- EquipmentBand
- PatternHinge
- Reps3 to 12 reps
- Joint loadKnee
Kneel on a pad with your ankles held down. Anchor a band high in front of you and loop it around your chest or hold it.
First cueKeep the hips straight.
How to do the Assisted Nordic Curl
Set up. Kneel on a pad with your ankles held down. Anchor a band high in front of you and loop it around your chest or hold it.
- Lower your body forward as one straight line, using the band for help.
- Go as far as you can control.
- Pull yourself back up with the hamstrings and the band.
Form cues
- Keep the hips straight.
- A stronger band gives more help.
- Lower slowly.
Common mistakes
- Bending at the hips.
- Using a band that slips.
Muscles worked
Main target: Hamstrings. The hamstrings run down the back of the thigh. They bend the knee and extend the hip, which is why both a curl and a hinge train them.
On the way: Glutes and Calves.
Its other side: Quads, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Assisted Nordic Curl, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Reverse Nordic Curl Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Monster Walk Same legs session: it trains the abductors.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Assisted Nordic Curl first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Assisted Nordic Curl 3 × 3 to 12 reps
- Reverse Nordic Curl 3 × 5 to 12 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Monster Walk 3 × 10 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Nordic Curl
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Cable Romanian Deadlift
Cable
Less load on the knee
Romanian Deadlift
The Assisted Nordic Curl loads the knee by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Nordic Curl.
Other variations of the Nordic Curl: Glute-Ham Raise.
Do before it: Leg Curl (same movement, lighter), Glute Bridge (glutes switched on), Assisted Nordic Curl (same movement, lighter) and Banded Hamstring Curl (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Assisted Nordic Curl is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Assisted Nordic Curl?
Set up: Kneel on a pad with your ankles held down. Anchor a band high in front of you and loop it around your chest or hold it. Steps: 1. Lower your body forward as one straight line, using the band for help. 2. Go as far as you can control. 3. Pull yourself back up with the hamstrings and the band. Form cues: Keep the hips straight. A stronger band gives more help. Lower slowly. Common mistakes: Bending at the hips. Using a band that slips.
What muscles does the Assisted Nordic Curl work?
It trains the hamstrings as its main target and works the glutes and calves on the way.
What can I do instead of the Assisted Nordic Curl?
At home: Nordic Curl. In a gym: Cable Romanian Deadlift. With less load on the knee: Romanian Deadlift. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Assisted Nordic Curl with?
Good partners in the same workout are Reverse Nordic Curl, Cossack Squat and Monster Walk.