If your leg days are all about squats (and other quad-dominant exercises), listen up: You might be setting yourself up for an injury. Many of us pay too much attention to the muscles on the front of our legs while ignoring the backs of our thighs (aka our hamstrings). Problem is, this can lead to crappy stuff like muscle imbalances, compensations, and, eventually injury (especially because weak hamstrings can make you more prone to knee and hip problems). The solve? More lying hamstring curls.
It’s in your best interest to keep your leg muscles in proportion. To do that, you need to show your hammies some special TLC, and hamstring isolation exercises are the way to go. Arguably, there’s no better way to target these muscles than the lying hamstring curl.
We know it’s a bit old school, but trust us: it works. Here’s how lying leg curls can level up your lagging hamstrings (and your overall fitness).
How to do a lying hamstring curl with perfect form every time
- Load the machine with a weight that’s going to be challenging but doable for 8 to 10 reps.
- Lie face down on the machine with your legs stretched out fully. Place the roller pad a few inches above your heels on your lower calves. Hold the handgrips on each side of the machine for support.
- Exhale and bend your knees, pulling your feet as close to your butt as you can. Keep your hips square and glued to the bench.
- Hold at the top of the movement, squeezing your hamstrings briefly, then inhale as you slowly lower your feet to the starting position.
To really hit your hamstrings, flex your feet during the movement, curling them toward your shins.
Lying hamstring curls: muscles worked
As the name implies, the lying hamstring curl primarily strengthens the hamstrings, the group of muscles that run along back of your thigh from your hip to your knee, says Julianne Lane, PT, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in San Diego.
But they also work other big muscle groups in the posterior chain, says Brooke Van Paris, CPT, a personal trainer at Life Time Boca Raton. These include the:
- Gastrocnemius and soleus (aka your calves): when contracting (or lifting up the weight)
- Gluteus maximus (aka your butt): when lowering the weight
Who should (and shouldn’t) do lying hamstring curls
Lying hamstring curls are for you if you’re looking to improve:
- Muscular balance
- Speed
- Balance
- Movement patterns
- Range of motion
- Injury prevention
- Quality of life
In other words, just about anyone—from strength athletes to body builders and weekend warriors—could benefit from repping out lying leg curls, Dr. Lane and Van Paris agree.
That said, lying hamstring curls can be tricky (or even a tad troublesome) for certain people, according to Dr. Lane and Van Paris. Steer clear of the curl machine if you fall into any of these groups:
- People with pain, injury, or a recent surgery in the knees, hips, back, or neck
- Pregnant people
Still not sure whether it’s safe for you to crank out lying leg curls? Consult a professional. “Talking with your doctor before starting a weight training program is best,” Dr. Lane says. Likewise, “if you work with a physical therapist or trainer, check with them for guidance on using the lying hamstring curl machine.”
5 benefits of lying hamstring curls
If lying leg curls aren’t already part of your weekly workout routine, here are five solid reasons to put them into rotation.
1. Stronger, more flexible hamstrings
This one’s pretty obvious given the name of the exercise. Still, it bears mentioning because, honestly, you can’t overstate the importance of healthy hamstrings. You need them to walk, climb stairs, do squats, and execute countless other movements.
Lying hamstring curls put your hamstrings under constant load, targeting these muscles in two ways. First, “the concentric contraction (pull) helps promote muscle hypertrophy,” meaning it makes the muscle bigger, Dr. Lane says. Secondly, “the eccentric contraction (stretch) helps promote tissue lengthening,” she says. In other words, it builds long, limber, flexible muscles.
Van Paris agrees: The lying hamstring curl is a great way to lengthen and stretch the hamstrings, as it takes the muscles through their full range of motion. By improving flexibility, you also enable your hammies to activate through their entire range, she says.
That’s a big bonus: Most people struggle with “chronically shortened” hamstrings thanks to “prolonged sitting and lack of movement in our day-to-day lives,” Van Paris says. And when your hamstring muscles stay in a tightened, short position, it can lead to muscular imbalances, weaknesses, and, down the line, injury.
2. Enhanced sports performance
Want more speed and agility on the field or the court? Start cranking out lying hamstring curls.
“The hamstring muscles are crucial for explosive strength,” Dr. Lane says. That’s because they “help
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