Standing Leg Curl
The Standing Leg Curl is a unilateral lower-body exercise that isolates the hamstrings by flexing the knee while standing upright. It strengthens the posterior chain and helps correct muscle imbalances between the left and right legs.
Because hamstrings are susceptible to fatigue-related injury, the AI analyzes your recent training volume and recovery status to prescribe the optimal intensity for this isolation movement. By tracking performance on each leg individually, the app detects left-to-right strength asymmetries and auto-adjusts reps to ensure balanced development. Additionally, if you have a history of lower back pain, the AI monitors your RPE to ensure you aren't compensating with your lumbar spine during the curl.
Form Cues
- Stand tall and brace your core
- Keep your support knee slightly bent
- Curl your heel specifically towards your glute
- Squeeze the hamstring hard at the top
- Lower the leg slowly and under control
- Don't arch your lower back to lift the leg
- Don't swing your leg using momentum
- Don't let your working knee drift forward
- Don't rotate your hips during the movement
- Don't rush the lowering phase
Common Mistakes
- Hyperextending the lower back
- Using momentum to swing
- Knees drifting apart
- Incomplete range of motion
- Rushing the rep
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the hamstrings through knee flexion, effectively isolating the muscle group without heavy spinal loading. It also engages the glutes and core muscles to maintain an upright, stable posture during the single-leg movement.
Primary
Secondary
Get Personalized Coaching for Standing Leg Curl
Don't guess your way through weights or workouts. Download Iridium for automatic, AI-powered coaching that adapts to your recovery and goals.