In today's article, we will talk about such a popular exercise as lying leg curl. As a rule, it is one of the main exercises that are recommended for classes in the gym. Given its high popularity, we will consider in detail the execution technique this exercise.
What is the secret of his popularity?
If you believe the statistics, then it is the bending of the legs lying down that is one of the most favorite exercises among the female half of the population. And this is not surprising, given that every girl wants to excite men with her forms from behind, and this especially applies to legs, which should not only be slender, but also toned. Therefore, the main emphasis must be placed on these muscles. In addition, as mentioned above, such a simulator is an indispensable attribute of any gym.
What muscles are involved
Flexion of the legs in the prone position is due to, and to be more specific, the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles. Also, during the lesson itself, the work of both the biceps of the thigh and the function of bending the legs in the knee joint is completely isolated.
If we talk about knee tendons, then you need to consider that they consist of 3 main muscles:
- Biceps femoris.
- Semitendinosus.
- Semimembranous.
To date, there are only 2 exercises that include the use of the hamstrings in their workouts. An example is where the hamstrings are engaged through the hip joint, making this exercise most similar to stretching.
Advantages
Lying leg curl, like every exercise, is not without its advantages. In this case, they include the fact that it is completely isolated and completely focused on toning the buttocks and the back of the legs. It is also worth noting that this exercise can be used to give both volume and relief. Other advantages include:
- The simplicity of its implementation.
- Variety of variations.
- An increase in strength indicators in others standard exercises for legs.
In addition, as shown by numerous surveys among the male population, this is a rather difficult workout.
I would also like to say a few more words about the fact that the flexion-extension of the legs is a very important exercise, which provides a kind of balance between the front and back of the leg. This balance not only plays important role from the aesthetic side, but also from the preventive side, since the likelihood of injury is significantly reduced, which could be caused by an imbalance.
How to do this exercise correctly
Although bending the legs lying down is considered one of the most simple activities However, there are cases of its incorrect implementation, which in the future can lead to the most unpleasant consequences. Therefore, in order to minimize the occurrence of such situations, consider the technique of its implementation.
First of all, we approach the simulator and, using the lower roller, set its position in accordance with our height. After that, we lie face down, putting our legs under the roller (approximately on the same plane as the ankles) and place them parallel to each other. Particular attention should be paid to ensure that the knees do not hang down from the bench, and its kink is located at the waist. Next, tightly pressing the pelvis against the simulator, we take the handrail with our hands, directing our gaze to the floor, and strain our abs and buttocks. This completes the preparation for the lesson.
Bending the legs lying in the simulator
After the starting position is accepted, we begin the exercise. So, first of all, we take a deep breath, hold our breath and, without lifting the front thighs from the bench, we begin to pull the roller to the buttocks with powerful movements. After that, we exhale when one of the most difficult amplitudes has been passed. We linger for a few seconds in the highest position and very slowly, not for a second losing control on inhalation, we return to initial position. Then we repeat the same procedure a certain number of times.
Execution Tricks
- During execution, hold the handles of the simulator firmly.
- In no case do not tear off the pelvis from the arch of the benches.
- Bending the legs until they are almost completely in contact with the buttocks.
- To keep the load on the muscles, do not fully straighten the knees when they are at their lowest point.
- Moving up is a little faster than moving down.
- Do not crawl your hip or pelvis on the bench.
- Make sure your knees don't hang off the bench.
- Stretch posterior thigh after the completion of each set.
Exercise at home
As practice shows, pump up slender legs and it is possible without trips to Gym. All it takes is desire and perseverance. In addition, the fundamental difference between classes at home is that they can take place when you wish and as much as you want. Plus, they're completely free.
There are exercises at home that can be performed regardless of your physical form. For example: we stand straight and put our feet a little wider than shoulder level. We keep our hands on the belt, and “look” with our socks and knees in different directions. After that, slowly squat as low as possible, while not forgetting to keep your back straight, and do not bend your knees to the side. In addition, while doing this exercise, you need to ensure that the stomach is pulled in and the muscles of the buttocks are tense. The lifts and squats themselves should be done very smoothly.
The target muscles during the exercise are the hips. This exercise is insulating. Like any other strength exercise this must also be done correctly to avoid injury and discomfort.
Why do the exerciseleg curl lying on the simulator
Performing the leg curl exercise while lying on the simulator The leg bending exercise lying on the simulator is isolated and is aimed at working out the hip flexor muscle group. This makes it possible to make the contours of the hips more prominent, to highlight and delimit the thigh from the gluteal muscles.
The main muscles that are involved in this exercise are the biceps femoris, as well as the semitendinosus and semimembranosus. In addition, the gluteal and calf muscles are also loaded.
To perform this exercise, the most optimal would be to use a simulator with the ability to adjust the weight. It can be cable or conventional, in which the load is strengthened behind its moving part. If there is no such simulator, then weights can be attached to the lower third of the lower leg or to the foot.
1. When performing the exercise, bending the legs in the simulator, it is necessary to lie with your stomach on horizontal bench. For comfort, you can put a soft roller or a tightly folded towel under the lower abdomen, which, in addition to convenience, will help to avoid injury.
2. Then it is necessary to insert the legs under the support so that its lower edge is at a distance of approximately 3 transverse fingers from the heel, while the knee area extends beyond the bench.
3. After that, you should focus on your elbows, raise your chest and head so that you look straight ahead.
4. Start bending your legs. The pace should not be slow, but not hasty, without jerks. Control the position of the pelvis - it should not come off the bench, otherwise the load is partially removed from the biceps of the thighs and unnecessary tension arises in the spine.
The exercise is done on inhalation-exhalation - inhalation during extension, exhalation during flexion. To reduce unwanted stress on the ligamentous apparatus of the knee, it is not necessary to fully straighten the legs at the bottom of the movement. In the upper phase, bend your legs as much as possible, try to touch your buttocks with your heels.
To include the medial side of the thigh in the workout, during the exercise, you need to move your socks towards each other. To train the outer thighs, you need to spread your socks to the sides.
For training calf muscles it is necessary to straighten the feet in ankle joints to the maximum while bending the legs, and extend them so that they are approximately in line with the shins.
Leg curls lying on the stomach
are a formative exercise for working on the back of the thigh and gluteal muscles. Lying leg curls are re-ko-men-du-et-xia to be used by athletes of any level of training and the goals of being in the gym. With its help, girls can train the gluteal muscle, men can train the biceps of the thigh, the adductor muscle, the lateral broad muscle and other muscles of the back of the thigh, thereby strengthening the knee joint -tav. This exercise is not re-to-men-du-et-xia to apply to those people who came to the gym to improve their health and, first of all , improve the condition of the back. The fact is that the biceps of the thigh is one of those muscles that is involved in the sta-bi-li-za-tion of the pose-at-night-no-ka, about which you can learn more read .
Lying leg curls can be performed to develop strength indicators, functional qualities, set muscle mass and landscaping. The results to which the performance of this exercise will lead depends on the mode in which and for how many repetitions you “work”. The advantage of the exercise is that the athlete is lying down, which allows you to level the load on the night-time posture, as well as the con-tsen-tri-ro-va-sya on the ra-bo - those of the target muscle group. The key moments in the bend-ba-ni-yah of the legs are la-yut-sya: work in a useful range and turn the feet away from each other. A useful range is the range in which the target muscle group takes on the load, and the turn of the feet to the sides, when turning due to the legs, in-ra-chi-va-et and kos-ti pelvis, which provides the best innervation of the gluteal muscles.
Work of muscles and joints
The main working muscle masses are the muscles of the back of the thigh and the gluteal muscles, which work iso-li-ro-va-no in bending the legs while lying on the stomach. Of course, many other adjacent muscle groups are also innervated, but their function in this case is limited to stabilizing the position of the body. In many ways, this is also a pre-determined “work” mode in leg curls, since such isolation of the working muscle group does not allow reaching its maximum Noah in-ner-va-tion. The bottom line is that in isolation exercises, the ligaments, joints and skeleton as a whole are in a vulnerable position, therefore nervous system does not give off such powerful nerve impulses as are able to "digest" the muscle. Accordingly, it is impossible to achieve the same innervation of the muscles as it is possible to achieve in the “base”, in the “iso-la-tion” it is impossible, in connection with which, it is necessary to work thief in more voluminous mode.
The risk of injury is also affected by the fact that during the execution of leg curls lying down, the main load falls only on hip joint, although mechanically ra-bo-ta and co-ver-sha-et-xia in co-le-not. The point is that the load is always received by that joint, which is on top of the working muscle group. And, in general, you can-those in this-do-believe-sya, by touching your gluteal muscle, although you can touch someone else's, if you don't mind it, or if you are ready to take a chance. When bending the legs, the yago-dich muscle will be tense, which indicates that it is involved in bending the legs, and since the buttocks are attached to the hip su-ta-vu, and not to the co-len-no-mu, then it is logical to suspect that he receives the load, and not the knees. So be careful, keeping in mind that your pelvis does not insure anything, and in case of something, it can get hurt .
Bending the legs lying on the stomach - scheme
1) Lie down in the simulator, firmly fixing the body so that the fasteners for which you will pull the weight fit snugly on the ankle.
2) Turn the legs a little to the sides, but it is the legs, and not just the socks, in order to turn the pelvic bones from each other, for this purpose, the socks need to be spread apart, and the heels should be swung towards each other.
3) The head looks forward, and hands should be held on special handles, after which, a little, pull the cable of the simulator so that the weight "lies" on the muscles.
4) With the toes pointing as close as possible to the body, and not protruding forward, bend the leg at the knee joint by 90⁰ and fix the leg in this position for a second.
5) Under control, return the legs to their original position, i.e. to the position where the cable is tre-on-the-same-ra not-much-on-pu-chute.
Lying leg curls - notes
1) Do not hold your breath, be sure to exhale on effort and inhale in the negative phase of the exercise.
2) Perform the exercise under control, do not pull the projectile, so you don’t need to lower it to the end, otherwise you won’t be able to do the exercise with such a weight, with whom you could do it if you didn’t “leave” in “ dead center."
3) The number of repetitions in the exercise should not be less than 6 repetitions, since, most likely, a smaller number of repetitions will not allow you to perform the exercise correctly. If you are already a big boy, then you can do at least «
from-breath-pause-zu »
but this is for more experienced athletes.
4) Do not throw your legs behind your ass, bend your knees to the level of 90⁰, because beyond this point the “useful amplitude” is beyond this point, the muscles relax and the load goes into the ligaments.
5) Try to concentrate on the work of the target muscle group, but, first of all, make sure that it is easy to innervate it physiologically, so remember the rule with breeding socks to the sides.
Anatomy
The muscles of the back of the thigh are represented by a wide range of muscles, which, for some reason, are collectively called the “biceps of the thigh” for some reason, although, in fact, the biceps occupies a very small part of the space there. But from the point of view of practice, we are interested in the fact that these muscles form a silhouette from behind, which is especially important for de-vush-kam, and you-do the main work in the lower phase such exercises as hundred-no-vaya traction and squats with a barbell on the shoulders, which is especially important for guys. It should be remembered that the muscles of the back of the thigh are attached to knee joint, therefore, its safety depends on how proportionally the quadri-ceps and muscles of the back of the thigh are developed. Also, the development of these muscles plays an important role in sta-bi-li-za-tion in the position of the post-night-no-ka.
Summing up, we can say that lying leg curls in the simulator are an effective formative exercise that athletes of different levels of training can use. No-vich-kam should be used to strengthen the muscle skeleton, de-vush-kam for pumping the main muscle in the female or-ga-niz-me, and experienced at-let-there for "pumping" the muscles of the back of the thigh and preventing injuries to the knee-no-go su-ta-va. For those who go in for sports for the sake of health, and not for the sake of dos-ti-the-same, this exercise should generally be used on a permanent basis, since it it is extremely difficult to pump those muscles that are somehow extremely difficult in the city-ri-zone-tal-nom in the same way. Be careful and exercise wisely!
Lying leg curls- This is an isolating exercise aimed at working out the back of the thigh, namely hamstrings. In principle, there are not many exercises that can be used to work out the back of the thighs in isolation. If we take, for example, the triceps muscles, there is a large number of isolated exercises and a few basic ones. We have a different situation with the hips, 1-2 exercises immediately come to mind: lying leg curls and sitting leg curls. Now we’ll talk about how you understood about the first option, when the exercise is performed in a lying position.Why are isolation exercises good? They help to work out a separate muscle group and focus most of the load on target muscle. Actually from the name itself isolated exercises You can already understand the meaning of such exercises. Their main feature is that they turn off the rest of the muscle groups from work. For example, if we do deadlift on straight legs, the back of the thighs is well included in the load, while a bunch of secondary muscle groups: back, buttocks and so on. Therefore, such exercises are called basic or "multi-joint".
What is the peculiarity of bending the legs lying down? The peculiarity of this exercise is that it is very difficult to break the execution technique and do something wrong. The only thing you should pay attention to is the position settings of the machine. You need to set it up so that it would be convenient for you to perform movements. So that the roller, under which you will put and rest your legs, is at the right distance so that you are comfortable, and it rests on the surface, just above our heels. Also, you need to adjust the distance between the platform on which your quadriceps will lie and the roller so that it is optimal. This is done so that your knee hangs slightly off the platform that your quads are on so that nothing prevents you from bending your legs.
TECHNIQUE FOR PERFORMING THE EXERCISE "LYING LEGS BEND"
1. Customize the bench for you to make it convenient for you to study. As mentioned earlier, you should lie on the bench so that your knees are slightly forward, over the edges of the bench. And the points just above your heels (ankles) rested against the rollers. Grasp the handles, thereby fixing the body in a motionless state. This will be your starting position.
2. On an effort, inhale, then bend your knees, pulling the rollers to the biceps of the thighs. When the rollers touch the upper surface of the thigh, stay in this position for 2 seconds. At the highest point, try to strain the biceps of the thigh as much as possible, thereby increasing muscle contraction.
3. As you exhale, slowly straighten your legs and return them to their original position. At the lowest point, do not lower your legs to the very end, constantly keep them in a tense state throughout the entire exercise. The movements themselves should be smooth and without jerks.
EXERCISE TECHNIQUE ADVICE
In principle, this exercise is quite simple, and it is very difficult to break the technique. But there are exceptions, so I will tell you a few mistakes that beginners sometimes make, as well as give useful tips.
1. As mentioned above, you need to properly set up the simulator.
2. If you take your knees off the bench at the top, you will increase the effectiveness of the exercise by increasing the contraction of the biceps of the thighs, as well as by engaging the gluteal muscles in the work.
3. There is an option to perform lying leg curl, performing it with each leg in turn. So you can better work out each leg individually.
