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legs

Lying Leg Curl

Lying face down with a pad behind your ankles, you curl your heels toward your buttocks. Isolates the back of the thighs.

beginnerleg curl machine

Lying Leg Curl, start position
START
Lying Leg Curl, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START2
  1. Set the ankle pad so it rests just above your heels.
  2. Choose the weight with the pin.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Lie face down with your knees just past the bench edge and the pad behind your ankles.
  2. Hold the handles and press your hips into the bench.

Check: Your knees line up with the pivot, your hips are pressed into the bench, and your legs are almost straight.

Curl your heels up

  1. Bend your knees and curl your heels toward your buttocks.
  2. Squeeze the back of your thighs for a second at the top.

Check: Your heels are as close to your buttocks as they go and your hips have not lifted off the bench.

Lower slowly

  1. Lower your heels slowly until your legs are almost straight.

Check: Your legs are almost straight again and the weight has not touched down.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe out as you move the weight in about 1 second; breathe in as you return over 2 to 3 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Lying Leg Curl: muscles worked, front view
Lying Leg Curl: muscles worked, back view

hamstringscalves

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Hips lifting off the bench to help. Strains the lower back. Fix: Press your hips down and use less weight.
  • Jerking the weight up. Fix: Curl over about 1 second and lower over 2 to 3.
  • Pad on the calves instead of the ankles. Fix: Move the pad down to just above the heels.
SAFETY1
  • Stop if you feel cramping; stretch the back of your thighs between sets.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • leg curl machine · ankle pad: on the back of your ankles, just above the heels · knees: just past the edge of the bench, level with the pivot
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: seated leg curl, glute ham raise

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