Exercise guide

How to do lying leg curl

Hamstrings · calves

Lying leg curl starting position — correct set-up before the first rep
Start
Lying leg curl finished position — the end of one repetition
End of rep

Step by step

  1. Lie face down with your knees just off the edge of the pad and the ankle pad on your lower calves.
  2. Grip the handles and keep the hips pressed into the bench.
  3. Curl your heels toward your glutes as far as they'll go and squeeze.
  4. Lower for 2 seconds until the legs are nearly straight.

The cue that matters

CuePointing the toes toward your shins through the curl increases hamstring recruitment.
AvoidArching the lower back and lifting the hips to swing the weight up.

Where this sits in the split

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