Legs · Machine · Isolation · Beginner

Lying Leg Curls

Lying Leg Curls, start position
Start
Lying Leg Curls, end position
End
FrontBack
Primary
Main muscles
Hamstrings

How to do it

  1. Adjust the machine lever to fit your height and lie face down on the leg curl machine with the pad of the lever on the back of your legs (just a few inches under the calves). Tip: Preferably use a leg curl machine that is angled as opposed to flat since an angled position is more favorable for hamstrings recruitment.
  2. Keeping the torso flat on the bench, ensure your legs are fully stretched and grab the side handles of the machine. Position your toes straight (or you can also use any of the other two stances described on the foot positioning section). This will be your starting position.
  3. As you exhale, curl your legs up as far as possible without lifting the upper legs from the pad. Once you hit the fully contracted position, hold it for a second.
  4. As you inhale, bring the legs back to the initial position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Swaps on other equipment

Each has the hamstrings as its main muscle and is also a pull, on a different piece of equipment.

Other hamstring exercises

Steps and photos from the public-domain Free Exercise DB, not individually reviewed. How this site is put together · Report a mistake