Leg Curl
The seated leg curl bends your knees against a pad to pull it under the seat, working your hamstrings on their own.
HamstringsMachineIsolationBoth sides
How to do a leg curl
- Adjust the machine so your knees line up with its pivot.
- Sit with the lower pad behind your ankles and lower the thigh pad onto your legs.
- Bend your knees to pull the pad down and under the seat as far as you can.
- Let the pad rise slowly until your legs are almost straight.
Tips
- Pause briefly when your knees are fully bent.
- Hold the handles to keep yourself in the seat.
Common mistakes
- Lifting your hips off the seat.
- Letting the weight snap back up.
Leg Curl muscles worked
Main: Hamstrings.
Sets and reps
3 × 10–15
Alternatives
FAQ
Seated or lying leg curl?
Both train the hamstrings by bending the knee; the seated version holds your hips bent, which stretches the hamstrings more.
Do I need leg curls if I deadlift?
They train a different job: deadlifts work the hamstrings at the hip, leg curls at the knee, so doing both covers the muscle fully.