Lying Leg Curls

Hop onto the leg curl machine like a cozy bear in a hammock. Clamp the pad near your ankles, then curl your heels toward your butt with a smooth, snuggly squeeze of the hamstrings. Keep your hips down, move slow, and let your legs do the honey hauling, not your lower back.

Instructions

1. Set the machine so the knee joint lines up with the machine’s pivot point.
2. Lie face down with your hips pressed into the pad and your legs straight.
3. Place the roller pad just above your heels (near the lower Achilles area) and grip the handles.
4. Brace your core and keep your hips down on the bench.
5. Curl your heels toward your glutes until your knees are comfortably flexed.
6. Pause briefly and squeeze your hamstrings at the top without lifting your hips.
7. Lower the weight slowly to the start position with control and repeat.

Benefits

• Builds hamstring strength and hypertrophy
• Improves knee flexion strength and control
• Supports balanced leg development alongside quad-dominant work
• May help reduce hamstring strain risk when progressively trained
• Adds lower-body work with minimal spinal loading

Key Points

• Align your knees with the machine pivot for smoother joint mechanics.
• Keep hips and pelvis glued to the pad; avoid arching the low back.
• Use a controlled tempo, especially on the lowering phase.
• Stop short of any pinching or knee discomfort; adjust range of motion if needed.
• Drive the movement by bending the knees, not by swinging the torso.

Common Mistakes

• Setting the machine incorrectly so the knees don’t align with the pivot
• Lifting the hips off the pad or excessive lower-back arching
• Using momentum or bouncing at the bottom
• Cutting the range of motion short without reason
• Letting the feet flop loosely instead of staying controlled
• Going too heavy and turning it into a full-body wiggle