Evidence Based
A simple hamstring hypertrophy hack: perform leg curls with your toes pulled toward your shins.
Why?
Your most visible calf muscle—the gastrocnemius—”crosses” your ankle and knee, so it affects how both of these joints move.
Bending your knees “shortens” the calves, putting them in a biomechanically weaker position.
However, when you curl your toes toward your shin—or dorsiflex your ankle—you lengthen the calves, which significantly increases knee flexion (bending) strength.
For example, a study published in the journal Isokinetics and Exercise Science found that weightlifters who dorsiflexed their ankles during leg curls produced 45% more force and did 59% more total work than those who pointed their toes.
The scientists didn’t measure muscle growth, but it’s reasonable to assume that lifting heavier weights for more reps will lead to more muscle growth over time than lifting lighter weights for fewer reps.
(There may also be an argument that dorsiflexing your ankle trains your muscles at longer lengths, which may benefit growth in some scenarios.)
Another 2023 study published in the European Journal of Sports Science supported these findings. It found that when weightlifters curled their toes toward their shins, they could perform more reps of the leg curl than when they pointed their toes.
Again, likely good news for long-term hamstring hypertrophy.
So, pull your toes toward your shins next time you’re seated, lying, or Nordic leg curling. It should help you lift heavier weights, do more reps, and build beefier gams.
Scientific References +
- Kim, Kyoung, et al. “Differential Effects of Ankle Position on Isokinetic Knee Extensor and Flexor Strength Gains during Strength Training.” Isokinetics and Exercise Science, vol. 24, no. 3, 22 Aug. 2016, pp. 195–199, https://doi.org/10.3233/ies-160617. Accessed 8 Mar. 2019.
- Cadeo, Gabriela M, et al. “Myoelectric Activity and Improvements in Strength and Hypertrophy Are Unaffected by the Ankle Position during Prone Leg Curl Exercise – a within Person Randomized Trial.” European Journal of Sport Science, vol. 23, no. 11, Nov. 2023, pp. 2200–2209, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37194431/, https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2023.2214794.
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