Type: Flexibility and mobility exercise
Suitable for: Warm-up, Cool down
The Hamstring Curl is a great exercise for gently warming up and cooling down your legs. It helps increase blood flow, enhances flexibility, and prepares your hamstrings for more intense activities or helps them recover afterward. Simple and effective, this exercise is ideal for smoothly transitioning into or out of your workout sessions.
Directions
- Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart. Hands can rest on your waist or hold onto a chair for balance.
- Shift your weight to your left leg.
- Curl your right heel up towards your buttocks, keeping the knee bent.
- Hold for a few seconds, then gently lower your foot back to the ground.
- Switch legs and repeat. Keep alternating.
- For warm-up: Perform the curls at a slightly faster pace to increase heart rate and blood flow to the muscles. Focus on smooth, continuous movements without holding the curl to keep the muscles dynamic.
- For cool down: Slow down the pace and increase the hold time in the curled position to deepen the stretch and relax the muscles. Focus on breathing deeply during the hold to aid in muscle relaxation and recovery.
Helpful hints
- Keep steady: Keep your back flat and core tight to stay balanced.
- Move slowly: Lift and lower your leg using your hamstrings, not momentum.
- Watch your knee: Keep your lifting knee pointing down, not forward or sideways.