Squats, leg presses, and lunges are among the top quad and glute builders, but they fall short of optimizing hamstring stimulus.
You need knee flexion under load. You can’t press through your hamstrings.
—Iain Valliere
Retired IFBB Men’s Open bodybuilder Iain Valliere described why he starts his leg training with seated hamstring curls, shared tips you might not know on the hack squat and leg press, and a bodyweight Romanian deadlift (RDL) alternative to try during your next leg day.
Iain Valliere’s Leg Day
- Seated Hamstring Curls
- Machine Hack Squat w/ Bands
- Leg Press
- Leg Extensions
- Back Extensions
- Machine Adductions
Extensions vs. Seated Leg Curls vs. Lying Leg Curls
While it’s common to warm the knees with leg extensions, Valliere starts with seated hamstring curls. They prep the knees but preserve quad energy for heavy squats and leg presses.
Regarding seated vs. lying leg curls, a 2021 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that the former are superior to latter for muscle growth, though they build equal resilience in the muscles around the knees. (1)
Advantages of Seated Leg Curls
- Easier Contractions
- Superior Tension Curve
- Harder to Cheat
Lying leg curls are a valuable exercise, especially if they’re accessible. However, its biomechanics don’t align with optimized tension curves, so concentrics are easier than eccentrics.
The seated curl is the king of hamstring exercises.
—Iain Valliere
Hip Hinging for Targeting Hamstrings
The hyperextension-based RDL variation utilizes a back extension machine. Unlike leg curls, which can only target the head of the hamstrings that cross the knee, RDLs hit the other heads via hip movements.
Push the heel against the pad to create force on the hamstring.
—Iain Valliere
Hack Squats with Joint Support
“Knee wraps are a cheat code for [hack squats],” Valliere asserted. “The compression and springiness make you feel so much stronger.”
Though some would argue knee wraps add assistance, due to potential elastic rebound benefits, they still allow for heavier total loads. (2)
Valliere used reverse bands on the hack squat machine to reduce knee strain by applying counter tension at the bottom. Tension lightens toward the top when contracting the quads.
More Bodybuildng Content
- A Pro Strength Coach Weighs In: Should You Train to Failure?
- 2 Exercises That Built Nick Walker’s 24-Inch Arms
- What Is Rebound Training?
References
- Maeo S, Huang M, Wu Y, Sakurai H, Kusagawa Y, Sugiyama T, Kanehisa H, Isaka T. Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021 Apr 1;53(4):825-837. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002523. PMID: 33009197; PMCID: PMC7969179.
- Lake JP, Carden PJ, Shorter KA. Wearing knee wraps affects mechanical output and performance characteristics of back squat exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Oct;26(10):2844-9. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182429840. PMID: 22995993.
Featured image: @iainvalliere on Instagram
