Lying Leg Curl

A beginner-friendly isolation exercise for the hamstrings performed on a leg curl machine while lying face down.

Instructions

1. Adjust the machine lever to fit your height and lie face down on the leg curl machine.
2. Position the pad of the lever on the back of your legs, just a few inches below the calves.
3. Ensure your legs are fully stretched and grab the side handles of the machine for stability.
4. Position your toes straight ahead, or use any other foot positioning that feels comfortable and stable.
5. This is your starting position with the bar in the fully extended position.
6. As you exhale, curl your legs upward as far as possible without lifting your upper body off the pad.
7. Squeeze your hamstrings at the fully contracted position and hold for a second.
8. As you inhale, slowly bring your legs back to the initial extended position with control.
9. Avoid fully locking out at the bottom of each repetition to maintain continuous tension.
10. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Tips

• Choose a machine with an angled position rather than flat, as this is more favorable for hamstring recruitment and development.
• Keep your torso flat on the bench throughout the entire movement to isolate the hamstrings.
• Move deliberately and controlled; avoid jerking the weight or using momentum to lift the load.
• Lower the weight slowly on the eccentric (return) phase; this phase is crucial for muscle building.
• If you have lower back pain, ensure the pad supports your thighs adequately and avoid overextending your spine.
• Pause briefly at the top of the contraction to maximize hamstring engagement and muscle pump.