McLeod - Swimming Anatomy - 2010
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Execution
1 . Lie on your back and position a physioball under your heels.
2.Tighten your core muscles and lift your hips toward the ceiling.
3.Without letting your hips drop, pull your heels toward your buttocks.
4.Straighten your legs until your body is in a straight line extending from your ankles to your shoulders. Then repeat.
Muscles Involved
Primary:Gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus
Secondary:Erector spinae
Swimming Focus
Breaststrokers who want to strengthen their hamstrings will find this a useful exercise. This exercise is also valuable because it targets the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and erector spinae, which contribute to holding a tight streamlined position. Those who do not have access to a formal weight room will find this a good exercise for the hamstrings because the only equipment needed is a physioball.
Before implementing this exercise, you must first master the physioball bridge exercise described in chapter 6 (page 138) . To maintain proper body position, the core muscles must be activated during the entire exercise. Failure to recruit the core stabilizers will cause the hips to drop downward and decrease the effectiveness of the exercise. To avoid placing undue stress on the neck and head, make sure that you maintain shoulder contact with the ground.
VARIATION
Single-Leg Physioball Hamstring Curl
Because the isolation to one leg requires increased balance and core strength, this advanced variation should be used as a progression only after you are adept at performing the double-leg curl. The primary focus should be on holding the body in a straight line from the ankles through the knees, hips, and shoulders.
Execution
1 . Lie facedown on a hamstring curl machine and hook your heels under the roller pads.
2.Pull your heels toward your buttocks in an arcing motion.
3.Slowly lower the weight to the starting position.
Muscles Involved
Primary:Biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus Secondary:Gastrocnemius