Lying Leg Curl (Machine)
The Lying Leg Curl is a machine-based isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings by flexing the knee against resistance while lying face down. It is a fundamental movement for developing posterior chain strength, muscle definition, and knee stability.
Since hamstrings are prone to tightness and injury, the AI analyzes your recovery metrics and previous lifting volume to prescribe safe load limits for this isolation movement. If you report lower back pain, the app recognizes this pattern and can suggest alternatives or adjust the intensity to ensure you stimulate the hamstrings without stressing the spine. Furthermore, by tracking the drop-off in your rep speed and performance relative to your RPE, the AI ensures you are training close enough to failure to trigger hypertrophy without overreaching.
Form Cues
- Align your knee joints directly with the machine's pivot point
- Drive your hips firmly into the bench throughout the entire set
- Squeeze your heels toward your glutes explosively
- Lower the weight slowly for a controlled 2-3 second count
- Keep your toes pulled toward your shins to engage the calves
- Don't lift your hips off the pad as you curl the weight
- Don't jerk the weight up using momentum or body english
- Don't let the weight stack crash down between repetitions
- Don't arch your lower back excessively to complete the rep
Common Mistakes
- Hips rising off the bench
- Knees not aligned with pivot point
- Using momentum instead of muscle
- Shortening the range of motion
- Rushing the lowering phase
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily isolates the three muscles of the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus) through direct knee flexion. It also engages the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) to a lesser degree and requires the glutes to contract isometrically to stabilize the pelvis.
Primary
Secondary
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