Machine leg curls are an train all of us like to hate. Mendacity face down on the machine and curling gentle to average weights for top quantity might be exhausting and even liberating, however they’re not proper for everybody.
That’s why we’ve put collectively a listing of the 17 greatest leg curl replacements to higher swimsuit everybody’s talents and wishes.
The 17 greatest leg curl options are:
- Glute Ham Elevate
- Excessive Stance Leg Press
- Hack Squat Good Mornings
- Leg Extension Curls
- 45 Diploma Again Extension
- Romanian Deadlift
- Good Mornings
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- Stiff Legged Kettlebell Swings
- Cable Leg Curl
- Cable Pull By means of
- Banded Leg Curl
- Hamstring Slides
- Swiss Hamstring Ball Curls
- Nordic Curls
- Glute Bridge Walkouts
This record of options for leg curls contains some isolation workouts in addition to workouts to develop the posterior chain as an entire. These workouts embrace machine, dumbbell, barbell, cable, and resistance band workouts so there’s one thing right here for everybody.
On this article, I’ll talk about:
- Why these mendacity hamstring curl options work
- Causes to contemplate leg curl options
- the right way to carry out leg curl options
- Tricks to get probably the most type your leg exercises
Let’s dive in!
What Makes A Good Leg Curl Different?
Leg curls are designed to stimulate the hamstrings, so an excellent various goes to do the identical factor in an alternate means.
The first operate of the hamstrings is to flex (bend) the knee. The hamstrings additionally help in hip extension, and it’s not typically talked about however they assist to increase (straighten) the knee in a weight-bearing place as effectively.
Understanding the features of the hamstrings provides us a good suggestion of what motion patterns might be good options for the hamstring curl. Since their major operate is knee flexion lots of these substitutes for leg curls will revolve round that motion.
The hamstring’s secondary features additionally should be educated, so there will even be loads of hip flexion and weight-bearing knee extension as effectively. However since these are secondary features, not each weight-bearing knee and hip extension train will work.
5 Causes To Contemplate Leg Curl Options
There are lots of causes you could wish to exchange the mendacity hamstring curl with one thing else in your coaching. A few of these causes embrace:
- Your fitness center doesn’t have a mendacity or seated leg curl machine.
- The leg curl machine your fitness center does have appears to at all times be getting used.
- You’re in search of a brand new problem.
- The train will get boring and it’s essential to change up a stale routine.
- The mendacity leg curl is definitely not one of the simplest ways to coach your hamstrings for operate.
All issues thought of, there are a ton of options on the subject of the mendacity leg curl.
When selecting the best workouts we simply should be conscious of the features of the hamstrings to ensure we’re getting probably the most out of them.
The 17 workouts on this article just do that.
Leg Curl Different With Machines
1. Glute Ham Elevate
Whereas these are difficult, they’re one in every of my favourite decrease physique workouts and improbable for coaching your hamstrings. These are additionally an excellent nordic hamstring curl various if you happen to’re in search of an train that’s a slight regression and simpler to carry out.
- Goal: Development and energy
- Prime Rep Vary: 5-8
- Problem: Average to tough
How To Do It
- Set the machine in order that your knees sit towards the entrance pad with the assist pad towards the again of your ankles.
- Get within the machine and begin within the kneeling place.
- Slowly lean ahead and permit your knees to achieve practically full extension whereas sustaining the angle of your hips and torso.
- Take into consideration leg curling the ankle pad in the direction of you to tug your self again as much as the beginning place.
Professional Tip
It is a actually difficult train for everybody, even the excessive degree athletes I work with. Don’t count on to have the ability to do quite a lot of reps (and even any full reps) whenever you first add these into your coaching.
Due to the problem, you could wish to give attention to eccentric (detrimental) reps early on. Go down on a 5-second depend and push your self again up.
I cowl many eccentric rep variations of the glute-ham elevate in my article 12 Glute Ham Elevate Options. Or attempt one other associated article: Again Extension vs Glute Ham Elevate: Variations, Execs, Cons
2. Excessive Stance Leg Press
Whereas the leg press is usually used to focus on your quads, you can also make it way more hamstring targeted by altering your foot placement.
- Goal: Development, energy, or muscle endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 6-15
- Problem: Simple to average
How To Do It
- Decrease the burden down, protecting stress by means of your midfoot and heels.
- Cease whenever you really feel load shift out of your hamstrings to your quads.
- Push again as much as the beginning place protecting pressure by means of your heels.
Professional Tip
One of the simplest ways to know in case your toes are positioned to focus on the hamstrings goes to occur whilst you’re performing the reps. In case your knees go previous your toes on the best way down, you’re going to be extra quad-heavy. In case your shins keep perpendicular to the footplate, or your knees don’t go previous your toes, you may be extra hamstring heavy.
For extra assets on this, take a look at my information on Leg Press Foot Placements.
3. Hack Squat Good Mornings
Barbell good mornings are a better talent motion so many lifters battle to execute them successfully. For the reason that hack squat machine doesn’t deviate from it’s path the best way a barbell can, this motion is ideal for individuals who battle with a barbell.
- Goal: Development and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 12-15
- Problem: Simple to average
How To Do It
- Face the hack squat, setting your toes near the underside of the foot plate and get underneath the machine the other solution to a standard hack squat.
- Hinge backwards as per a standard good morning – take into consideration closing a draw behind you along with your hips.
- Cease when your hips are at 90 levels or sooner if you happen to really feel the load shift out of your hamstrings to your again.
- Push upwards by driving your hips ahead.
Professional Tip
Work by means of a spread of movement the place you are feeling the load in your hamstrings, moderately than your glutes or decrease again. This will imply reducing the vary of movement shorter than common.
Associated Article: Good Morning vs Deadlift: Execs, Cons, Variations
4. Leg Extension Curls
A leg extension machine can operate as a unilateral leg curl so this acts as an excellent various for these with out entry to a regular leg curl machine.
- Goal: Development and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 12-20
- Problem: Simple
How To Do It
- Set the leg pad to the peak of your ankle.
- Stand within the hole between the seat and leg pad going through the seat.
- Press your knee/thigh towards the seat and curl the foot pad upwards like a standard leg curl.
- Management the load again all the way down to full extension.
Professional Tip
Lean ahead and hinge on the hips to elongate the hamstring extra.
Associated Article: Leg Extension vs Leg Curl: Variations, Execs, Cons
5. 45 Diploma Again Extension
Whereas these are sometimes used as a decrease again train, with some execution adjustments you can also make them a viable hamstring train.
- Goal: Development, energy or endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 6-15
- Problem: Simple to average
How To Do It
- Set the hip pad at a peak slightly below your hips.
- Flex on the hips permitting your torso to descend; maintain the place of your torso all through.
- Cease whenever you really feel the load shift out of your hamstrings to your decrease again.
- Lengthen on the hip to convey you again to the beginning place – take into consideration driving your again pockets in the direction of your knees.
Professional Tip
You wish to maintain a impartial backbone and maintain your physique a straight line out of your hip bone all the best way as much as your ears all through this motion. Inform your self to maintain a “proud chest” and have interaction your core. It will maintain the emphasis in your glutes and hamstrings.
Associated Article: Again Extension vs Deadlift: Variations, Execs, Cons
Leg Curl Different With Barbell
6. Standard Deadlift
Standard deadlifts are an effective way to coach your hamstrings with heavier hundreds. When accomplished improperly it might probably really feel like a again train, however when accomplished correctly you must actually really feel it in your hamstrings and glutes.
- Goal: Development and energy
- Prime Rep Vary: 1-6
- Problem: Tough
How To Do It
- To carry from the ground, take into consideration driving your hips ahead whereas your legs push the bottom away.
- Maintain your backbone straight and drive the hips ahead till you’re stood up straight.
- From right here, management the burden again to the bottom.
Professional Tip
Whereas not fully mandatory you must management the burden on the best way down. Many of the harm (resulting in progress) occurs throughout the eccentric/detrimental portion of the carry. So, in case your objective is progress, management the detrimental.
Learn extra: Leg Curls Assist Deadlifts
7. Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is one other staple train in my decrease physique coaching.
These are much like the traditional deadlift however have a larger give attention to the hamstrings total and sometimes use much less load.
These are improbable for coaching the hamstrings, glutes, decrease again and carry over effectively for standard deadlifters.
- Goal: Power, progress and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 6-15
- Problem: Average to tough
How To Do It
- Take a stance round shoulder width aside and maintain the barbell in entrance of you – use straps if grip is a matter as I want to make use of a double overhand right here.
- Permit a slight bend within the knee all through the vary of movement.
- Descend till your torso is parallel to the ground.
- Transfer the bar again up by driving your hips ahead and protecting the bar near your legs.
Professional Tip
Your hamstring size goes to be the speed limiting consider how low you may go together with RDLs. In case you have tight hamstrings simply chip away at barely extra depth each time you do that train. It will result in higher hamstring growth and it’ll additionally improve your flexibility.
Struggling to really feel your hamstrings? Learn our article Can’t Feeling Hamstrings In Romanian Deadlifts? Attempt These 5 Suggestions.
8. Good Morning
Good mornings are nice for lifters that may’t appear to make use of the Romanian deadlift to focus on their hamstrings.
Having the bar in your again makes it simpler to execute these as wanted.
- Goal: Development and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 8-15
- Problem: Average to tough
How To Do It
- Set the bar in your again like a squat with a shoulder width stance.
- Shift your hips again as if you’re closing a draw behind you – permit a slight bend within the knee as you descend.
- Minimize the vary of movement barely above parallel to the ground; or larger if you happen to really feel the loading shift to your again.
- Drive your again into the bar and hips ahead to start out the upwards section of the motion.
Professional Tip
There are a lot of variations to this motion however one which I discover to be the most effective is the security squat bar good morning. Utilizing this bar in lieu of an influence bar lets you give attention to the motion as an alternative of getting to give attention to higher physique positioning.
Uncertain which is greatest for you between an excellent morning and Romanian deadlift? Learn Good Morning Vs Romanian Deadlift: Variations, Execs, Cons.
Leg Curl Different With Dumbbells And Kettlebells
9. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are a variation of RDL’s that permit for a bit bit extra hip extension. A barbell will restrict how far your hips can come ahead on the high, however dumbbells help you obtain full hip extension. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts are greatest accomplished for 3 to 4 units of 6-12 reps.
- Goal: Power, progress and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 6-15
- Problem: Average to tough
How To Do It
- Decide up the dumbbells – I like to recommend utilizing straps as your grip is prone to fail earlier than your hamstrings do.
- Take a stance round shoulder width aside and maintain the dumbbells in entrance of you.
- Start to descend by shifting your hips again as if you’re closing a draw behind you.
- Permit a slight bend within the knee all through the vary of movement.
- Descend till your torso is parallel to the ground.
- Transfer again up by driving your hips ahead and protecting the dumbbells near your legs.
Professional Tip
If you happen to’re new to hinging, take into consideration sitting again in your heels as you descend. It will assist maintain your hips shifting again and stress by means of your hamstrings.
10. Stiff Legged KettleBell Swings
Whereas a conventional kettlebell swing could goal your glutes extra, performing them in a ‘stiff legged’ execution will maintain extra load by means of the hamstrings.
- Goal: Energy/pace and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 6-15
- Problem: Average
How To Do It
- Arrange with a stance barely wider than shoulder width aside – sufficient room for the kettlebell and your arms.
- Sit your hips again permitting the kettlebell to return between your legs whereas protecting your legs straight.
- Drive your hips ahead into full extension and permit the arms and kettlebell to swing ahead on the high.
- Maintain management of the swing movement and provoke every rep along with your hamstrings, moderately than the higher physique.
Professional Tip
Don’t depend on the momentum of the kettlebell to hold you rep to rep, maintain give attention to performing every rep by absolutely extending your hips and contracting your hamstrings.
A slight bend within the knee could make this extra pure than a very stiff leg stance.
Leg Curl Different With Cables
11. Cable Leg Curl
One of many easiest options for a leg curl machine is to set a leg curl up with cables. This is a wonderful dumbbell hamstring curl various that offers you constant stress all through the complete vary of movement.
- Goal: Development and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 12-20
- Problem: Simple
How To Do It
- Add the ankle attachments to the underside of the cable stack.
- Put the ankle attachments round your ankle and lie face down on the ground; give your self room to completely prolong your knees.
- Conserving your hips down into the ground, curl your leg as much as 90 levels.
- Slowly prolong the knee again to the beginning place.
Professional Tip
Cable stacks are nice for drop units – take your regular working set, drop the pin, get as many reps as potential, drop the pin once more, and maintain working your means down the stack.
A improbable solution to improve the amount and depth of a session in a really quick timeframe.
12. Cable Pull By means of
Much like a Romanian deadlift, however a bit simpler to execute for these not so accustomed to hinging.
- Goal: Development and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 12-20
- Problem: Simple
How To Do It
- Set a rope attachment on the backside of a cable stack.
- Stand along with your again to the cable stack and maintain the rope between your legs.
- Take a pair steps out from the stack and take a stance a bit wider than shoulder width aside – this can give your arms room to go between your legs.
- Shift your hips again as if you’re closing a draw behind you.
- Descend till your torso is parallel to the ground.
- Drive your hips ahead to return to the beginning place.
Professional Tip
As you do that motion, remind your self that you simply’re not reaching along with your fingers. This will trigger your again to spherical and take the emphasis away from the hamstrings.
If you’re new to hinging and wish to discover ways to enhance, learn our article Studying How To Hip Hinge Correctly: 11 Hip Hinge Cues.
Leg Curl Different With Bands
13. Banded Leg Curl
Banded leg curls are an excellent various to a regular mendacity hamstring curl for somebody who doesn’t have entry to a cable machine. It is a nice susceptible leg curl various, so consider it because the icing on the cake sort of isolation train.
- Goal: Development and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 15-25 (and even to failure)
- Problem: Simple
How To Do It
- In case you have ankle attachments accessible, add these to the band/bands after which hook the band spherical a squat rack, pillar or perhaps a heavy dumbbell.
- Put the ankle attachments/bands round your ankle and lie face down on the ground – the additional away you lie, the extra stress within the bands.
- Conserving your hips down into the ground, curl your leg as much as 90 levels.
- Slowly prolong the knee again to the beginning place.
Professional Tip
That is an train that’s onerous to progress exterior of quantity progressions. Make the most of this and carry out excessive quantity units to assist improve your work capability.
Leg Curl Different At House
14. Hamstring Slides
These are one in every of my favorites at residence, require no gear, and are more practical than they might appear. They’re an excellent swiss ball leg curl various for somebody who doesn’t have entry to a swiss ball. If you happen to take pleasure in the advantages of swiss ball leg curls, you’ll actually like these.
- Goal: Development and endurance
- Prime Rep Vary: 10-15
- Problem: Simple to average
How To Do It
- Utilizing both a wood or tiled ground with a clean piece of material; a pillowcase or related works effectively.
- Lay along with your again on the ground and cloth underneath your heels. From right here, bridge up by extending on the hips.
- Slide your heels again beneath you, protecting your hips prolonged, till your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
- Slide your legs again out to the beginning place whereas protecting management of the motion along with your hamstrings.
Professional Tip
When you can’t actually add any weight to this train, you may management the tempo. If this turns into too straightforward for you, add in 5 second negatives to extend the problem.
15. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls
If you may get a stability ball at residence, these make a improbable leg curl various. These are an excellent slider hamstring curl various that we simply went over, so you should use these two interchangeably.
- Goal: Development, endurance, and stability
- Prime Rep Vary: 10-15
- Problem: Simple to average
How To Do It
- Lay on the ground with an train ball beneath your heels.
- Lengthen on the hips so that you’re supported in your traps and the ball.
- Curl the ball again underneath you till your knees attain 90 levels.
- Permit your legs to straighten whereas protecting management of the motion to return to the beginning place.
Professional Tip
This train is much like the hamstring slides the place it might be too straightforward for you. If that’s the case you may embrace slower negatives to extend the problem.
16. Nordic Hamstring Curls
This train is the imply step mom of the glute ham elevate. It’s nice for hamstring growth and requires little or no gear or a accomplice to carry your toes.
It’s just about a leg curl the place you curl your body weight as an alternative of a weight stack.
This train is very like the glute ham elevate. It’s a nice energy builder so maintain your quantity between 5-8 reps for 3 units.
- Goal: Power and progress
- Prime Rep Vary: 4-8
- Problem: Very tough
How To Do It
- Kneel on a foam pad or pillow.
- Wedge your legs underneath one thing heavier than you, or have a accomplice maintain your legs down by the ankles.
- Begin with an upright posture and 90 diploma knee bend.
- Descend as near the ground as you may whereas sustaining your hip angle.
- Pull your self again as much as the beginning place by means of your heels.
Professional Tip
I’ve had only a few purchasers who might carry out these with ease. They’re a really onerous train. Chances are you’ll not even have the ability to do one and that’s okay. Your greatest plan of action right here is to regulate the detrimental and push your self up off of the bottom within the backside to finish reps.
Uncertain what the variations are between a glute-ham elevate and Nordic curl are? Learn Glute Ham Elevate Vs Nordic Curl: Variations, Execs, Cons to be taught extra.
17. Glute Bridge Walkouts
Glute bridge walkouts are a beginner-friendly at-home possibility. They’re additionally an excellent train to place into your motion prep previous to squatting or deadlifting. Utilizing this train as a newbie you must begin with average reps between 6-10 for 3 units.
- Goal: Newbie energy and stability
- Prime Rep Vary: 6-10
- Problem: Simple to average
How To Do It
- Lay along with your again on the ground, along with your hips resting, toes pointed up and knees bent to 90 levels.
- Lengthen your hips so that you’re up in your traps and heels, with a 90 diploma knee angle nonetheless.
- Stroll your toes out inch by inch whereas sustaining your hip angle – this can steadily prolong your knee and maintain rising the calls for on the hamstrings.
- Stroll your toes again to the beginning place when you may stroll them out no additional.
Professional Tip
Be sure you maintain your toes pulled up in the direction of your shins so solely your heels are on the bottom. It will maintain the emphasis on the hamstrings and hips as an alternative of the quads and knees.
Learn extra: The Greatest Leg Extension Options
Regularly Requested Questions
How Can I Do Leg Curls With out A Machine?
You may arrange a leg curl with cables, bands, or an train ball. Alternatively, you may prepare the hamstring as a hip extensor utilizing Romanian deadlifts or good mornings.
What Can I Do As a substitute Of A Leg Curl At House?
One of the best at-home leg curl options are the sliding hamstring curl, train ball curl, Nordic curl or glute bridge walkouts. I like to recommend freshmen begin with sliding hamstring curls, whereas extra intermediate and superior lifters attempt Nordic curls.
How Ought to I Heat My Hamstrings Up Earlier than Doing These Workouts?
Begin off the overall portion of your heat up by hopping on a treadmill, a motorbike, an elliptical or simply going for a short 10 minute stroll. Then you are able to do some leg swings, toe grabs, and straight leg marches to get direct blood circulate to the hamstrings.
Can I Actually Goal My Hamstrings And not using a Leg Curl Machine?
You completely can. In actual fact, the hamstrings act at each the knee and the hip so mendacity hamstring machine curls actually aren’t even the most effective train for concentrating on the hamstrings.
What’s the Posterior Chain?
The posterior chain is the group of muscle mass on the again aspect of your physique. It’s mostly used to consult with the glutes, hamstrings and low again muscle mass although.
Why Do Most of These Workouts Use My Glutes and Low Again?
As a result of your hamstrings cross each the hip and the knee joints. To focus on your hamstrings we have to assault them at each joints through hip extension. Hip extension contains the low again and glutes as effectively. Together with them doesn’t take away from the hamstrings, it truly helps them deal with heavier hundreds.
Learn extra: Leg Workouts that Don’t Use Hip Flexors
Different Decrease Physique Options
About The Creator
Jacob Wymer is a powerlifting coach and PhD Candidate in Biomechanics and Power and Conditioning, researching the applying of barbell velocity measurements to powerlifting. He’s concerned in powerlifting throughout the board, from athlete to satisfy director. Jacob runs his teaching companies at EST Barbell. It’s also possible to join with him on Instagram.
