Seated Leg Curl

Lean back against the backrest, line up your knee joint with the machine's axis, and set the ankle pad. Start with your knees slightly bent so your hamstrings are already lengthened.

Pull your heels down to curl the pad up. Keep your thighs pressed into the seat and focus only on squeezing your hamstrings.

Slowly straighten your knees to return to the starting position. Feel your hamstrings lengthen fully, but control the speed so the pad doesn't drop.

Make sure your hamstrings squeeze harder from a lengthened position. You may feel a stronger stretch here than on a lying curl, so controlling the lowering phase is especially important.

If your torso lifts or you brace with your lower back, your hamstrings do less work. Even if you shorten the range, prioritize keeping your pelvis fixed and moving slowly.

Exhale as you curl and inhale as you extend. Keeping the same breathing pattern each rep helps you get a stronger squeeze at the top.

At the bottom, take 1 second to feel your hamstrings lengthen before you start the next rep. It's easy to chase too much weight here, so focus on the muscle tension before adding load.