Machine of the month - B5 leg curl machine
Meet the B5, also known as the leg curl machine. This is the machine we use to help build strong hamstring muscles in the backs of the thighs.
Why is hamstring strength important?
Your hamstring muscles play a central role in how you move and support your body.
They control the knee and hip, which are involved in everyday movements like walking, climbing stairs, getting in and out of a chair and lifting from the ground.
If you don’t have enough strength in your hamstrings, these movements can become less stable and more physically demanding over time.
How the B5 differs from the B7
Whilst both the B5 and B7 machines strengthen your hamstrings, the B5 differs by positioning your muscles in a shortened position, helping you to feel them working. Because of the way your body is positioned, the B5 can give you control through the hips, letting your hamstrings do more of the work. This makes the B5 especially useful for rehab, particularly for conditions like hamstring tendinopathy, where controlled loading is important for recovery.
How the B5 can help your hamstrings
Adding the B5 can help support you during many everyday activities, including:
- walking
- going up and down stairs
- sitting & standing from a chair
- running
- cycling
- swimming.
Technique tips
- Be sure your pelvis remains firmly on the pad the entire time and tuck your tailbone towards the ground. This guarantees your lower back is in a neutral position throughout the exercise.
- When entering the machine, line up your knees correctly by having your kneecaps just off the edge of the pad.
- Grip the hand holds but not too tightly, to stabilise the exercise
If you’d like to include the B5 in your training program, arrange a review session with one of our exercise scientists. They can add it to your program, show you how to set up the machine and make sure you’re using it correctly.
