TOP 7 HAMSTRING EXERCISES

Since the previously mentioned research demonstrated that the RDL exercise, along with the glute-ham raise and lying leg curl, are effective exercise applications for maximizing the involvement of the hamstring musculature, the following list of exercises provides several different versions of the RDL to mix into your workouts to keep things fresh and interesting without sacrificing effectiveness.

1) BARBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT (RDL)

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell in front of your thighs with your arms straight. Keeping your back straight, hinge at your hips and bend forward toward the floor, keeping your knees bent at a 15- to 20-degree angle. As you hinge forward, drive your hips backward and do not allow your back to round out. Once your torso is roughly parallel to the floor or the weight plates lightly tap the floor, drive your hips forward toward the barbell, reversing the motion to stand tall again and complete one rep.

2) ONE-LEG ONE-ARM DUMBBELL RDL

Stand on one leg and hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand. Keeping your back and arm straight, hinge at your hip and bend forward toward the floor, keeping your weight-bearing knee bent at roughly a 15- to 20-degree angle. As you hinge, allow your non-weight-bearing leg to elevate upward so it remains in a straight line with your torso, and do not allow your lower back to round out. At the bottom position (when your torso is roughly parallel to the ground), be sure to keep your hips flat and do not allow them to rotate. Once your torso and non-weight-bearing leg are roughly parallel to the floor, reverse the motion by driving your hips forward to stand tall again, completing one rep.

3) ONE-LEG BARBELL RDL

This is the single-leg version of the Romanian deadlift and is performed using the same mechanics as the double-leg Romanian deadlift. Stand on one leg while holding a barbell in front of the weight-bearing thigh with your arms straight. Keeping your back straight, hinge at your hip and bend forward toward the floor, keeping the weight-bearing knee bent at a 15- to 20-degree angle. As you hinge, allow your non-weight-bearing leg to elevate upward so it remains in a straight line with your torso. Be sure to keep your lower back from rounding out. Once your torso and non-weight-bearing leg are roughly parallel to the floor or the weight plates lightly tap the floor, drive your hips forward toward the barbell, reversing the motion to stand tall again and complete one rep.

4) RDL LUNGE

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart while a holding a dumbbell in each hand at your side. Step forward with one leg, keeping your front knee bent 20 degrees and your back knee straight. As your front foot hits the ground, simultaneously lean forward by hinging at your hips. Keep your back straight and allow your rear heel to come off the ground. Reverse the motion by stepping backward and returning to a standing position. Repeat on the other leg.

5) LYING LEG CURL MACHINE
To perform this exercise, you’ll need to use the machine that’s commonly known as the lying hamstring curl or lying leg curl machine. Assume a lying position with your hip joint on top of the apex of the pads. Adjust the pad you’ll be pushing against to a position that’s at the bottom of your calves. Hold onto the handles, and with your legs hip-width apart, pull your heels toward your glutes as far as possible. Slowly reverse the motion under control.

6) GLUTE-HAM RAISE MACHINE

Place your feet at hip-width against the footplate in between the rollers with your knees just behind the pad. Begin with your torso upright and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Slowly bend your knees without bending at your hips until your torso becomes parallel to the floor, or until you can no longer maintain your hips and torso in a straight line. Reverse the action by bending your knee and pulling yourself back up so that your torso returns to perpendicular to the floor.

7) FLOOR GLUTE-HAM RAISE

Since many gyms don’t have a glute-ham machine, you can use a partner to perform this exercise or brace your feet under something stable. If you’re using a partner, have them place their hands on your ankles and firmly hold them down.With your knees resting on a pad or a rolled up towel, perform the exercise as directed in the glute-ham raise machine description. Place your hands in front of you as you reach the floor. Due to the difficult nature of this exercise, you may have to use your arms to lightly push off the floor to aid your return back to the starting position.

A BETTER WAY TO EXERCISE

"Take the stairs. Walk 10,000 steps a day. Go for a long bike ride," For general health, this is all fine advice. But, if you want to achieve long-term fat loss, you have to exercise in a way that activates your hormones.

The key is increasing exercise resistance — versus duration or frequency. You can do this with targeted resistance training requiring no more than 10 minutes, two times a week.

I recommend a high-intensity-interval-trainlng (HIIT) program that includes "eccentric" muscle contractions. It works your muscles so deeply that you will be sore for two to three days afterward.

Concentric weight-lifting moves (where the muscle contracts) tend to get the most attention, but research shows that lowering weights (the eccentric action where the muscle extends) enables us to generate more force and activate more of our fat-burning muscle fibers.

That's why all my favorite exercises involve eccentric moves — leg presses, seated rows, chest presses, and overhead shoulder presses.

My own weekly exercise routine consists of doing just one intensive set of eccentric exercises for my legs, back, chest, shoulders, and abdominals. I then do about 15 minutes of yoga-inspired stretching.

I'm all for moving your body however else you like — walking, hiking, dancing, biking. Just don't rely on those activities to help you burn fat.

Conventional cardio builds aerobic conditioning but doesn't work well for long- term fat loss because it does not engage the hormone-shifting muscle fibers that help to regulate whole-body metabolism.

EXERCISES TO GET A PERFECT FLAT STOMACH FAST

Do sets of crunches and sit ups to help strengthen your stomach muscles. Incorporate the different types of sit ups, including twists, normal and side sit ups to work on the different muscle groups - crunches help to work on the upper stomach muscles.

Burn the Calories with  Circuit Training
Improve your chances of burning the fat around your stomach with some circuit training. This is best completed three days a week and can incorporate a mixture of exercises to tone your stomach, along with other areas of your body. Make sure you throw in some short bursts of cardio training too so that you increase the amount of calories you burn.

Crunches and Sit Ups for Stronger Stomach Muscles
Do sets of crunches and sit ups to help strengthen your stomach muscles. Incorporate the different types of sit ups, including twists, normal and side sit ups to work on the different muscle groups  - crunches help to work on the upper stomach muscles. You can place your legs under a couch or have someone hold them but you'll get more of a workout by trying to keep your legs on the floor.

Leg Raises Tone the Stomach Too

Many people focus so much on sit ups that they forget about the other workouts that help the stomach muscles. Leg raises are a great way of strengthening the stomach muscles, especially if you raise both legs at a time; however, focus on one at a time at first to avoid injury. Lay flat on your back and raise the legs up and hold for a few seconds before lowering. Keep your movements slow and controlled to make the most of it.

Push Ups to Train the Core

Your core stability will affect your stomach muscles.  Pushups  will make your arms stronger but they also help you control your core too. They make you remain balanced while you try to keep the buttock level and parallel to the floor. If you struggle with  pushups, start by doing them on your knees so you build your core first.

The Plank for the Core Stability
Another great exercise for core stability is the plank. Start off by lying on the floor on your stomach and push yourself up onto your elbows. Only your elbows and toes should be on the floor. The rest of your body should be level. Hold this position for 15 seconds and then relax and repeat 20 times. As your core becomes stronger, hold the position for longer.

Play Superman

No don't try to fly around. Lay on your stomach and lift your right arm and left leg so they are completely off the ground  -  it looks as if you're trying to be superman! This will control your core stability.

Work on the Lower Back Too
While working on  your stomach muscles, help your whole core by working on the lower back muscles. This helps to keep your posture perfect. Lay on your stomach with your hands behind your head and raise your chest off the floor and lower back down.