Equipment
Leg curl machines isolate the hamstrings by bending the knee against a padded lever. They are the most direct way to train the knee-bending role of the hamstrings.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
01
There are two common designs. On a lying leg curl you lie face down and curl the pad toward your glutes. On a seated leg curl you sit with your hips bent, which places the hamstrings in a longer, stretched position during the exercise.
02
Line your knee up with the machine's pivot point and set the pad just above your heels. Curl smoothly, pause briefly, and lower under control without letting the weight stack bang. Keep your hips pressed into the pad on the lying version. Hamstrings cramp easily when you start, so begin light.
03
Pair a leg curl with a hip hinge such as a Romanian deadlift so the hamstrings are trained at both the knee and the hip. If you have both machines, the seated version is a good default.
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