(stresses Bicep Femoris)

Lie face down on a leg curl machine with your knees just off the bench of the machine. Hook you feet behind the roller pads with the pads positioned over your Achilles Tendon (below calf/above heel). Raise your heels up toward your buttocks without allowing your hips to come off of the bench. To steady your torso, grasp the handles or the edges of the pad at the head end of the machine. You should feel your hamstring muscles and not your lower back. Return to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner. Perform 8 to 12 repetitions with a comfortable but challenging weight. Repeat three times. You can take a 20-90 second break between each set depending on your comfort level.

Note: Try pointing the toes either inward or outward at a 45-degree angle to produce a different hamstring effect.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.