How do I do hamstring curls at home without a machine?

The best options keep knee flexion in the movement: Nordic curls (kneel, anchor your feet, lower your torso under control), swiss-ball or sliding leg curls, and single-leg glute bridges. The Romanian deadlift with dumbbells also trains the hamstrings hard, but through hip extension rather than knee flexion — useful, but not a direct replacement.

Is the seated or lying leg curl better?

Seated wins for hypertrophy. A 2021 study by Maeo found roughly twice the biceps femoris growth from the seated leg curl versus the lying version over 12 weeks at matched volume. The hip-flexed position loads the hamstring in a stretched position, producing more stimulus per set. If your gym only has a lying machine, it still works — the return per set is just slightly lower.

How many sets and reps of leg curls should I do?

3–4 sets of 8–15 reps, one or two times per week. For hypertrophy, 10–12 reps with a controlled 3-second eccentric works best. For strength, 6–8 reps with heavier load. Aim for 8–14 total weekly sets for the hamstrings, split between the leg curl and a hip-hinge movement like the Romanian deadlift.

Why do I feel leg curls in my calves instead of my hamstrings?

This usually happens when your feet are plantarflexed — toes pointed — during the rep. The gastrocnemius crosses the knee and shortens along with the hamstrings, so it ends up sharing the load. Keep your feet in dorsiflexion (toes pulled toward your shins) for the whole set. That small adjustment takes the calf out of the movement and lets the hamstrings do the work.

Do I still need leg curls if I deadlift?

Yes. The hamstrings have two jobs — bending the knee and extending the hip. Deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts train hip extension hard but barely touch knee flexion. The leg curl is the main exercise that loads that second function. Keeping both a hinge and a curl in your program trains the whole muscle and helps balance knee-joint strength.

Legs

تمرين ثني الأرجل

Q: What muscles does the hamstring curl work?

The hamstring curl isolates the hamstrings — the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus on the back of the thigh — through knee flexion. The calves assist slightly because the gastrocnemius also crosses the knee, and the glutes stay contracted to keep the hips down. The machine removes hip movement, so the hamstrings do nearly all the work.

تمرين فعال لعزل عضلات الفخذ الخلفية.

إجابة سريعة

The hamstring curl is a machine isolation exercise that trains knee flexion against resistance. Lie or sit on the machine, hook your heels over the pad, and curl your legs toward your glutes — moving only at the knee, with your hips pressed flat.

تمرين لعزل وتقوية عضلات الفخذ الخلفية.

شاهد جميع أنواع هذه الحركة

كيفية الأداء نصائح

جزء الجسم: Legs
المستوى: Beginner
,
Intermediate
العضلات: Hamstrings
نوع التمرين: Isolation
الاتجاه: Pull
المعدات: Leg curl machine
الهدف: Hypertrophy
,
Endurance

كيفية الأداء:

1. قم بضبط الجهاز وفقًا لطول ساقيك. 2. استلقِ على الجهاز مع وضع الكاحلين تحت الوسادة المبطنة. 3. امسك بالمقابض الجانبية للحصول على الدعم. 4. قم بثني ساقيك برفع الوزن باستخدام عضلات الفخذ الخلفية. 5. اخفض الوزن ببطء وبحركة محكومة حتى العودة إلى الوضعية الأصلية. 6. كرر التمرين 10-15 مرة لكل مجموعة. 7. قم بأداء 3-4 مجموعات.

نصائح:

- حافظ على استقرار الوركين أثناء التمرين. - تجنب استخدام الزخم وأداء التمرين بحركة بطيئة ومحكمة. - تأكد من محاذاة الركبتين مع محور دوران الجهاز.

الأسئلة الشائعة

أسئلة شائعة عن الأداء والسلامة والمعدات والبدائل لهذا التمرين.

The hamstring curl isolates the hamstrings — the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus on the back of the thigh — through knee flexion. The calves assist slightly because the gastrocnemius also crosses the knee, and the glutes stay contracted to keep the hips down. The machine removes hip movement, so the hamstrings do nearly all the work.