In terms of performance improvement, the benefits of this exercise can be conveyed by the simple fact that almost every single gross human movement pattern recruits the hamstrings in an eccentric strength. The simple fact that this movement emulates the muscle action of functional movement puts it in a league above traditional hamstring training methods.Completing the Exercise:
The exercise involves kneeling with your feet anchored to the floor. With bent arms held in front of the chest, lower your body towards the floor. The aim of the exercise is to keep the knees, hips and shoulders in line, and control the decent as slowly as possible. Aim for three sets of six repetitions. The sensation might surprise you!
Muscular Anatomy:
The hamstrings are a biarticulate (running over two joints) groups of muscles which are involved with flexing the knee and extending the hip. They have a vital biomechanical role in the most fundamental human movements.
Exercise Biomechanics:
The success of the exercise lies in its ability to exercise the hamstrings eccentrically. An eccentric contraction is a ‘negative’ or ‘lengthening contraction’ where the aim of the muscle action is to ‘slow’ or ‘resist’ movement rather than create movement. From a functional perspective (normal human movement), this eccentric action provides the basis of all hamstring activation, as opposed to a shortening (concentric) contraction.
Try adding this movement into your post- exercise routine. The benefit for all posterior chain movements will be considerable and improvements will be rapid.
