Stability ball hamstring curl is an interesting exercise that is pretty easy to do. Even though it’s easy, it can negatively affect your back when you don’t know how to perform it correctly.
The main muscle group on which the stability ball hamstring curl exercise works is your hamstrings and glutes. Your hamstrings handle hip and knee movements.
On the other hand, your glutes are important because they reflect your body posture and are related to having beautiful hips and butt.
This article shows you how to do the stability ball hamstring curl properly and lists out the benefits of this exercise.
HOW TO DO STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING CURL PROPERLY
- Lying on your back with your legs straight, roll a stability ball close to your feet.
- Bend your knees, bringing the ball in under your heels.
- Place your arms at your sides, palms down, and engage your core..
- Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to pull the ball up and toward you by lifting your back and bending your knees towards the ceiling. Do this until the ball comes in close to your hips or until you feel a good stretch in the back of your legs.
- Pause for two seconds, and then lower the ball back to its starting position, holding for two seconds before repeating.
- Repeat depending on your desired reps.
WHAT MUSCLES DOES STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING CURL WORK
The stability ball hamstring curl is a great exercise for isolating and strengthening the hamstrings. This exercise primarily targets the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris, which are the muscles that make up the hamstring. In addition, this workout works the glutes and core.
GLUTEUS MAXIMUS
The gluteus maximus is the largest and strongest muscle in your body. It’s responsible for hip extension and abduction.
It helps bring your feet above the hips and is an important part of squatting, running, and jumping. The gluteus maximus also helps to keep our pelvis level when you walk, helping to keep you balanced.
SEMITENDINOSUS
The semitendinosus is located on the medial side of your knee, and its main function is to flex your knee. But it also has roles that include extending your hip and rotating your knee medially.
SEMIMEMBRANOSUS
The semimembranosus is the largest and most medial of the three hamstring muscles. It runs down the back of your leg, starting at your hip and ending at the tibia, just below your knee.
Semimembranosus is one of those muscles that people tend to ignore until they have a problem (like a pulled hamstring).
It supports your knee joint and helps you bend your knee and rotate your lower leg.
BICEPS FEMORIS
The biceps femoris is located on the back/outside of your thigh. The primary function of the biceps femoris is to extend the hip and flex the knee.
Therefore, this muscle is used when you’re standing or running, and it’s also active when you’re walking or climbing stairs.
This is an important muscle to maintain as you age because a weak biceps femoris can make all these movements more difficult and painful as you get older.
STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING CURL BENEFITS
1. BUILDS ENDURANCE
The stability ball hamstring curl helps build endurance in your legs, which means you can do more for longer—without quitting before reaching your goals.
2. WORKS HIP FLEXORS
When you perform this exercise, you’re not just working your hamstrings—you’re also working your hip flexors and butt muscles. So whether you’re looking to boost a specific muscle or just getting a good lower-body workout, this exercise is for you.
3. MAY IMPROVE CORE STRENGTH AND OTHER MUSCLES
When you use a stability ball to perform this exercise, it requires more of your core muscles to keep the ball in place while you do the curl. You’ll be working hard at those abs without even realizing it.
4. PROVIDES INCREASED STABILITY AND BALANCE TRAINING
Because the stability ball hamstring curl exercise uses a stability ball, it forces your body to stay balanced and stable as you perform each motion.
ALTERNATIVES TO STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING CURL
We know that consistency is key to getting results, and sometimes, a little variety can help you avoid burnout. If you’re looking for an alternative to stability ball hamstring curl, here are our suggestions:
STANDING HAMSTRING CURL
The standing hamstring curl is a great move to add to your workout routine if you’re looking to strengthen and tone your lower body.
- Stand with feet at hip-width apart. Then stand on one foot while holding onto a sturdy chair or railing for balance.
- Bend one foot behind you off the ground and raise it toward your glutes as far as possible. Pause for a moment and then lower it down until it’s touching the floor.
- Do 10-15 reps with one leg and then repeat the same with the other leg. You can complete 2-3 sets depending on your fitness level.
ONE-LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
One-leg romanian deadlift is the perfect alternative to stability ball hamstring curl exercise for your lower body. It targets your glutes and hamstrings.
Steps:
- Stand on one leg, with the other leg extended behind you.
- Keep your chest up and back straight.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
- Bend your front knee slightly, and push your hips back, lowering the weights toward the floor. (If you’re new to this exercise, it’s good to work without the weight and then add them later)
- Squeeze your glutes to pull yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat your desired reps.
STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING CURL MISTAKES TO AVOID
1. NOT USING THE PROPER BALL
You’ll need a fitness ball for the stability ball hamstring curl exercise, not an inflatable one like those used for sports or recreational activities.
Fitness balls are designed with a special slip-resistant surface that helps you stay in place for this exercise.
They also help avoid injuries like slipping off or losing your balance and falling over.
2. LOCKING OUT YOUR KNEES
When doing this exercise, make sure that your knees stay bent as they move back toward the floor.
If you don’t keep them bent, you can put a strain on your joints and experience pain or discomfort later on during your workout or after it’s over.
3. HOLDING YOUR BREATH
It’s important to keep breathing during the stability ball hamstring curl exercise.
Holding your breath can cause you to lose control of the ball and fall, which isn’t good for your back or head.
Try taking long, slow breaths as you move through the exercise to stay focused and energized.
4. NOT KEEPING PERFECT FORM
The key here is to keep your core muscles tight and engaged throughout the entire movement—don’t let them relax at any point.
This is one of those exercises where slowing down will help you get better results faster.
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