Legs · Machines
Lever Seated Leg Curl
The lever seated leg curl is an isolation machine exercise designed to target the hamstrings from a hip-flexed, pre-stretched position. It is suitable for lifters of all experience levels and best fits into the middle or end of a lower-body workout following compound movements.
How to do it
- Sit on the seated leg curl machine, adjusting the seat and leg pad to fit your body.
- Position the lower leg pad just above your heels and the upper pad on your thighs.
- Secure your feet under the footrests, if available.
- Grasp the handles or the edges of the seat for stability.
- Inhale and brace your core. Exhale as you curl your lower legs towards your buttocks, engaging your hamstrings.
- Curl the legs as far as comfortably possible, focusing on the hamstring muscles.
- Keep the movement controlled and avoid jerky motions.
- Slowly return your legs to the starting position, extending them fully
Common mistakes
- Allowing the hips to rise off the seat during the contraction reduces tension on the hamstrings and transfers stress to the lower back.
- Letting the weight stack slam on the eccentric return eliminates the muscle-building stretch under tension.
- Failing to align the knee joint with the machine's pivot point creates unnecessary shearing stress on the connective tissues.
Tips
- Adjust the backrest so that your knee joints line up precisely with the pivot point of the machine's lever arm.
- Pull up firmly on the hand grips throughout the set to keep your pelvis anchored to the seat.
- Keep your ankles dorsiflexed by pulling your toes toward your shins to prevent calf cramping and isolate the hamstrings.
Sets and reps
For muscle hypertrophy, perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 controlled repetitions, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
Muscles worked
Your coach guides every set
Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.
On a computer? Point your phone's camera here to get the app.
Questions
Is the seated leg curl better than the lying leg curl?
The seated position flexes the hips, which places the hamstrings under greater stretch and generally leads to superior muscle hypertrophy compared to the lying variation.
Can this exercise cause lower back pain?
When the thigh pad is secured correctly and the hips stay planted, lower back stress is minimal. If pain or sharp discomfort occurs, stop the exercise immediately and consult a specialist.
