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ATG: Speed Truth Part 2 — Key Takeaways

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ATG: Speed Truth Part 2

Ben PatrickAug 12, 2026

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Combine Nordic curls (eccentric focus, weighted descent) and machine hamstring curls on alternating weeks — both are used by the world's fastest sprinters and target hamstring forces up to 9x bodyweight during sprinting.

Key takeaways

Alternate Nordic curls and machine ham curls on a 2-week A/B schedule instead of weekly

Alternate Nordic curls and machine ham curls on a 2-week A/B schedule instead of weekly

  • Two-week rotation allows full recovery from both modalities while training measurable strength and eccentric control.
  • Week A: machine curl tracked to exact rep max (e.g., 100% BW x4). Week B: weighted Nordic eccentric lowering, then explosive concentric.

Nordic curl: resist the lowering phase with added weight, then drop weight and explode back up

Nordic curl: resist the lowering phase with added weight, then drop weight and explode back up

  • Holding weight on the eccentric maximizes hamstring loading; releasing it for the concentric reduces injury risk on the hardest phase.
  • Eccentric-focused Nordics address the high-force demands of sprinting — up to 9x bodyweight through the hamstrings.

Combine hamstring curls AND RDLs — isolation plus lengthened-position loading covers more sprint-specific demand

Combine hamstring curls AND RDLs — isolation plus lengthened-position loading covers more sprint-specific demand

  • RDLs train hamstrings under stretch while also loading glutes and lower back — a broader stimulus than curls alone.
  • Elite sprinters use both; choosing one over the other is a false constraint with no performance basis.

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In this piece

  1. Context and Purpose: Defending Hamstring Training
  2. The Social Media Tear-Down Problem
  3. Criticism #3: RDL Replaces Hamstring Curls
  4. Regressions and Scalability

“When you cannot lie or put others down, what happens? How do you get views? You have to focus on your ability.”

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Train hamstrings with seated curls (not lying) for greater stretch-induced growth, and add band-assisted Nordic curls to build eccentric strength and reduce injury risk.

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Train hip flexors with "Case Curls" (lying hamstring curl machine repurposed) using a 5–10 rep bracket, testing every 14 days, with a multi-year progressive overload plan identical to how you'd train chest.