Legs
Leg Curls (laying)
A foundational isolation movement for building hamstring thickness and improving knee stability.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Adjust the machine lever so the padded roller rests comfortably just above your heels and against your lower Achilles tendon.
Lie face down on the bench with your knees positioned just off the edge of the support pad to ensure proper joint alignment.
Grasp the handles firmly and keep your torso flat against the bench as you exhale and curl your legs upward toward your glutes.
Hold the peak contraction for one second at the top of the movement while keeping your hips pressed firmly into the pad.
Lower the weight slowly under full control until your legs are nearly straight, stopping just before the weight stack touches.
Maintain constant tension on the hamstrings by avoiding a full lockout of the knees at the bottom of the repetition.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Arching the lower back or lifting the hips off the bench during the concentric phase.
- Using momentum to swing the weight up rather than engaging the hamstrings.
- Setting the ankle pad too high on the calves, which reduces the effective lever arm.
- Performing the eccentric or lowering phase too quickly.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.