How to Do Nordic Hamstring Curls: Form and Guide
Master the Nordic Hamstring Curl with our expert guide. Learn proper form, avoid common mistakes, and build stronger, more resilient legs.
How to Perform
- Kneel on a soft pad with your torso upright and your ankles securely anchored by a partner or a heavy weighted bar.
- Engage your glutes and core to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Lower your torso toward the floor as slowly as possible by extending your knees while maintaining a rigid hip position.
- Keep your hands in front of your chest ready to catch yourself once your hamstrings can no longer control the descent.
- Touch the floor lightly with your hands and use a small push-off to assist your hamstrings in pulling your body back to the start.
- Focus on the eccentric phase by resisting gravity for as long as possible during every repetition.
Common Mistakes
- Breaking at the hips and pushing the glutes back during the descent.
- Falling too quickly without actively engaging the hamstrings.
- Over-using the arms to push back up instead of relying on leg strength.
- Losing core tension and allowing the lower back to arch excessively.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Hamstrings
Stabilizers
- Glutes
- Gastrocnemius
- Erector Spinae
Related Guides
- 1 Leg Box Squat — Legs
- Abductor Machine — Legs
- Adductor Machine — Legs
Hamstrings · Legs