185: András Hegyi on Hamstring Function and Impacts of Sprinting and the Weightroom | Sponsored by SimpliFaster

Today’s episode features András Hegyi, a final-stage Ph.D. student working at the Neuromuscular Research Center at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland.  His Ph.D. work focuses on regional and inter-muscular hamstrings EMG activity in different hamstring exercises and in running.  Hegyi is interested in improving biomechanical methodologies to assess hamstrings to further understand hamstring muscle function and injury mechanisms. We’ve done some great episodes on hamstring injury prevention in the past, such as episode 161 with Jake Schuster and 158 with JB Morin.  This show is another fantastic addition to that series as András is a wealth of knowledge on the topic, being well versed on what the research yields in regards to many aspects of training and hamstring development, as well as what is functionally asked of the hamstrings in sprinting and sport. When it comes to hamstrings and injury prevention, a common question is: “What exercises should I do in the gym to help this process”?  An important aspect of the gym and sprinting is that the way these elements “hit the hamstrings” is quite different.  It is important to know what we can, and can’t do in the weightroom to create robust athletes.  In this episode, András goes into hamstring strain mechanisms, Nordic hamstrings and variations, different gym exercises that hit different aspects of the hamstring musculature, sprinting and it’s role in injury prevention.  He also shares his thoughts on training the adductor magnus as a synergist of the hamstring.  Another important point covered is the importance of individual muscle activation differences in sprinting versus what we see in the gym, which has big implications on how we are training and assessing athletes. Today’s episode is brought to you by SimpliFaster, supplier of high-end athletic development tools, such as the Freelap timing system, kBox, Sprint 1080, and more. View more show notes at just-fly-sports.com/podcast-185-andras-hegyi/