Lying Leg Curl
Activation
Muscles worked
Movement
Isolation
Beginner · Selectorized Strength
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Movement pattern
Equipment category
How to perform
- 1
Set up
Lie face-down with the pad resting just above the heels; hips flat on the bench.
- 2
Execute the movement
Curl the heels toward your glutes by contracting the hamstrings, pause, then lower under control.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the hips off the pad
- Using momentum to fling the weight
Make it harder
Make it easier
Accessibility
Substitutions
If a machine is busy or unavailable, these train the same pattern a different way.
Your progress over time
What to expect from training this consistently — everyone progresses at their own pace.
- 1
First few sessions
Learn the setup and cue (drive the heels to the glutes), achieve basic neuromuscular activation of the hamstrings, and tolerate light loading with some initial muscle soreness.
- 2
Weeks 2–4
Improved mind–muscle connection and control through the range; ability to increase load or reps modestly and begin to see early signs of muscle tone and endurance.
- 3
Months 2–3
Noticeable increases in hamstring size and single-joint strength, greater confidence using heavier sets, and clearer carryover to activities that rely on knee flexion.
- 4
Months 4–6
Meaningful hypertrophy and strength gains in the hamstrings, improved muscular balance relative to the quads, and the ability to use the exercise strategically in higher-volume programs.
- 5
6+ months
Sustained increases in posterior-chain development and appreciable carryover to compound lifts and athletic movements, with progress requiring periodized loading, variation, or advanced techniques to continue.
Benefits of the lying leg curl
Directly isolates and overloads the hamstrings, promoting muscle growth in the posterior thigh.
Builds strength of the knee-flexor mechanism, which supports functional movements that involve bending the knee (walking, climbing, cycling).
Adds targeted hypertrophy to the posterior chain, improving muscular balance and lower-body aesthetics when combined with compound lifts.
Low-impact and machine-based execution makes it beginner-friendly and easy to control tempo and range of motion for safe progression.
Improves muscular endurance of the hamstrings, which can carry over to better performance in activities with repeated knee flexion like cycling and sprinting.
Provides secondary stimulation to the calves and is a practical accessory to address hamstring weaknesses that limit performance in compound posterior-chain exercises.
Exercises that pair with this
Same muscles or the same movement pattern — useful for building the rest of the session.
Lying Leg Curl — questions people ask
What muscles does the lying leg curl work?
The lying leg curl trains the hamstrings as the primary target, with the calves working as support. It is a isolation pattern, so it also trains the coordination that pattern needs.
How many sets and reps of the lying leg curl should I do?
Three sets of 8–12 reps with about 90 seconds of rest is a reliable default. Increase the weight once the last rep of every set still looks clean.
Is the lying leg curl good for beginners?
Yes. The lying leg curl is a beginner-friendly movement. Reduce weight and keep the hips down. If it feels like too much, build the pattern on the seated leg curl first.
What can I do instead of the lying leg curl?
Seated Leg Curl, Romanian Deadlift, Band Row all train the same isolation pattern with different equipment, so any of them works when the machine is busy or your gym does not have it.
What are the most common lying leg curl mistakes?
Lifting the hips off the pad; Using momentum to fling the weight. Curl the heels toward your glutes by contracting the hamstrings, pause, then lower under control.
Can I do the lying leg curl at home?
The lying leg curl needs selectorized strength equipment, which most home gyms do not have. The band row trains the same pattern with nothing more than your bodyweight or a band.