Lying leg curl: how to perform it.
The lying leg curl is the go-to exercise for hamstrings in their forgotten function: flexing the knee. Deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts stretch them from the hip, but without a curl your hamstrings are only half-trained, and that's a gap that costs you in performance and injuries.
Starting position
- Lie face down with your knees JUST OFF the edge of the pad, aligned with the machine's pivot point.
- The pad rests on your lower calves, above the heel.
- Grab the handles and press your hips down into the pad: this is your anchor for the whole set.
Proper form
- Flex your knees, bringing the pad toward your glutes in one continuous, controlled motion.
- Reach full flexion: pad touching (or nearly touching) your glutes.
- Squeeze your hamstrings for a moment at the top.
- Lower over 3 seconds, resisting the load, until your legs are nearly straight.
- Don't let the weight stack rest at the bottom: start the next rep with tension still on.
When to inhale, when to exhale
Exhale as you flex, inhale during the long descent. Mentally counting the eccentric (a true three seconds) matters more than anything else here.
Mistakes to avoid
When your butt rises, your lower back gets pulled into the movement and the hamstring shortens at both ends, losing force output. Keep your hips pressed down: if they lift on their own, the load is too heavy.
A sharp initial jerk does half the work for the pad on its own. Hamstrings are fast-twitch muscles that need to be trained slowly: flex with intent, but keep it continuous, never jerky.
The eccentric phase is the most important one for hamstrings, the muscle most prone to strains precisely while lengthened. A slow descent builds resilience; dropping like a stone leaves them fragile.
Toes pulled toward you (dorsiflexion) = more hamstring involvement; toes pointed (plantarflexion) = calves steal the work. Pick dorsiflexion and hold it for the entire set.
DAWT tip. Hamstrings are the most underrated muscle in the gym and the most strained in sports: train them with the same seriousness as chest day. Pairing the leg curl with the Romanian deadlift covers both of their functions, and it's an investment in athletic longevity.
Variations and alternatives
Quick answers
Lying leg curl or seated leg curl?
The seated version keeps the hip flexed and the hamstring more stretched: recent research gives it a slight edge for growth. But the best one is whichever your gym has and you can execute under control: that's where the real difference is made.
Is deadlifting enough for hamstrings?
No: deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts train them as hip extensors, the curl trains them as knee flexors. These are two different functions of the same muscle, and both need direct work.
Related exercises
How much should you load on this exercise?
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