Execution form
- EquipmentMachine
- PatternIsolation
- Reps8 to 20 reps
- Joint loadKnee
How to do the Leg Curl
Set up. Lie face down on the leg curl machine with your knees just past the bench edge and the pad resting above your heels. Hold the handles.
- Curl your heels toward your backside.
- Squeeze the hamstrings at the top.
- Lower under control to almost straight legs.
Form cues
- Keep your hips pressed into the pad.
- Line the knees up with the pivot.
- Lower slowly.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the hips to swing the weight.
- Letting the weight drop on the way down.
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: Calves.
Its other side: Quads, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Leg Curl, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Leg Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Pull-Through Same legs session: it trains the glutes.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Leg 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.
- Leg Curl 3 × 8 to 20 reps
- Leg Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Cable Pull-Through 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 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
Banded Hamstring Curl
Band
Gym or cable swap
Cable Romanian Deadlift
Cable
Less load on the knee
Romanian Deadlift
The Leg 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.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Seated Leg Curl, Nordic Curl, Standing Leg Curl and Banded Hamstring Curl.
Do before it: Banded Hamstring Curl (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Leg 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 Leg Curl?
Set up: Lie face down on the leg curl machine with your knees just past the bench edge and the pad resting above your heels. Hold the handles. Steps: 1. Curl your heels toward your backside. 2. Squeeze the hamstrings at the top. 3. Lower under control to almost straight legs. Form cues: Keep your hips pressed into the pad. Line the knees up with the pivot. Lower slowly. Common mistakes: Lifting the hips to swing the weight. Letting the weight drop on the way down.
What muscles does the Leg Curl work?
It trains the hamstrings as its main target and works the calves on the way.
What can I do instead of the Leg Curl?
At home: Banded Hamstring 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 Leg Curl with?
Good partners in the same workout are Leg Extension, Cable Pull-Through, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Leg Curl be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.