Instructions
Preparation
- Kneel on floor. Position ankles under fixed bar or pad and knees on thick dense pad. Kneel upright with hips straight. Extend arms out to sides with elbow pointing back and slightly bent. Position hands slightly forward with palms facing forward or slightly toward floor.
Execution
- Lower body with hips straight by slowly straightening knees. Control descent only with hamstrings as low as possible. only when body begins to fall, touch down with tensed finger tips out to each side. Once fingers make contact with floor, control remanding descent with assistance of arms. Allowing chest to come very close to floor, rapidly push off against floor, again just enough to assist hamstrings in raising body upward. Return to upright kneeling position and repeat.
Comments
- Bar or pad height should be only just high enough to position ankles underneath, allowing room for vertical orientation of feet with toes on floor. To keep exercise challenging, push off only hard enough to minimally assist raising of body with hamstrings. Attempt to keep hips as straight as possible throughout movement
Dorsal flexion of ankle reduces active insufficiency of Gastrocnemius allowing it to assist in knee flexion. Also see Hamstring Raise comments and Arm Position During Waist Exercises.
Classification
| Utility: | Basic |
| Mechanics: | Isolated |
| Force: | Pull |