Whats wrong with my Hamstrings!!!!

[Jackie0325]

I was at the gym with my b/f today (he is training me) and he had me doing leg curls and reverse leg curls in order to work my hamstrings, well the whole time I was doing them I only felt pain in my calves not in my hamstrings. So I asked him and he said my forum was correct and I was doing them right. I was wondering if I really was doing something wrong... Has anyone else ever had this problem? What should I do about it, and does pointing your toes while you do them effect anything??? Any advice would be wonderful!!!

[beatz85]

i had this problem because i use to flex my toes and feet qarea in turn this would flex my calves. I think my calves were getting a workout but it took away from the hamstring effect and i started to cramp....i now focus on keeping my feet straight and really visualize the lift from the actual hamstring

[Jackie0325]

So when you say now you keep your feet straight do you mean toes pointing down??? My b/f said the same thing about how I have to visualize the lift from the hamstring and I made fun of him because I thought no matter what the hell I am visualizing my body is still doing the same motion haha....Thanks for the help

[manwithin]

So when you say now you keep your feet straight do you mean toes pointing down??? My b/f said the same thing about how I have to visualize the lift from the hamstring and I made fun of him because I thought no matter what the hell I am visualizing my body is still doing the same motion haha....Thanks for the help

Yes toe pointing is very important if you want to hit the hamstrings. you have to keep your toes straight out like if you were on your Tippy toes.

[Jackie0325]

Ok now this makes no sense lol I just heard that pointing my toes was taking away from working out my hamstrings... I am wondering why I wasn't feeling the exercise in the right place(I was feeling pain in my calves not hamstrings) and the guy above you said because of my toes being pointed and now you say I have to point them...I'm soo confused if this exercise today was pointless now and if I need to redo it and if I do how I am supposed to do it right????.. PLZ HELP!!!!

[timtim]

toes must be up, flexed, when doing hamstrings. its the way the hamstring muscle activation takes place. plantar flexion - toes down - activate the calf muscle. point your toe down like on your tippy toes and what happens? now pull your toe up up and what happens? dorsi flexion - toes up - does not activate the calf and it also allows for more hamstring lengthening on the eccentric part of the movement.

seriously, if people dont know what they are talking about why are they giving out advice?

[Jackie0325]

lol Ok I am trying to soak this all in...So then I did it right today with my toes pointed is what you saying I had my toes pointed like as if I were on the ground on my tippy toes, as if i were a ballerina haha... If that is the way I am supposed to be doing the exercise do you know why I was feeling it in my calves and did I work the muscle good enough if I was feeling in my calves and not my hamstrings? Thanks for all you help really it is going to come in handy

[timtim]

lol Ok I am trying to soak this all in...So then I did it right today with my toes pointed is what you saying I had my toes pointed like as if I were on the ground on my tippy toes, as if i were a ballerina haha... If that is the way I am supposed to be doing the exercise do you know why I was feeling it in my calves and did I work the muscle good enough if I was feeling in my calves and not my hamstrings? Thanks for all you help really it is going to come in handy

you are doing it wrong. toes must be pulled up. your flexing your calf if you point your toes down, thats why you feel it like you do. toes must be pulled up. you worked the hamstring but not efficiently. toes must be up. if anyone tells you otherwise go and do a search on the topic and stick it in their face that they are wrong and shouldnt be giving out advice.

[Jackie0325]

O wait I think I get what you mean sorry lol I was doing it wrong then u mean like when I am laying down doing hamstring curls my toes should be pointing towards the floor not point straight out like I was doing? right? So if I did this wrong should I go back tomorrow and redo these exercises so I can work the muscle properly? Was I working the calve muscle I am just curious what the hell I was doing lol

[Jackie0325]

I searched it on google just to see and ya I totally get what you mean I was doing it wrong, I couldn't figure it out for the life of me why my b/f was sore in the hamstring and I was like nooo my calve hurts ooo boy lol... So do you think that tomorrow I should go back and redo it?

[timtim]

I searched it on google just to see and ya I totally get what you mean I was doing it wrong, I couldn't figure it out for the life of me why my b/f was sore in the hamstring and I was like nooo my calve hurts ooo boy lol... So do you think that tomorrow I should go back and redo it?

no, wait at least 3 to 4 days. i would wait 1 full week.

[jojo2002]

or you can do deadlifts.... for hammys

[taiboxa]

straight leg deadlifts are bout the best way to blast hams..
a combination of SLDL's and Lunges = SEXY rear

[Jackie0325]

Thanks Timtim for all your help on both of my posts! Thanks to everyone else as well and I am deff. going to try SLDL's and Lunges!!!

[timtim]

Thanks Timtim for all your help on both of my posts! Thanks to everyone else as well and I am deff. going to try SLDL's and Lunges!!!

no problem

[dwaynewade]

The mind body connection is of priority, as you become more familiar and experienced you will more easily isolate a muscle. A suggestion that is worth a try is to work the mid range of a movement where you keep resistance through the concentric and eccentric aspect of the exercise. For example you can pre exhaust your hamstrings with a thorough/intense (maybe a drop set) set (working the mid range, not full range of motion)at the lying leg curl mach before starting your other hamstring exercises.
Like taiboxa said "straight leg deadlifts are bout the best way to blast hams.."
This shocking principle could help you isolate an exercise like the deadlift a little better.
My 2 cents

[beatz85]

in my defense i was referring to the action of pointing your toes , thats what i meant by keeping them straight , i just did not word it correctly. The wrong way to do so would be to not extend the toes outward that would activate the calf too much.