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

Beinbeugen liegend

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.

Effektive Übung zur Isolation der hinteren Oberschenkelmuskulatur.

Kurzantwort

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.

Isolation für hintere Oberschenkel.

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Ausführung Tipps

Körperteil: Legs
Niveau: Beginner
,
Intermediate
Muskeln: Hamstrings
Übungstyp: Isolation
Richtung: Pull
Ausrüstung: Leg curl machine
Ziel: Hypertrophy
,
Endurance

Ausführung:

1. Stellen Sie die Beinbeugemaschine auf Ihre Beinlänge ein. 2. Legen Sie sich flach auf die Maschine und positionieren Sie Ihre Knöchel unter der gepolsterten Stange. 3. Halten Sie die Griffe zur Stabilisierung. 4. Beugen Sie Ihre Beine, indem Sie die hinteren Oberschenkel anspannen. 5. Senken Sie das Gewicht langsam in die Ausgangsposition ab. 6. Wiederholen Sie 10-15 Wiederholungen pro Satz. 7. Führen Sie 3-4 Sätze durch.

Tipps:

- Halten Sie Ihre Hüften während der Übung stabil an der Unterlage. - Führen Sie die Bewegung langsam und kontrolliert aus. - Achten Sie auf die richtige Ausrichtung der Knie mit der Drehachse der Maschine.

FAQ

Häufige Fragen zu Technik, Sicherheit, Geräten und Alternativen für diese Übung.

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.