Leg Curl

Adjust the pad so it sits behind your ankles, then grip the handles to brace your torso. Brace your abs so your hips stay on the seat and your hamstrings are ready to drive the movement.

Curl the pad up as if you’re pulling your heels toward your glutes. Keep your knees from shifting and maintain the feeling of pulling with your hamstrings alone.

Slowly straighten your legs to return. Keep tension even at the bottom and control the speed as you feel your hamstrings lengthen.

Make sure your hamstrings shorten under tension, then lengthen back out. Maintaining hamstring tension through the full range matters more than doing short reps.

If your hips lift or you brace with your lower back, you’ll lose hamstring tension and add stress to your back. Prioritize a stable torso and slow tempo over heavier weight.

Exhale as you curl and inhale as you return. Steady breathing helps reduce the habit of using momentum.

Pause briefly at the top to make the hamstring contraction easier to check. The same principle applies to the seated leg curl: controlling the way down has a major impact on the tension.