Seated Leg Curl

Setup

1. 01Adjust the seat back so the knees align with the machine's pivot point.
2. 02Set the ankle pad against the lower calves just above the heels.
3. 03Lock the thigh pad down snugly over the lower thighs.
4. 04Sit tall, grip the handles, and start with the legs nearly straight.

Execution

1. 01Curl the heels down and under the seat as far as the machine allows.
2. 02Squeeze the hamstrings hard in the fully bent position.
3. 03Return slowly over 2 to 3 seconds toward the straight-leg start.
4. 04Stop just short of the stack touching down between reps.

Checkpoints

• -Hips stay pinned under the thigh pad through the whole rep.
• -Knee joint stays aligned with the machine pivot.
• -The lowering phase is slower than the curl.
• -Full range every rep, from near-straight legs to a hard squeeze.

Common mistakes

• -Lifting the hips off the seat to swing the weight down.
• -Cutting the top of the range and never straightening the legs.
• -Letting the stack slam and rest between reps.
• -Loading too heavy and jerking the pad with the calves.