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Kettlebell exercises

Half Nordic: Slow Hamstring Lowering, Part Way Down

Kneel with your heels hooked under a sofa and lean forward slowly from the knees, hips straight, as far as you can control. Come back up. It builds the hamstrings under a slow load.

Strength · 2 min read

Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them

How to do it

  1. 1

    Hook your heels

    Kneel on a folded towel and hook your heels under a heavy sofa or bed, or have someone hold your ankles.

  2. 2

    Hips straight

    Kneel tall. Your knees, hips and shoulders make one straight line, and they stay in that line the whole rep.

  3. 3

    Lean for three

    Lean forward from the knees over three seconds, as far as you can still control. Your hamstrings hold you.

  4. 4

    Back up

    Pull yourself back up to kneeling tall with your hamstrings. That is one rep. Do 5.

  5. 5

    The test

    Every rep goes the same distance, slowly, with your hips straight. When your hips bend to get you back up, the set is over.

Watch for

  • Bending at the hips. A bend lets your back and bottom do the work. Keep the straight line.
  • Going further than you control. Stop where the lowering stays slow.
  • Kneeling on a hard floor. Use a towel or a cushion.

Questions

What does a Nordic work?

The hamstrings, the muscles on the back of your thigh, while they lengthen under load. That slow lengthening is what makes them stronger.

What if I can't come back up?

Lean less far. The half Nordic is about the range you can control both ways. Move to the full Nordic lowering when the half is easy.