Leg Curl
Direct hamstring work your RDLs will thank you for.
Setup
- Pad just above the heels.
- Hips pressed down (lying) or back flat (seated).
How To Do It
- Curl heels toward glutes under control.
- Full squeeze, then 3-second lower.
Breathing
Exhale on the curl.
Common Mistakes
- Hips popping up to cheat — glue them down.
- Half range — full stretch to full curl.
Programming It
Three to four sets of 8-15.
Why This Exercise Works
The hamstrings both extend the hip and flex the knee. Deadlifts and RDLs train the hip end; almost nothing else trains the knee end. That is the gap a leg curl fills, and why leaving it out is a common cause of hamstring strains.
Where You Should Feel It
The hamstrings, isolated, with a strong contraction at the top. Cramping is common. If your hips lift off the pad, you are using the lower back to finish.
Where It Fits in a Program
Direct hamstring work your RDLs will thank you for. Put it late. Nothing here needs you fresh, and the reps are cheap to recover from.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the leg curl: add a plate, or slow the lowering to three seconds. To regress it: reduce the load until the hips stay down on the pad.
Who It's For
Anyone whose hamstring work is all hinging. Curls train the knee-bending function that Romanian deadlifts never touch, and both are worth having.
Equipment and Substitutions
As written here it uses a machine. No machine? The free-weight versions below train the same muscles and ask more of your balance, which is a fair trade in both directions.
Related Exercises
- Inchworm — Hamstrings, Core, Shoulders
- Jefferson Curl — Hamstrings, Spine
- Nordic Hamstring Curl — Hamstrings
- Glute Ham Raise — Hamstrings, Glutes
- Band Good Morning — Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back
- Band Deadlift — Hamstrings, Glutes, Back
- Nordic Curl (Assisted) — Hamstrings
- Romanian Deadlift (RDL) — Hamstrings, Glutes, Back
Common Questions
What muscles does the leg curl work?
The leg curl primarily trains the hamstrings.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three to four sets of 8-15.
What are the most common leg curl mistakes?
Most often: hips popping up to cheat; half range.
Do I need a machine to do this?
This version uses a machine, and it trains the hamstrings. The machine buys you stability, not a different muscle. Anything below that loads the same direction will build the same thing.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
Elbows and wrists take the brunt of the leg curl, and both are slow to settle once irritated. If the ache lingers into the next day, reduce the load or change the grip angle before you train it again. Not medical advice.