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Article

Loaded Single-Leg Roman Chair Hold Preferentially Increases Biceps Femoris Activation, Whereas the Nordic Hamstring Exercise Emphasises Semitendinosus Activation in Professional Athletes

by
Gokhan Yagiz
1,2,
Fuat Yuksel
3,
Cristina Monleón
4,
Hans-Peter Kubis
5,
Gokhan Mehmet Karatay
6,
Serdar Eler
7,
Esedullah Akaras
8,
Nevin Atalay Guzel
6 and
Encarnación Liébana
4,*
1
Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Amasya University, Amasya 05100, Turkey
2
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 92-0397, Japan
3
Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ordu University, Ordu 52200, Turkey
4
Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain
5
Department of Sport Science, School of Psychology and Sport Science, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2PZ, UK
6
Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara 06560, Turkey
7
Faculty of Sport Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara 06560, Turkey
8
Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum 25050, Turkey
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Medicina 2026, 62(1), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62010146
Submission received: 28 November 2025 / Revised: 5 January 2026 / Accepted: 9 January 2026 / Published: 12 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation)
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Abstract

Background and Objectives: Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) are frequent and recurrent in athletes who perform high-speed running. The long head of the biceps femoris (BFlh) is often affected by HSIs. While the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) is used for prevention, evidence shows it mainly activates the semitendinosus (ST) instead of the biceps femoris (BF). It was argued that hamstrings may contract isometrically during sprinting’s late swing phase; exercises like the single-leg Roman Chair-Hold (RCH) might better mimic sprinting. Limited electromyographic (EMG) data compare NHE and RCH. This study examined EMG activation of BF and ST during both exercises in athletes. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six professional handball players (17 females, 19 males) were randomly assigned to NHE (n = 18; mean age 22.1 ± 3.9 years) or RCH (n = 18; mean age 22.6 ± 4.9 years). A wireless EMG system recorded dominant leg BFlh and ST activity, normalised to maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC%). NHE participants completed one set of ten repetitions; RCH participants performed three sets of ten repetitions with progressive loads (bodyweight, +10 kg, +20 kg). Results: RCH led to a significantly higher mean BFlh activation in the third set with +20 kg weight compared to NHE (72.9% versus 46.5%; p < 0.001, g = 1.52). BFlh activation steadily increased across RCH sets, coinciding with additional load increments (p < 0.001). Conversely, NHE produced greater ST activation than the RCH at the first set, where RCH was performed with only bodyweight (p < 0.001). Conclusions: NHE primarily activates the ST, while RCH gradually increases BFlh activation, particularly under load. Future research should investigate which exercises are more effective at reducing HSIs to draw more robust conclusions based on the study’s findings.
Keywords: biceps femoris; eccentric exercise; electromyography; hamstring strain injuries; injury prevention; Nordic hamstring exercise; Roman chair-hold; semitendinosus biceps femoris; eccentric exercise; electromyography; hamstring strain injuries; injury prevention; Nordic hamstring exercise; Roman chair-hold; semitendinosus

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yagiz, G.; Yuksel, F.; Monleón, C.; Kubis, H.-P.; Karatay, G.M.; Eler, S.; Akaras, E.; Guzel, N.A.; Liébana, E. Loaded Single-Leg Roman Chair Hold Preferentially Increases Biceps Femoris Activation, Whereas the Nordic Hamstring Exercise Emphasises Semitendinosus Activation in Professional Athletes. Medicina 2026, 62, 146. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62010146

AMA Style

Yagiz G, Yuksel F, Monleón C, Kubis H-P, Karatay GM, Eler S, Akaras E, Guzel NA, Liébana E. Loaded Single-Leg Roman Chair Hold Preferentially Increases Biceps Femoris Activation, Whereas the Nordic Hamstring Exercise Emphasises Semitendinosus Activation in Professional Athletes. Medicina. 2026; 62(1):146. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62010146

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yagiz, Gokhan, Fuat Yuksel, Cristina Monleón, Hans-Peter Kubis, Gokhan Mehmet Karatay, Serdar Eler, Esedullah Akaras, Nevin Atalay Guzel, and Encarnación Liébana. 2026. "Loaded Single-Leg Roman Chair Hold Preferentially Increases Biceps Femoris Activation, Whereas the Nordic Hamstring Exercise Emphasises Semitendinosus Activation in Professional Athletes" Medicina 62, no. 1: 146. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62010146

APA Style

Yagiz, G., Yuksel, F., Monleón, C., Kubis, H.-P., Karatay, G. M., Eler, S., Akaras, E., Guzel, N. A., & Liébana, E. (2026). Loaded Single-Leg Roman Chair Hold Preferentially Increases Biceps Femoris Activation, Whereas the Nordic Hamstring Exercise Emphasises Semitendinosus Activation in Professional Athletes. Medicina, 62(1), 146. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62010146

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