Question:
I’m bored of my hamstring routine, how can I spice it up?
Answer:
Sometimes performing the exact same exercises every leg workout can get boring and leave us feeling rather uninspired. And, with the limited options available for our hamstrings this can be even more evident. Leg curls are a very common hamstring exercise and these machines are found in most fitness clubs. Here is a great twist on this classic movement, it’s called 21’s.
Most lying leg curl machines require you to be face-down on the machine with your feet positioned behind the foot pad, which will rest just above the ankles. If there are handles on the machine, hold onto them for extra stability while you perform the exercise. It’s important to keep your hips down so that you don’t put unnecessary pressure onto your lower back. Once you are in this position, perform seven “bottom half” leg curls just coming halfway up and then returning to the starting position. Once these are complete, then perform seven more “top half” leg curls all the way up and just halfway down. Once the first two movements are complete then proceed to perform seven more full range hamstring curls all the way up and down. This combination will give you a deep hamstring workout that you may feel the next day. Start with a lighter weight and progress at a comfortable pace. It’s great if you can progress to performing two or three sets of this combination. Try to be a little explosive on the way up, but be sure to lower the weight in a slow and controlled manner. If the lying leg curl machine is busy, you can also opt for the seated or standing leg curl machines.
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Question:
Why is it beneficial to track workouts?
Answer:
It’s a good idea to record your workouts so that you can monitor your progress – and so that you can determine what’s working. A good starting point might be to use a pedometer to count your daily steps. You might also want to record the weight, sets and repetitions that you perform with each exercise. And when you’re ready to elevate your fitness even more, you can then think about using a heart rate monitor to help you understand how hard your heart is working. For instance, if you perform 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and your heart rate beats at an average of 135 beats per minute (BPM), and then a month later your heart only elevates to 125 BPM for the same activity, then you know your heart has gotten stronger. This information is important because it will help you determine when you should be upping the intensity of your exercise. By recording your workouts, you can also increase variability. A variety of exercises will help to prevent psychological burnout and physical adaptation. This should then create better overall results, as repetitive and unvaried training programs often lead to plateaus.
Recording your workouts is not only applicable for those of you who workout in a gym. It’s also great for monitoring your running, hiking, swimming and other activities!
Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer. For further information call 604-420-7800 or go to karpfitness.com.
