HAMSTRING CURLS MAKING YOUR BACK HURT?
TRY THIS FIRST.
By Coach Robert King
A post came up recently in our Women Who Lift Weights Facebook group from one of our members who said she was feeling back pain during hamstring curls.
That’s actually more common than you might think.
So I gave her a simple tip to try.
Her response?
“Oh my God… this fixed so many things.”
And the fix was incredibly simple.
Brace your core before every rep.
Before you start your hamstring curl, take a breath and tighten your core like someone is about to punch you in the stomach.
Then perform the curl.
This small change can make a huge difference.
Here’s why.
When you lie on a hamstring curl machine, your body wants to cheat the movement by arching your lower back as you curl the weight. When that happens, your lower back starts helping the movement instead of your hamstrings doing the work.
That excessive arching (lumbar extension) can put unnecessary stress on your lower back, which is why many people feel discomfort there.
But when you brace your core, you create tension through your entire trunk.
Your abs, obliques, and deep core muscles work together to lock your spine into a stable position.
This keeps your pelvis from tilting and prevents your lower back from taking over the movement.
The result?
• Your hamstrings do the work they’re supposed to do
• Your lower back stays protected
• And the exercise becomes more effective overall
It’s a small cue, but it makes a big difference.
Brace your core. Then curl.
Simple.
If you found this helpful, hit the like button and let me know. 👍
And if you want more simple strength tips like this, you’re always welcome inside our Women Who Lift Weights community. 💪
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