Leg curl

3 × 10-12  ·  Equipment: Leg machine

Muscle groups: Legs & glutes

How to do leg curl

1. Lie face down on the machine and place the pad just above your ankles.
2. Align your knees with the machine's pivot point and grab the handles.
3. Keep your hips pressed into the pad through the whole movement.
4. Exhale and bend your knees curling your heels toward your glutes.
5. Squeeze your hamstrings for 1 second at the top without lifting your hips.
6. Straighten your knees slowly back to the start.
7. Don't lock out hard at the end to protect your tendons.

Mistakes to avoid

• Don't lift your hips off the pad when curling; if they rise, the weight is too heavy.
• Don't snap your knees into a hard lockout; protect your knee tendons.
• Control the movement without using your arms for momentum.
• If you feel a pull in your thigh, reduce the load and stop when your form fails.

Progression

• Start with 10-12 reps at a comfortable weight through all 3 sets.
• Increase the load once you complete the full range without lifting your hips.
• Raise time under tension by lowering over 3 seconds.
• Once mastered, combine with hip thrusts or Romanian deadlifts for more development.