Leg bending in a lying position. Lying leg curls in the gym and at home. What muscles are involved?

The machine calf curl is a simple isolation exercise for the hamstrings. The person brings the heel to the buttock by contracting the biceps femoris and lowers the leg to the starting position. This exercise is performed by both beginners and those who have been involved in bodybuilding for a long time. The movement exists in a variant when the athlete lies face down on a bench, and when he performs a standing curl, bringing the heel of one leg towards the buttock. In classical training, there is a replacement - bending both legs with a dumbbell while lying down.

Initial position

1. Much depends on the height of the athlete and the length of the bench of the machine, as well as on the position of the fixation cushion. It needs to be installed so that you can start with “soft”, slightly bent knees, and so that the athlete can bring his heels to his buttocks without any problems;
2. The support cushion should not roll onto the heel itself during movement, but should be located on the bend, in the area of ​​the Achilles tendon;
3. The weight is set depending on the experience and strength of the athlete; there is no need to set it too heavy weight, this is not a movement to develop strength;
4. To take the starting position, you need to lie face down on the bench and rest your feet on the exercise pad.

Movement

1. It is enough to bend your knees so that your heels begin to move towards your buttocks, and bend your knees;
2. The movement continues exactly until the heels rest on the buttocks, or until the volume of the hips and legs allows;
3. At the peak of the amplitude, the biceps of the thigh are slightly tensed, and then the thigh is extended and the legs are lowered;
4. The number of repetitions of the movement is from 10 to 20 or more, if necessary according to training plan athlete

Attention

• Some lifters allow their hamstrings to rest during this exercise by extending their legs fully and popping their knees into a position that is typical for a deadlift. It is necessary to ensure that the tiles of the safety stops do not touch each other and that the exercise is performed with almost constant tone of the working muscle;
• The knee can and should be protected from injury if the athlete does not rest his kneecap on the pad of the exercise machine;
• There is no need to create a “swing” of the pelvis, an inertial movement that will contribute to hyperextension of the knee ligaments and injuries, and also take part of the load from the hamstring biceps;
• It is not recommended to actively move your ankles along and across the pad of the exercise machine. Such movements will contribute to Achilles tendon injuries;
• Activation of the hamstrings is possible without unnecessary movements, which many make, as if straightening their knees. This version of the exercise is quite traumatic for the ligaments, so it is not necessary to perform it.

• Watch your body position on the bench. It is most convenient to bend your legs if the hip joint is on the “high” part of the bench, that is, on the place where it is highest;
• Do not push the pillow with your heels, and do not fidget on the bench;
• Try not to push your knees into hyperextension;
• Don’t struggle with weights, and don’t overload yourself with isolation exercises in general;
• If you use drop sets, make sure that the technique does not change as you get tired, and that your knees do not rest on the bench;
• Do not “drop” the weight so that the tiles of the machine hit each other;
• Do not lift the weight with your back, avoid excessively engaging the buttocks, this is not an exercise for them

• Lying One Leg Bend. This variation is needed purely for variety, if, for example, the client gets tired of doing the same program all the time, and he needs something to make his life more interesting. The single leg curl is not very helpful, although it can help with injuries where you need to add extra weight to one leg;
• Standing Curl. It can be performed in a special simulator or in a standard one. There is an opinion that this way the hamstrings contract more;
• Bend your toes in and out. Some bodybuilders believe that moving the toes in and out shifts the emphasis from the outer to the inner segment of the hamstrings. In fact, the knees do not allow this “operation” to be performed efficiently.

Analysis of the exercise

Anatomy exercises

• The main mover is the thigh biceps;
  The popliteal, calf, and gluteal muscles help with movement. But in the version of working in simulators, the help of non-major muscle groups is minimal;

Benefits of Exercise

• Allows you to form a beautiful back surface of the thigh, works not only the biceps of the thigh as a whole, but also forms a beautiful “peak of the biceps”;
• Allows you to work with both one leg and two legs, ideal for those who have imbalances in muscle development;
• Training the hamstrings is necessary for those bodybuilders who avoid deadlifts and concentrate on squats. Bending will help protect the knees from injury due to uneven muscle development;
• It is convenient to pump the hamstrings on a bench with a “kink”; it allows you to reach a more stretched position and increase the amplitude, without increasing the load on the knee, and without overloading the cruciate ligament;
• The simulator allows you to achieve perfectly symmetrical muscle development

Flaws

• Sometimes athletes get their heels too low on the pad and their hamstrings are not isolated enough. In such a situation, it turns out that the calves become clogged and fail earlier than the hamstrings.

Some athletes really like to write about preparing for this exercise; they include hamstring stretching, some “warm-up” exercises, etc. in the program. In practice, all this is not necessary. Isolating movements are performed after basic exercises. Usually the muscles are already sufficiently filled with blood and elastic to allow the movement to be performed efficiently.

In fact, if this is the first exercise in the plan for some reason, it is worth turning on the stepper during the cardio warm-up, and while working, start with light weight. Most curling machines have an adjustable pad that we rest our feet on. It should be adjusted carefully enough so that the calf muscles do not become clogged during movement. This problem is the main reason why most athletes fail to benefit from movement.

Proper execution

• It is not allowed to bend the legs at the knee by lifting the pelvis. This option will be quite harmful, as it can lead to lower back injury if the angle in the joint is disturbed. Usually, if there is a strong lift of the pelvis, it is recommended to reduce the load and remove excess weight;
• You should not sharply push the exercise pad up and lift the weight due to inertia. Untrained knee ligaments can be injured if you work unevenly, and many machines are designed to transfer the load from an unevenly moving cable to the knee;
• You should slowly bend your legs, hold in the peak contraction, and just as smoothly straighten your legs in order to get a load and not get injured;
• If you cannot work smoothly, concentrating flexion on exhalation, it is recommended to remove the load and work with less resistance from the machine;
• It is better not to rest the kneecap on the exercise machine bench, if there is such a constructive possibility;
• The feet must be kept parallel to each other and not rotated with the toes during the exercise. It is ideal if the athlete does not maintain the distance between the knees while performing the exercise.

Errors

• You cannot rest your knees on the bench;
• It is not allowed to push the weight in jerks;
• If the training plan does not provide for this, movement at a reduced amplitude is not recommended;
• It is better to avoid actively involving your hands in the work, do not “cling” with them to the handles of the simulator;
• Do not lift your pelvis when working

• Avoid “ballet foot”, that is, stretching the toe forward and, as it were, pushing it away from the center of the arch of the foot;
• It is not recommended to perform work by overstretching the femoral biceps and “reverse” extension in knee joint. But if possible, it is better to work on a machine with a bench with a “kink” on which you should rest your hip joint;
• Toes point towards the foot

Inclusion in the program

This movement should not be a stand-alone exercise on leg day, and it should not replace the base, as well as some of the rows performed with a hyperextended hamstring. The movement should be done after basic hamstring exercises on the appropriate day if the athlete is splitting leg day.

The exercise can be performed for 10-12 repetitions, or for more. It all depends on the individual muscle response. In strength disciplines, this movement is not performed in more than 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions. In bodybuilding, other options are possible. Some athletes perform overload-style movements, use drop sets, and various other techniques to increase the intensity of the load.

Contraindications

1. This movement is not suitable for some athletes due to anthropometry. They can only do it with their knees resting on the bench due to their short stature. These people should switch to standing bending;
2. You should not perform the exercise if you have recently had a knee injury or there is a high risk of knee inflammation. soft fabrics around the joint due to overload;
3. This exercise should not be performed if you have cramps. piriformis muscle(this is a condition where pain in the buttock radiates to the leg after performing deadlifts), then the movement will almost certainly occur due to the lifting of the pelvis, and the athlete will not receive the required load on the biceps of the thigh;
4. Movement is not recommended for Achilles tendon and ankle injuries;
5. Best avoided if there are injuries in lumbar region spine.

1. According to scientific research, it turns out that turning your toes still matters

• When you turn your toes to the side, it turns out that external sides hips get more load;
• If you put your socks together, inner side hips will receive more load

1. Ronnie Coleman believed that this movement was great for developing massive thighs. But it should not be performed as the first movement, but only after lunges, squats, and Romanian deadlifts. You should do this exercise exclusively at the end of your workout.

Coleman advised doing this movement at the end of the workout, for 12-15 repetitions in 3-4 sets.

Alternatives

• If you go to the gym without a leg curl machine, you can act like the old school athletes. You need to use dumbbell leg curls while lying face down;
• The load can be simulated on the lower block of the crossover, then the leg can be alternately fastened to lower block using a cuff;
• The third option, which is suitable for beginners and people who should not overload their hips, is to work with a fitness band. It is secured to a furniture leg, or some other vertical support, and draped over the foot so that it does not slip. Next, you need to perform bending with an elastic band while standing to get the active involvement of the thigh muscles in the work;
• The easiest option is a standing leg curl with ankle weights. It is performed standing on a steppe or other support. It is suitable only for completely beginner athletes, for whom this weight will be enough;
• Training for beginners also involves performing bending while lying face down with weighted cuffs. You can do this movement one leg at a time, wearing several fitness weights on each leg.

Leg curls are a good isolation exercise for the hamstrings. For most people, a simple rule works - you need to perform as many flexions as extensions. But if an athlete has too developed quadriceps, he should focus on bending his legs.

The target muscles when performing the exercise are the thighs. This exercise is isolating. Like any other strength exercise this should also be done correctly to avoid injury and discomfort.

Why do the exerciselying leg curl on the machine

The lying leg curl exercise on a machine is isolated and is aimed at working 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 gluteal muscles.

The main muscles that are involved in this exercise are the hamstrings, as well as the semitendinosus and semimembranosus. In addition, the gluteal and calf muscles are also loaded.

To perform this exercise, it is best to use a machine with weight adjustment capabilities. It can be cable or conventional, in which the load is secured behind its moving part. If there is no such simulator, then you can attach weights to the lower third of the lower leg or to the foot.

1. When performing the leg curl exercise in the simulator, you must lie on your stomach on horizontal bench. For comfort, you can place a soft cushion or tightly rolled towel under your lower abdomen, which, in addition to convenience, will help avoid injury.

2. Then you need to insert your 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 this, you should focus on your elbows, raise your chest and head so as to look straight ahead.

4. Start bending your legs. The pace should not be slow, but also not rushed, without jerks. Control the position of the pelvis - it should not come off the bench, otherwise the load on the biceps of the thighs will be partially removed and unnecessary stress in the spine.

The exercise is done by inhaling and exhaling - inhale when extending, exhale when bending. To reduce unwanted stress on the knee ligaments, you do not need to straighten your legs completely 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, you need to move your toes towards each other during the exercise. To train the outer thighs, you need to point your toes out to the sides.

For training calf muscles you need to straighten your feet ankle joints to the maximum while bending your legs, and extend them so that they are approximately in line with your shins.

In today's article we will talk about such a popular exercise as lying leg curls. As a rule, it is one of the main exercises that are recommended for training in the gym. Considering its high popularity, let us consider in detail the technique of execution. this exercise.

What is the secret of his popularity?

If you believe the statistics, then lying leg curls are 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 curves from behind, and this is especially true for her 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?

Bending the legs in a lying position occurs thanks to, or more specifically, the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles. Also, during the lesson itself, the work of both the hamstring biceps and the function of leg flexion at the knee joint is completely isolated.

If we talk about the knee tendons, then we need to take into account that they consist of 3 main muscles:

• Biceps femoris muscle.
• Semitendinosus.
• Semi-membranous.

There are currently only 2 exercises that incorporate the use of hamstrings into your workouts. As an example, where the hamstrings are engaged is due to hip joint, making this exercise most similar to stretching.

Advantages

Lying leg curls, like every activity, are not without their benefits. In this case, these 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:

• Ease of implementation.
• Variety of variations.
• Increase strength indicators in other standard leg exercises.

In addition, as numerous surveys among the male population have shown, this is a rather difficult workout.

I would also like to say a few more words about the fact that flexion-extension of the legs is very important exercise, which provides a kind of balance between the front and back of the leg. This balance not only plays an important role from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a preventive point, since the likelihood of injury that could be caused by an imbalance is significantly reduced.

How to do this exercise correctly

Although lying leg curls are considered one of the simplest exercises, there are still cases where it is not correct execution, which can lead to the most unpleasant consequences in the future. Therefore, in order to minimize the occurrence of such situations, we will 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 this, we lie face down, placing our legs under the bolster (approximately on the same plane as our ankles) and placing them parallel to each other. Special attention It is worth paying attention to ensure that your knees do not hang over the bench, and that its bend is located at the waist. Next, pressing your pelvis tightly against the machine, we grab the handrail with our hands, directing our gaze to the floor, and strain our abs and buttocks. This completes the preparation for the lesson.

Leg bending while lying down in a machine

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 our front thighs from the bench, we begin to pull the roller towards the buttocks with powerful movements. After this, we exhale when we have passed one of the most difficult amplitudes. We linger for a few seconds in the highest position and very slowly, without losing control for a second while inhaling, we return to the starting position. Next, we repeat the same procedure a certain number of times.

Tricks of execution

• While performing, hold the handles of the machine firmly.
• Under no circumstances lift your pelvis from the arch of the benches.
• Bend your legs until they are almost completely in contact with your buttocks.
• To maintain the load on the muscles, do not fully straighten your knees when they are at their lowest point.
• The upward movement is slightly faster than the downward movement.
• Do not slide your hip or pelvis on the bench.
• Make sure that your knees do not hang over the bench.
• Stretch your hamstring after completing each set.

Exercises at home

As practice shows, pump up slender legs and you can do it without going to the gym. All you need is desire and persistence. In addition, the fundamental difference between classes at home is that they can take place whenever you want and for as long as you want. Plus they are completely free.

There are exercises at home that can be done regardless of your physical fitness. For example: we stand straight and place our feet slightly wider than shoulder level. We hold our hands on our belts, and “look” in different directions with our toes and knees. After this, we slowly squat as low as possible, remembering to keep our back straight and not bend our knees to the side. In addition, when performing this activity, 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.

Leg curl machines are available in every gym– after all, exercises for developing muscle groups back surface hips are one of the most popular both in women and men.

They allow you to optically separate the thigh muscles from, giving the legs a harmonious, athletic shape.

Let's take a look at the most effective exercise to develop the muscles of the dorsal surface of the thighs - bending the legs on a lying machine. Let's look at the technique of correct execution and possible errors.

What muscles are involved?

The muscles of the dorsal surface of the thighs (biceps, semitendinosus, semimembranosus) are the most active muscles in Everyday life person. That's why pay attention to them in every workout.

An isolated exercise when bending legs while lying down in a machine develops the back of the thighs. In addition to the dorsal muscles, when performing the exercise, the muscles of the dorsal surface of the lower leg are additionally involved in the work.

There are also machines for leg curls while sitting or standing, but the muscle work will not be as deep.

Work on simulators with extreme caution necessary if you have suffered a spinal or knee injury in the past. Always listen to your body don't overload muscles and joints.

In a set of exercises for the legs, to develop antagonist muscles, it is best to use. They will help you work out muscle complex the anterior surface of the thigh.

Basic provisions

Let's take a look fundamental principles working out the muscles of the dorsal surface of the thighs:

• Before exercise, be sure to warm up. It includes squats (up to 15 squats).
• After warming up, do some stretching. First option: in a standing position, relax one leg at the knee, and put the other straight, resting your heel on the floor, slowly squat until you feel stretched posterior muscles hips. Second option: sit on the floor, stretch one leg forward, bend the other at the knee, lean forward, trying to reach the toes of the outstretched leg. Stretch the muscles of one leg for 15 seconds, then the other.
• After doing the exercise, also do some stretching.
• The exercise can be done in a forced mode according to the “half-pyramid” principle: after every 5-6 repetitions, gradually increase the load until complete fatigue. This is especially useful if you have little time allotted for training.
• If you have been training for quite a long time, and your muscles are accustomed to a single-ton load, apply the “superset” principle - use the leg extension exercise. Alternate flexion and extension: one warm-up and three working approaches.

How to properly train the posterior thigh muscles in the simulator?

The main condition for properly working out the posterior femoral muscle group is comfortable body position on the simulator platform:

• the body must be pressed tightly to the platform;
• knees – hang slightly so that the axis of movement of the joint coincides with the axis of rotation of the simulator;
• the roller should be located at such a distance from the platform that it rests on the legs 5-8 cm above the heels;
• feet parallel to each other.

1. As you bend your legs, bring your heels as close to your buttocks as possible.
2. At the end of the bend, take a 2-3 second pause.
3. When extending, do not fully straighten your knees.
4. As you straighten your legs, resist the machine.
5. Movements should be smooth and unhurried.
6. Do 4 approaches: 1 preparatory and 3 working. Take a minute's rest between sets. It can be filled with stretching.
7. In each approach, do 16-20 bends.

Leg bending in a lying simulator: execution technique

• Sit comfortably on the platform lying on your stomach, having previously adjusted the distance between the parts of the simulator.
• Grasp the handles with your hands and press your body against the platform.
• Place your feet under the exercise roller.
• As you exhale, bend your legs as much as possible and pause.
• As you inhale, straighten your legs without straightening them completely.

Possible errors

The simulator is designed in such a way that performing the exercise does not require special knowledge and skills. But sometimes mistakes happen. Let's look at exactly what mistakes are possible when bending the legs in the simulator:

• incorrectly adjusted simulator;
• lifting the lower back off the platform;
• full knee extension;
• fidgeting with the whole body on the platform;
• bringing your toes together is not a serious mistake, but it reduces the effectiveness of muscle training.

Leg bending in the simulator: video

The video will introduce you to the principles of correct execution of the exercise. The trainer emphasizes how to adjust the emphasis in the machine and points to probable errors when performing leg curls.

There are not many isolated exercises for working the muscles of the dorsal surface of the thigh. One of the most effective is the lying leg curl in a machine.

Thanks to this exercise the legs take on an athletic shape. And the design of the simulator allows you to minimize the likelihood of errors when performing this exercise.

How often do you use leg curls in a machine during training? What exercises do you combine them with? Share your achievements with us in the comments.

What are the benefits of isolation exercises? They help to work a separate muscle group and focus most of the load on the 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 other muscle groups from work. For example, if we do deadlifts on straight legs, the back surface of the thighs is well involved in the load, while a bunch of secondary ones are involved in the work muscle groups: back, buttocks and so on. Therefore, such exercises are called basic or “multi-joint”.

What is special about lying leg curls? The peculiarity of this exercise is that it is very difficult to break the 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 is convenient for you to perform the movements. So that the roller under which you will put and rest your feet is at the right distance so that it is comfortable for you, and it rests on the surface, just above our heels. Also, you need to adjust the distance between the platform on which your quads will rest and the roller so that it is optimal. This is to allow your knee to hang slightly off the platform where your quads sit, so that there is nothing stopping you from bending your legs.

TECHNIQUES FOR PERFORMING THE EXERCISE “LEG BENDING IN LYING”

1. Customize the bench for yourself so that it is convenient for you to study. As mentioned earlier, you should lie on the bench so that your knees extend slightly forward, beyond the edges of the bench. And the points just above your heels (ankles) rested on the bolsters. Grasp the handles, thereby fixing the body in a motionless state. This will be your starting position.

2. Inhale forcefully, then bend your knees, pulling the rollers toward your hamstrings. When the rollers touch the upper surface of the thigh, stay in this position for 2 seconds. At the highest point, try to tighten your hamstrings as much as possible, thereby increasing muscle contraction.

3. As you exhale, slowly straighten your legs and return them to their starting position. IN lowest point do not lower your legs to the very end, keep them constantly tense throughout the entire exercise. The movements themselves should be smooth and without jerking.

TIPS ON EXERCISE TECHNIQUES

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, and also give useful tips.

1. As mentioned above, you need to set up the simulator correctly.

2. If you lift your knees off the bench at the top point, you will increase the effectiveness of the exercise due to increased contraction of the hamstrings, as well as the inclusion of the gluteal muscles in the work.

3. There is an option for performing leg curls while lying down, performing it with each leg in turn. This way you can better work each leg individually.