- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternHinge
- Reps3 to 10 reps
- Joint loadKnee
Kneel on a padded surface with your ankles held down by a partner or a fixed pad, body upright from knees to head.
First cueKeep the hips straight.
How to do the Nordic Curl
Set up. Kneel on a padded surface with your ankles held down by a partner or a fixed pad, body upright from knees to head.
- Lower your body forward slowly as one straight line, resisting with your hamstrings.
- Go as far as you can control.
- Catch yourself with your hands at the bottom.
- Push off lightly and pull yourself back up with the hamstrings.
Form cues
- Keep the hips straight.
- Lower as slowly as you can.
- Use your hands to help at first.
Common mistakes
- Bending at the hips to shorten the lever.
- Dropping fast into the bottom.
Take care. Start with the assisted version and only a few reps: this movement is very demanding on the hamstrings.
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 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 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.
- Nordic Curl 3 × 3 to 10 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
Assisted Nordic Curl
Band
Gym or cable swap
Seated Leg Curl
Machine
Less load on the knee
Romanian Deadlift
The 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: Leg Curl.
Other variations of the Leg Curl: Seated Leg Curl, Standing Leg Curl and Banded Hamstring Curl.
Its variations: Glute-Ham Raise and Assisted Nordic Curl.
Do before it: Glute Bridge (glutes switched on), Leg Curl (same movement, lighter), Assisted Nordic Curl (same movement, lighter) and Banded Hamstring Curl (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the 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 Nordic Curl?
Set up: Kneel on a padded surface with your ankles held down by a partner or a fixed pad, body upright from knees to head. Steps: 1. Lower your body forward slowly as one straight line, resisting with your hamstrings. 2. Go as far as you can control. 3. Catch yourself with your hands at the bottom. 4. Push off lightly and pull yourself back up with the hamstrings. Form cues: Keep the hips straight. Lower as slowly as you can. Use your hands to help at first. Common mistakes: Bending at the hips to shorten the lever. Dropping fast into the bottom. Take care: Start with the assisted version and only a few reps: this movement is very demanding on the hamstrings.
What muscles does the 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 Nordic Curl?
At home: Assisted Nordic Curl. In a gym: Seated Leg Curl. With less load on the knee: Romanian Deadlift. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Nordic Curl with?
Good partners in the same workout are Reverse Nordic Curl, Cossack Squat and Monster Walk.