Long vs Short Muscle-Length Hamstrings Training and Hypertrophy: A 12-Week Leg-Curl RCT
Maeo S, Huang M, Wu Y, Sakurai H, Kusagawa Y, Sugiyama T, Kanehisa H, Isaka T
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Summary
A within-subject RCT in which 20 healthy adults trained one leg with seated leg curls (hamstrings at longer muscle length) and the other with prone leg curls (shorter length) for 12 weeks. Whole hamstrings volume increased 14% (seated) versus 9% (prone) — about 1.5-fold greater at the longer length. The difference was clear in the biarticular muscles, with no difference in the monoarticular short head of the biceps femoris.
Key findings
- 1
20 adults trained one leg seated (longer length) and the other prone (shorter length) for 12 weeks (within-subject design)
- 2
Whole hamstrings volume increased 14% (seated) vs 9% (prone), favouring the longer muscle length
- 3
The biarticular muscles (biceps femoris long head, semitendinosus, semimembranosus) showed a clear long-length advantage (+8–24% vs +4–19%)
- 4
The monoarticular short head of the biceps femoris did not differ between conditions (+10% vs +9%)
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