If you were looking for a way to absolutely thrash your hamstrings, I mean, if you were looking for a solid swissball hamstring curl tutorial, you came to the right place.
The Swissball hamstring curl is one of the best lower body exercises you can do for strength, muscle gain, and overall health long term.
Yet so many people do it incorrectly or maybe are not at a fitness level where they can perform the movement correctly.
Don’t worry because in this article I will give you the best swissball hamstring curl tutorial on the inter web as well as modifications, how to work it into your exercise program, and more.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the entire article because I want you leaving this knowing exactly what you are going to do to improve your lower body strength, definition, and performance.
Without further ado, let’s curl!
Swissball Hamstring Curl Tutorial
The Benefits
If you are searching the internet for a swissball hamstring curl tutorial then you are probably aware of the benefits of this brutal yet insanely effective exercise.
If not, let’s cover them now very quickly.
I program them in for myself as well as my clients and every time it is a love / hate relationship.
Hate them because wow can they be a doozy at times. Yet love them because they are so damn effective.
The swissball hamstring curl is one of the best lower body exercises for
- developing hamstring strength
- developing hamstring hypertrophy (muscle gain)
- protecting your lower back from injury
- improving your stabilizer muscles in your hips
And much more.
If you are not currently implementing them into your training program, that will have to be changed as of right now.
That is, if you want a pair of strong, bad ass, functional hamstrings that will improve your squat and deadlift as well as protect yourself from future injury.
Sound like something you want? Awesome me too. Let’s dive into second part of this swissball hamstring curl tutorial.
Swissball Hamstring Curl Tutorial
How To & How Much?
The swissball hamstring curl is going to be a staple in your training program from here on out.
Therefore let’s make sure you are confident in how to do them as well as modifications to match your current fitness level.
Below is going to be a short video of the swissball hamstring curl tutorial step by step.
Swissball Hamstring Curl Technique Points
- Start by laying flat on your back, heels elevated up on a physio ball.
- Lift your hips and dig your heels into the ball. Think about pushing your hands or elbows into the ground and squeezing your shoulder blades together to assist your hips staying off the ground.
- While digging your heels into the ball, simply think about bringing your heels towards your butt. Do this in a controlled manner.
- Once you feel the squeeze in the back of your legs, slowly and controllable straighten your legs back out.
Swissball Hamstring Curl Programming
Frequency ( x per week ) – Perform this exercise anywhere from 1-2x per week.
Sets x reps – Perform this exercise for anywhere between 2-5 sets for 8-20 reps. The lower the reps the more strength focused, the higher the reps the more hypertrophy focused.
Swissball Hamstring Curl Most Common Mistakes
- Going too fast. Make sure you don’t do the movement at a speed that doesn’t allow you to feel your hamstrings working. Ensure to control the way in as you curl, and control the way back out as you straighten your legs.
- Not Keeping Hips High Enough. To ensure proper hamstring recruitment, ensure your hips stay elevated. If you have to, bend your arms and really dig your elbows into the ground to prop yourself up onto your shoulders more. Also note * The higher the ball the easier it will be to keep your hips high.
Now that you know everything about the swissball hamstring curl tutorial you need to know, what about matching this exercise to your current fitness level?
Glad you asked, let’s talk about it.
Beginners
If you are in the beginner stages of your fitness career or simply are just new to the movement, I would recommend starting from one of these places below.
First is going to be sticking with the same exact exercise as above simply with a higher elevated ball.
The higher the ball is off the ground, the easier it will be. The lower the ball is to the ground, the more difficult the exercise will be.
Use this to match your current fitness level.
Sock Slider Curl
The sock slider curl is a great variation for those who are either just starting out or who do not have access to a physio ball.
This variation allows you to work from a more stable base being the ground as opposed to stabilizing on top of a ball.
Alt Sock Slider Curl
The alternate sock slider curl allows you to keep one foot closer to your body, which can help tremendously with keeping your hips elevated.
It also helps stabilizes you as well.
Any of these options are a great choice if you are looking to get a pair of bad ass hamstrings while matching it to your current fitness level.
All of the programming applies for the regular swissball hamstring curl tutorial above.
Intermediate / Advanced
As if the swissball hamstring curl wasn’t hard enough as it is, some sickos out there want to make it more difficult!
(Don’t worry, I am one of those sickos. Sickos Unite!).
Below are going to be a few different variations you can throw in to challenge yourself a bit more as well as tax the muscle more.
Single Leg Hamstring Curl
You up the ante by only doing one leg. This is a difficult move without question and will leave your hamstrings crying, in a good way, if that’s possible.
TRX Hamstring Curl
The TRX hamstring curl is great because it keep constant tension on your hamstrings throughout the entire movement.
You have a constant force you are pushing against (aka gravity) and have to stabilize the straps throughout the motion.
You can also adjust it to your fitness level even more by changing the height of the straps.
2 to 1 Hamstring Curl
The 2 to 1 hamstring curl is a doozie. It challenges your muscles, stabilizer muscles, and your coordination / balance system as a whole.
It is almost like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time, except your hamstrings are screaming for mercy.
Once again, all of the same programming would apply for the regular swissball hamstring curl tutorial as far as sets, reps, and frequency goes.
Ready To Put This Swissball Hamstring Curl Tutorial Into Action?
I told you I wanted you leaving this article knowing exactly how to as well as what to do when it comes to the swissball hamstring curl tutorial.
I know you want a set of strong, bad ass, functional hamstrings that can improve your performance in the gym as well as your quality of life outside the gym and I hoped this tutorial did that for you.
My clients have benefited a ton from the information in this article and I know you can too.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to drop them below.
I program the swissball hamstring curl in tons of my program for the members of The Clubhouse. If you want to join us inside the Clubhouse, feel free to head HERE to check out what that is about.
Until next time, talk soon.
-E