How to do the Lever Lying Leg Curl
LegsQuadsMachineBeginner
The lever lying leg curl is a machine-based staple that builds strong, resilient hamstrings with controlled, isolated resistance. Master this movement early and you lay the foundation for athletic legs that perform as well as they look.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Quadriceps
Secondary
GlutesHamstringsCalves
Step-by-step
- Lie face down on the pad, align your knees just off the edge of the roller, and grip the handles firmly.
- Curl the roller toward your glutes in a smooth arc, driving the movement from your hamstrings.
- Pause for one count at peak contraction with your heels close to your glutes.
- Lower the weight slowly and under full control back to the start position without letting the stack drop.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the hips off the pad to gain leverage, which removes hamstring tension and stresses the lower back — keep your pelvis pressed down throughout the entire rep.
- Using a weight so heavy that you cannot complete the curl without swinging — reduce the load and prioritize a full, clean range of motion.
- Rushing the eccentric phase and letting the weight stack slam down — control the descent for at least two seconds to maximise muscle stimulus and reduce injury risk.
Pro tip — Plantarflex your feet, pointing your toes away from you at the top of the curl, to fully shorten the hamstrings across both the knee and hip joints and achieve a deeper, more complete contraction.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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