Muscular strength and power are the bases for displaying peak basketball performance on the court. Jumping, sprinting, and changing direction are all dependent on developing explosive power. Strength is also an important factor in reducing the likelihood of injury. Nordic hamstring curls are one of the best exercises for developing hamstring strength, massive speed/acceleration, vertical power and reducing injuries. It doesn’t matter if you’re Steph Curry or an up-and-comer like Erica Mena, Nordic hamstring curls should be part of your workout routine.
There are three types of muscle actions.
- Concentric – the muscle gets shorter
- Isometric – the muscle stays the same length
- Eccentric – the muscle gets longer, but even when the muscle is staying the same length or getting longer, the muscle is active, not passive
Nordic hamstring curls target the knee joint and the hamstrings (the muscles responsible for knee flexion). This exercise requires the hamstrings to resist the knees going from bent to straight. As the knees straighten, the hamstrings get longer and weaker. This is why Nordic hamstring curls are easy at the top and why failure happens at the bottom.
When doing Nordic hamstring curls you’ll need a good nordic bench. Start with a partial range of motion. This can be accomplished by putting a bench or jump box in front of you so you can’t fall all the way to the floor. Next, try some band assisted Nordic hamstring curls with the band reducing the load by pulling some of your bodyweight upward. Finally, you’ll want to try full Nordic hamstring curls with just your body weight to see how low you can go before falling to the ground.
Basketball players should consider adding Nordic hamstring curls to their workouts in order to increase speed and jumping ability while also reducing injuries.