How to do a Lying Leg Curl
The lying leg curl is a machine isolation exercise where you lie face down and bend your knees to pull a padded lever toward your glutes. It targets the hamstrings directly, with help from the calves, without loading the spine. It's beginner-friendly and a useful complement to hip-hinge lifts for anyone wanting stronger, fuller hamstrings.
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings
- Also works
- Calves (gastrocnemius), Glutes
- Equipment
- Lying leg curl machine
- Level
- Beginner
Step by step
- Adjust the machine so your knees line up with its pivot point and the roller pad sits just above your heels.
- Lie face down, grip the handles, and press your hips firmly into the bench.
- Bend your knees to curl the pad up toward your glutes in a smooth arc.
- Pause for a moment at the top while squeezing the backs of your thighs.
- Lower the pad slowly until your legs are nearly straight, keeping tension on the hamstrings.
- Begin the next rep without letting the weight stack rest between reps.
Coaching cues
- Keep your hips pinned down; if they pop up, the weight is too heavy.
- Take two to three seconds on the way down to get more from each rep.
- Pull your toes toward your shins to keep the calves from taking over.
Common mistakes
Hips lifting off the bench
Lighten the load and press your pelvis into the pad for every rep.
Swinging the weight up
Start each rep from a controlled stretch and curl with steady tempo instead of momentum.
Partial range of motion
Curl as far as your hamstrings allow and lower almost to full extension.
Pad in the wrong spot
Set the roller just above the heels and align your knees with the machine's axis.
Sets and reps
Strength
3–4 sets of 6–8 reps
Muscle growth
3–4 sets of 10–15 reps
Endurance
2–3 sets of 15–20 reps
Alternatives
FAQ
Are leg curls enough to train hamstrings?
Leg curls train the knee-bending role of the hamstrings, but the muscles also extend the hip. Pairing curls with a hinge such as the Romanian deadlift covers both functions.
Lying vs seated leg curl: which is better?
Both are effective. Seated curls train the hamstrings in a more stretched position, which may help muscle growth, while lying curls are a solid, widely available option, so rotating them is reasonable.
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