Lying Leg Curl

How to Perform the Lying Leg Curl

Adjust the machine so the ankle pad sits just above your heels and the thigh pad rests comfortably against your upper thighs.
Lie face down on the machine with your legs fully extended and grasp the handles for stability.
Ensure your knees are just off the edge of the bench to allow full range of motion.
Curl the weight upward by bending your knees, bringing the pad toward your glutes.
Squeeze the hamstrings hard at the top of the movement when your knees are fully flexed.
Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position under control, fully extending your legs.
Avoid lifting your hips off the bench during the curl.
Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Lifting the hips off the pad at the top of the curl

Press your hips firmly into the bench throughout the movement; reduce the weight if your hips lift.

Using momentum to swing the weight up

Initiate the movement slowly from a dead stop and control the entire range of motion.

Not achieving full range of motion

Fully extend the legs at the bottom and curl as far as possible at the top for maximum hamstring activation.

✓Isolates the hamstrings effectively, which are often underdeveloped relative to the quadriceps.
✓Helps prevent hamstring strains and knee injuries by strengthening the knee flexors.
✓Simple machine setup makes it accessible for all fitness levels.

●Point your toes (plantarflex) to reduce calf involvement and place more tension on the hamstrings.
●Use a slow 3-4 second eccentric phase for greater muscle growth stimulus.
●This exercise pairs well with Romanian deadlifts for complete hamstring development through both knee flexion and hip extension.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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