Upper Chest

Instructions:

• Lie face down on a leg curl machine with your knees just below or off the bench of the machine and your Achilles Tendon (below calf/above heel) hooked behind the roller pads.
• Your legs should be fully extended with some natural flex at the knees, and your toes should be pointing down.
• Reach and hold on as far forward as possible so that your lower back is unable to arch.
• Keeping your pelvis flat against the bench, raise your heels up toward your buttocks so that your legs bend to about a 90 degree angle and hold for a brief second while contracting (flexing) your hamstrings.
• Return to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner.

Don'ts

• Don't let your back or pelvis rise from the bench in an arch. If you notice your back or pelvis is rising from the bench try placing a small pillow under your pelvis and grab as far forward as possible.
• Don't swing the weight up using momentum.
• Don't drop the weight down. Use a slow controlled motion.

Hamstrings: The group of muscles on the back side of the leg, running from the hip joint to the knee joint. The hamstrings are a group of three muscles: biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. The hamstrings' primary function is to facilitate flexion of the leg, and medial and lateral rotation, which is important in activities such as jumping, pedaling, walking, and running.

Click on a muscle group and view a video demonstration and written instructions for each exercise for that muscle or muscle group.

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