Dumbbell Leg Curls

1. Choose a bench that has an incline
to it. This will help to maintain
tension on the hamstrings throughout
the exercise. A perfectly flat bench
(parallel to the floor) generates rather
large torques through the lower back,
which increases the risk for back
injury.
2. Although you can use a training
partner to place the weight on your
feet, you can also do this without
one. If you train alone or at home,
place a dumbbell on the floor,
standing on end. Place your feet on
either side of the dumbbell and then
lie on your stomach and grip the end
of the incline bench for stability. The
flat part of the dumbbell should sit
on the soles of your shoes. The top
of your knees should be just beyond
the edge of the bench pad upon
which you are lying.
3. Pull your heels towards your
glutes. Keep your hips on the bench
and do not let them lift upwards
during the exercise.
4. After moving your heels a few
inches, plantarflex your feet by
pointing your toes away from your
head (as if you were standing on your
toes). Plantarflexion decreases the
effectiveness of the gastrocnemius
(calf) muscles to contribute to knee
flexion. This will make the exercise
much harder and pinpoint the
activation of your posterior thigh.
5. Continue to flex your knees with
the intent of bringing the dumbbell
up to your glutes. This should be
done under full control and not with a
ballistic momentum-stealing
repetition. You might not quite make
it that far, but pull as far as you can.
Hold the top position for a two- to
three-second count.
6. Slowly lower the legs to the
starting position but do not
straighten your knee completely.
Immediately after reaching the end of
the repetition begin the next
repetition. Aim for 12-15 repetitions
before resting.
Spend your time between sets
stretching your hamstrings, and hold
each stretch for 20 seconds before
switching to the other leg. Stretching
the hamstrings is a very important
preventative measure that should
minimize the chances of obtaining
back injures or pain that results from
having tight hamstrings. Try to avoid
lifting your hips or moving your
ankles from plantarflexion into
dorsiflexion, as both of these
modifications will reduce the
effectiveness of the exercise.
Weak and tight hamstrings can
increase the risk for back and knee
injuries, so you should strive to
obtain posterior thigh strength that is
about 60 percent of your quadriceps
strength. Targeted exercises like
dumbbell leg curls begin to address
any muscle imbalances. While a
stepper could also be used to
activate the hip and hamstrings
muscles, this will not provide a
sufficiently targeted activation of
these muscles. With a few months of
determined training with dumbbell leg
curls, you will be ready to launch to
the next level of beautifully shaped
rear thighs!

       -Minnal fitness Gym