Lying Leg Curls

How to do the Lying Leg Curls

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.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	hamstrings
Equipment	machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	isolation

No machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Floor Glute-Ham Raise Bodyweight Natural Glute Ham Raise Bodyweight Ball Leg Curl Exercise Ball Prone Manual Hamstring Bodyweight Dumbbell Clean Dumbbell Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift Dumbbell

Harder than the Lying Leg Curls

Split Snatch expert · Barbell Reverse Band Sumo Deadlift expert · Barbell Power Snatch expert · Barbell

Superset the Lying Leg Curls with

Opposing quads work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Leg Extensions quads Single-Leg Leg Extension quads Chair Squat quads Hack Squat quads

Common questions

What muscles does the Lying Leg Curls work?

The Lying Leg Curls primarily works the hamstrings. Ball Leg Curl, Floor Glute-Ham Raise, and Platform Hamstring Slides train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Lying Leg Curls?

A Machine. Without a machine, Floor Glute-Ham Raise, Natural Glute Ham Raise, and Ball Leg Curl train the same muscle, and 20 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Lying Leg Curls suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Lying Leg Curls is rated beginner. Split Snatch, Reverse Band Sumo Deadlift, and Power Snatch are the progressions from here.

Where should the Lying Leg Curls go in a workout?

Late — the Lying Leg Curls is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Leg Extensions and Single-Leg Leg Extension cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Ball Leg Curl Exercise Ball Floor Glute-Ham Raise Bodyweight Platform Hamstring Slides Other Equipment Seated Band Hamstring Curl Other Equipment Seated Leg Curl Machine Standing Leg Curl Machine