Seated Leg Curl (Hamstrings) – Exercise Guide
Muscles worked: Hamstrings
Equipment needed: Seated Leg Curl Machine
Instructions
1. Sit on a seated leg curl machine so that your back is placed on the back pad, the lower leg pad is set a few inches under the calves and secure the lap pad against your thighs.
2. Grab onto the side handles and extend your legs straight forward so that they are a little higher than parallel to the floor.
3. While exhaling, pull the lower leg pad down by flexing at your knees and bring the lower pad as close as possible to the back of your thighs.
4. At the bottom of the movement, your upper and lower legs should form a slightly lower than 90-degree angle.
5. Pause and contract your hamstrings for a couple of seconds.
6. Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled movement.
Caution: Using more weights than you can handle and jerking or using momentum to lift the weights can cause a hamstring tear or a knee sprain.
Repeat for the recommended repetitions.
Variations/How To
Target Your Hamstring From Different Angles
Using a shoulder-width leg position will target the medial hamstrings. You can train your outer hamstrings by keeping your legs next to each other on the lower leg pad. The inner hamstrings can be worked by having a wider-than-shoulder-width leg position.
