Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Single-Leg Lying Leg Curl
The single-leg lying leg curl trains your hamstrings by bending one knee at a time against machine resistance. Working each side separately prevents your stronger leg from taking over.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Adjust the machine so your working knee aligns with its pivot when you lie face down.
- Set the roller to rest across your lower calf, just above your heel.
- Lie face down with your working leg beneath the roller.
- Position your nonworking leg clear of the moving lever.
- Grasp the handles.
- Curl your working heel toward your buttocks through your comfortable range.
- Lower the roller until your knee is nearly straight.
Form cues
- Keep both hips heavy on the pad.
- Keep your ankle relaxed.
- Make the lowering phase slow.
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower backGently brace your abdomen to keep your back from arching as you curl.
- Swinging the weightReduce the load until you can reverse direction without bouncing.
- Twisting the working legKeep your knee pointing into the pad rather than turning it inward or outward.
Safety
Poor machine alignment or forcing the curl under excessive load can irritate your knee or strain your hamstring. The moving lever can also catch your free leg.
- Check that the machine permits single-leg use before starting.
- Test the movement with a light load before your working sets.
- Stop the set if you feel sharp pain or sudden pulling behind your thigh.
- Let the weight stack settle before switching legs.
If you have a current knee or hamstring injury, ask a physiotherapist about an appropriate load and range of motion.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Lying Leg Curl Machine
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps per leg
- Rest
- 1 min
Start with your weaker leg and match its repetitions with your stronger leg.