Move of the week: Stability Ball hamstring curl

I’m bringing back move of the week, starting with the stability ball hamstring curl. It’s no surprise that I love training the hamstrings.

The stability ball hamstring curl is an exercise targeting (you guessed it) the hamstrings. While it’s a great option for seasoned lifters when a lying leg curl machine isn’t available, it’s quite advanced due to the stability demands. I remember trying this early postpartum thinking, “but how?!”

Rather than breaking down a step by step on how to perform the movement (I’ll dive into that with other move of the week features), I’m going to break down why a stability ball hamstring curl feels so challenging postpartum.

• Stability demands: a stability ball hamstring curl requires a lot of hip and core stability.

• Constraints: As typically performed, the movement doesn’t offer many points of references or constraints. Many moms have a degree of hypermobility/laxity, and without references sometimes the body can feel a bit lost. Keep scrolling for a few variations where I introduce this concept.

• Pelvis Position: Postpartum many mamas are in an anterior tilt, with hamstrings and abdominals that are over lengthened and weak. While they may feel “tight,” that is often due to their over lengthened state. During the exercise your hamstrings work as both a hip extensor and knee flexor, so there’s a lot going on and a high degree of control required at the pelvis, or the movement often goes to the low back instead.

• Advanced: Perhaps an obvious one, but this is an advanced movement. This curl variation should be used as a progression, not a starting point. The hamstrings are working as both a hip extensor and knee flexor, performing double duty with a lot of time under tension.

Using Constraints

Constraints can be a great way to “feel” what you “should” be feeling during an exercise to generate tension, sense where your body is in space, and/or feel “grounded.” In a hypermobile body adding constraints / props can also give your body a sense of safety. When we are working to help you find a stacked body position postpartum, I’m all about references!

A few props I use often include:

• The wall: back against wall, dragging up with the feet, pushing into the wall with the hands, etc.

• Foam roller: love pushing down on a foam roller to generate tension in the abdominals.

• Yoga Blocks: squeeze the yoga block to bring in the adductors.

• Foot wedges: to bring the ground closer to you at the feet.

• Bands: awesome to “pull” against to generate tension in the lower body.

Stability Ball Hamstring Curl Options

While there are a TON of ways to build hamstring strength and core control, here are a few ways you can uplevel this exercise to make it accessible in your body and use constraints in your training.

1. Add a yoga block between the knees: inhale extend, exhale from the bottom up, squeeze the block, and bring knees towards your chest. The added squeeze with the block gets the adductors onboard, helps to turn “on” the deep core, and provides a bit more stability at the pelvis.

2. Drive with the elbows: Use the floor as a reference. In many cases this can help steady the upper body, and also give you an opportunity to breathe into the chest

3. Hamstrings/Abs Co-activation: the hamstrings and abdominals work together to control the position of the pelvis. A solid relationship between the two are important for control in the sagittal (front to back) plane of motion. I’ve LOVED this variation from Katie St. Claire. Active pull up on the wall as you extend to get the lats on without flaring through the ribs, getting some solid chest expansion. This one is advanced, but also a challenge to keep the abdominals on while extending. I haven’t quite worked up to one leg at a time.

You can also perform this as a hamstring curl to pullover, which takes away a reference point and adds load.

If these variations are too difficult, you can add back a layer of stability. In the 90/90 with pullover the feet are on the wall for an extra point of reference.

Another great option is a long lever co-contraction bridge, really dialing in on pelvis position and sensing hamstring tension and the deep abdominals with a good exhalation.

The stability ball rollout can be a great accessory movement to improve performance with compound lifts, and train the hamstrings with an added layer of instability.

Do you struggle with this exercise? I’d love to help! As a Postpartum Fitness Coach my goal is to help you return to all the activities and exercises you enjoy. You can contact me at any time to schedule a FREE chat, or check out one of my DIY programs.

Hoping to make the “move of the week” a thing. More exercises coming at you soon.

Feel good mama.

xoxo,

Erica