Lying Leg Curl

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Lie face-down on the leg curl machine with the pad positioned just above your heels on the lower portion of your calves. Adjust the pad so your knees align with the machine's pivot point.

2. 2

   Grip the handles firmly and press your hips flat against the bench. Keep your torso completely still throughout the movement to isolate the hamstrings.

3. 3

   Curl your feet upward toward your glutes by flexing your knees, maintaining a controlled tempo. Focus on contracting your hamstrings rather than using momentum.

4. 4

   Continue curling until the pad reaches your glutes or you achieve maximum hamstring contraction, typically when your knees are bent to 90 degrees or more.

5. 5

   Squeeze your hamstrings hard at the top position for 1-2 seconds, maximizing the peak contraction for optimal muscle fiber recruitment.

6. 6

   Lower the weight slowly and with control back to the starting position, maintaining tension on the hamstrings. Avoid letting the weight stack crash down between reps.

Common Mistakes

• Lifting Hips Off the Bench

  Raising your hips during the movement recruits your glutes and reduces hamstring isolation. Keep your hips pressed firmly against the bench throughout the entire set.

• Using Excessive Weight

  Loading too much weight forces you to use momentum and partial range of motion, significantly reducing hamstring activation. Prioritize controlled movement over heavy weight.

• Incomplete Range of Motion

  Failing to fully extend at the bottom or flex completely at the top limits muscle development. Use a full range of motion on every repetition for maximum growth stimulus.

• Pointing Toes Up or Down

  Flexing or extending your ankles changes the muscle emphasis and can cause calf cramping. Keep your feet in a neutral position throughout the movement.

Pro Tips

• Point Toes Slightly Inward

  Rotating your toes slightly inward (internally rotating your feet) can increase activation of the outer hamstrings for more complete development.

• Add a Pause at the Top

  Hold the contracted position for 2-3 seconds on each rep to increase time under tension and enhance mind-muscle connection with your hamstrings.

• Control the Eccentric Phase

  Take 3-4 seconds to lower the weight on each rep. This eccentric emphasis creates more muscle damage and stimulates greater hypertrophy.

• Alternate with Stiff-Leg Deadlifts

  Combine lying leg curls (knee flexion) with stiff-leg deadlifts (hip extension) in your routine for complete hamstring development across both functions.

Variations

Add variety to your hamstring training with these effective lying leg curl variations:

• Single-Leg Lying Curl

  Perform the exercise one leg at a time to identify and correct strength imbalances while increasing the challenge on each hamstring.

• Seated Leg Curl

  Alternative machine-based hamstring curl performed in a seated position, which some lifters find more comfortable and effective.

• Slow-Tempo Lying Curl

  Use a 5-second concentric, 2-second pause, and 5-second eccentric for extreme time under tension and metabolic stress.

• Partial Rep Lying Curl

  After reaching failure with full reps, continue with partial reps in the strongest range to extend the set and increase training volume.

Alternative Exercises

Try these alternative exercises that target the hamstrings through different movement patterns:

• Seated Leg Curl

  Machine-based hamstring curl performed while seated, offering similar isolation with different resistance curves and comfort levels.

• Nordic Hamstring Curl

  Bodyweight exercise where you kneel and lower your torso forward, providing intense eccentric hamstring training without equipment.

• Glute-Ham Raise

  Advanced bodyweight movement that trains hamstrings through both knee flexion and hip extension for comprehensive development.

• Swiss Ball Leg Curl

  Lie on your back with heels on a stability ball and curl it toward your glutes, adding core stability requirements to hamstring training.