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Ball Hamstring Curl

A lying leg curl performed by rolling a stability ball toward the hips, training the hamstrings as knee flexors while the glutes hold a bridge.

LegsStability BallLeg curl
GoLightWeight mediaball-hamstring-curl

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

Hamstrings

Secondary

GlutesCalvesCore

Equipment

Stability Ball

Pattern

Leg curl

Setup

  1. 01Lie on your back with heels and lower calves resting on a stability ball.
  2. 02Place the arms flat on the floor at your sides for balance.
  3. 03Brace the core and lift the hips into a straight line from shoulders to heels.

Execution

  1. 01Dig the heels into the ball and curl it toward the hips by bending the knees.
  2. 02Raise the hips as the ball comes in so the body stays in one line from shoulders to knees.
  3. 03Pause briefly with the feet flat on top of the ball.
  4. 04Roll the ball back out under control until the legs are straight, keeping the hips up.

Checkpoints

  • -Hips stay lifted for the entire set, including the rollout.
  • -The ball travels in a straight line, not drifting side to side.
  • -The curl comes from the knees bending, not the hips hiking.
  • -Shoulders and arms stay relaxed on the floor.

Common mistakes

  • -Dropping the hips between reps.
  • -Rushing the eccentric and letting the ball shoot away.
  • -Using too small a range so the knees barely bend.
  • -Overarching the lower back at the top of the curl.

Programming notes

  • -Use 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps; the instability makes low reps unproductive.
  • -Progress to single-leg curls once 15 clean two-leg reps are easy.
  • -Works well as a hamstring finisher or a machine-free leg-curl substitute.

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