problem fairly clearly and be able to fix it before it.

[Asteer]

Electromyographic Activity of the Hamstrings During Performance of the Leg Curl, Stiff-Leg Deadlift, and Back Squat Movements

GLENN A. WRIGHT
Department of Health and Human Performance, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849

THOMAS H. DELONG and GALE GEHLSEN
The Human Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana 47306.

ABSTRACT

To compare the effectiveness of 3 weight-training movements for the hamstrings, 11 weight-trained men performed 3 repetitions at 75% of 1 repetition maximum of the leg curl (LC), stiff-leg deadlift (SLDL), and back squat. Integrated electromyography (EMG) and peak EMG were analyzed in the biceps femoris and semitendinosus independantly during the concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) phase of each exercise. Results were as follows: CON-LC and CON-SLDL elicited the greatest integrated EMG activity, with no significant difference between exercises. The CON-squat showed approximately half as much integrated EMG activity as CON-LC and CON-SLDL. Highest peak EMG was found in the CON-LC and CON-SLDL, with no significant difference in these exercises. The CON-squat produced a peak EMG that was approximately 70% of LC and SLDL. We conclude that LC and SLDL involve the hamstrings to a similar degree; however, the back squat involves only about half as much hamstring integrated EMG activity as LC and SLDL.