The knee bends
A leg curl changes the angle at the knee. Seated and lying curls share that action, while putting the hip in different positions. [4]
Examples: seated curl, lying curl, stability-ball curl.
Train the back of your thighs
Hamstring Exercises
Give your hamstring training two jobs: bending the knee, as in a leg curl, and extending the hip, as in a Romanian deadlift. The muscles at the back of your thigh help with both actions. Choosing one exercise for each is a practical way to organize your training. [1]
Start with the movement map, compare setups, then use the short example session. The research sections explain what a muscle-growth study and an injury-prevention study can tell you before you choose a favorite exercise.
Start with the joint that moves
Your hamstrings are the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus. They sit behind the thigh and contribute to knee bending and hip extension. The dedicated hamstring anatomy guide is in preparation. [1]
The hip straightens
A Romanian deadlift uses a hip hinge: the hips move back and then extend as you stand. ACE describes versions with a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. [7]
Examples: Romanian deadlift, dumbbell Romanian deadlift.
Use these as two slots when selecting exercises. Adding another hinge changes the exercise, but it still leaves you without a knee-curl slot. This is a planning aid, not a requirement to perform every variation in one session.
Choose by job and setup
Six useful hamstring exercise options
Each option below has a different setup to consider. These are selection notes; the detailed exercise tutorials are in preparation.
Romanian deadlift
A hinge for the hamstrings and glutes, with a barbell or dumbbells. Read the instructions for your chosen variation before loading it. [7]
Seated leg curl
A machine curl with the hips flexed. It is the seated option in the muscle-growth comparison below. The machine still needs to be adjusted to you. [11]
Lying leg curl
A curl performed prone, meaning lying face down. It also increased hamstring muscle volume in the trial discussed below; it is a valid choice to consider if that is the machine available. [4]
Single-leg Romanian deadlift
ACE describes a version without added weight. Its one-leg setup makes balance part of the choice; a loaded barbell is not its starting requirement. [8]
Stability-ball hamstring curl
A leg-curl variation that uses a moving ball support while the hips are held up. Check the ball setup and movement instructions rather than treating it as a machine with less weight. [9]
Nordic hamstring curl
The body supplies the load, but the exercise needs secure ankle support and an appropriate kneeling setup. Check the full variation and how you will control it. The athlete-prevention evidence is explained below. [10]
No option matches. Clear the search or reset the filters to show all six.
Seated or lying leg curls: what was actually measured?
Hip position changes the length of the hamstring portions that cross both the hip and knee. The biceps femoris short head crosses the knee only, so the same hip-position argument does not apply to every portion in the same way. [4]
An activation ranking answers a different question
Surface electromyography, or sEMG, records electrical activity during an exercise. A bigger signal in one test does not by itself establish greater muscle growth after months of training. Vigotsky and colleagues' methodological review explains why conclusions about long-term adaptations drawn from these comparisons can be unsupported. [6]
For an exercise choice, consider the task, the setup you can repeat and the outcome a study measured. An MRI growth result, an activation measurement and a sports-injury rate are three different kinds of evidence.
A small hamstring block to build from
This example is for a healthy adult who already knows the movements. It is a hamstring component of a wider training week, not a complete leg program or injury-recovery routine. Start with manageable resistance; Mayo Clinic describes one set of about 12–15 repetitions as a useful starting point for general strength training. [3]
| Slot | Example choice | Starting work |
|---|---|---|
| Hip extension | Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 1 controlled set of about 12–15 repetitions |
| Knee flexion | Seated or lying machine curl | 1 controlled set of about 12–15 repetitions |
Recover enough between exercises to keep the next set controlled. Leave a full day before training the same muscle group again, and learn unfamiliar technique with a qualified fitness professional. [3]
Progress the curl and hinge separately
Record the resistance and repetitions for each. As a chosen weight becomes easy, increase it gradually while keeping the movement controlled. The curl stack and the dumbbells do not have to change on the same day. [3]
ACSM's 2026 review supports progressive resistance training for healthy adults. For maximal strength, its findings favored heavier loads and at least two sessions weekly; higher weekly volume favored muscle growth. Its finding for growth at ten or more weekly sets per muscle group is about optimizing training outcomes; it is not a starting quota for someone learning two new exercises. Training to momentary muscle failure did not consistently improve outcomes. [2]
The progression guide is in preparation. For the wider plan, use our leg-exercise guide and program guide.
Hamstring exercises at home: check what is missing
With dumbbells
A dumbbell Romanian deadlift gives you a loaded hinge option. ACE also describes learning the standing hinge without weight before adding external resistance. Having the hinge covered still leaves the knee-flexion choice to make. [7]
Without weights or machines
ACE's unweighted single-leg Romanian deadlift offers a hinge variation, and the ball curl offers knee-flexion work if you have a suitable ball. A Nordic uses bodyweight but still requires its particular support setup; “bodyweight” does not mean that every home space is ready for it.
For a gentler illustration of the knee-bending action, AAOS shows a standing hamstring curl with a chair or wall for balance in its knee-conditioning program. That program is intended to be chosen with a doctor or physical therapist after injury or surgery. Its rehabilitation schedule is not the muscle-building schedule in this article. [12]
With bands or a cable station
Read the instructions for the exact exercise and attachment you intend to use. Use the planned equipment collections to find the right variation as its guide becomes available.
- Bodyweight hamstring exercises
- Dumbbell hamstring exercises
- Barbell hamstring exercises
- Hamstring machine exercises
- Kettlebell hamstring exercises
- Cable hamstring exercises
- Band hamstring exercises
- Smith-machine hamstring exercises
- Trap-bar hamstring exercises
Nordic curls and runners: prevention is a specific question
A 2019 systematic review included 15 studies and 8,459 athletes. Programs containing the Nordic hamstring exercise had fewer hamstring injuries than control programs, with a pooled risk ratio of 0.49. That is roughly half the relative risk across the studies, not a promise about one person's next run. [5]
The evidence concerns prevention programs in athletes across different sports and age groups. It does not establish that an unsupervised Nordic session treats a newly pulled hamstring, nor does it tell every recreational runner the same dose to begin with. Your running exposure, current training and any injury history belong in that decision.
If you want to include Nordics, learn a variation and support setup you can control. For pain or a recent injury, get an appropriate rehabilitation plan before importing an athlete-prevention exercise into your routine.
Three ways to make the plan clearer
- Check coverage before adding another exercise. Several hinge variations still share a hip-extension role. A curl gives the knee-flexion slot its own exercise.
- Keep the training record useful. Compare the same exercise and setup over time. If the resistance makes you change the movement to finish a set, reconsider the load rather than counting the altered repetition as the same task. [3]
- Match the claim to its evidence. Muscle activation is not a muscle-growth forecast, and prevention in athletes is not a diagnosis or a rehabilitation prescription.
A painful or pulled hamstring changes the next step
Stop sport or exercise if it brings on hamstring pain. The NHS describes a hamstring injury as sometimes causing sharp pain at the back of the leg, with a snap or pop in more severe cases. Swelling, bruising and difficulty standing or walking can follow. [13]
Seek prompt medical advice for severe or worsening pain, substantial or worsening swelling or bruising, pain when walking or standing, marked stiffness, or symptoms that are not improving. A physiotherapist may be needed if recovery takes longer than expected or you have had previous hamstring injuries. [13]
Older adults, women and people returning after a break
A group label does not choose the load or balance demands for you. Current resistance-training guidance emphasizes individual goals, abilities and a routine you can maintain. If a health condition or safety concern changes what you can do, discuss the starting plan with a healthcare professional. [14] [3]
Can walking strengthen the hamstrings?
Walking uses the hamstrings, but that alone does not give you a progression plan for muscle growth. Keep the purpose of your walking and your resistance work clear, then adjust the training challenge to the outcome you want. [1] [2]
Compare the task before choosing a substitute
Check whether a proposed replacement fills your curl slot or your hinge slot, then look at its equipment and setup. These comparison and alternative guides are in preparation.
Movement comparisons
- Conventional Deadlift vs Romanian Deadlift
- Romanian Deadlift vs Stiff Leg Deadlift
- Conventional Deadlift vs Sumo Deadlift
- Conventional Deadlift vs Trap Bar Deadlift
- Conventional Deadlift vs Stiff Leg Deadlift
- Conventional Deadlift vs Kettlebell Swing
- Conventional Deadlift vs Rack Pull
- Lying Leg Curl vs Seated Leg Curl
- Glute Ham Raise vs Nordic Curl
Alternative exercises
- Conventional Deadlift Alternatives
- Romanian Deadlift Alternatives
- Good Morning Alternatives
- Sumo Deadlift Alternatives
- Lying Leg Curl Alternatives
- Single Leg Romanian Deadlift Alternatives
- Glute Ham Raise Alternatives
- Trap Bar Deadlift Alternatives
More exercise guides in preparation
The main choices above are explained on this page. The detailed guides in the lists below are still being prepared; their titles become links when the guides are available.
Exercise topics grouped by equipment
Bodyweight (86)
- Downward Facing Dog
- Lying Hamstring Stretch
- Standing Hamstring Stretch
- Nordic Curl
- Pyramid Pose
- Seated Forward Bend
- Toe Touch Stretch
- 3 Legged Dog
- Bodyweight Ball Straight Hip Leg Curl
- Bodyweight Deadlift
- Bodyweight Glute Ham Raise Head
- Bodyweight Glute Ham Raise Hips
- Bodyweight Good Morning
- Bodyweight Single Leg 45 Hyperextension
- Bodyweight Single Leg Deadlift
- Bodyweight Single Leg Hanging Hamstring Bridge
- Bodyweight Staggered Waiters Bow
- Bodyweight Stick Assisted Good Morning
- Bodyweight Waiters Bow
- Bosu Ball Curl
- Crossover Toe Touch
- Crossover Toe Touch Stretch
- Deadlift Bounces Stretch
- Down Dog
- Downward Dog Toe to Heel
- Downward Facing Dog Single Leg
- Downward Upward Dog
- Elbow Clasp Forward Fold
- Forward Bend Hold
- Forward Bends
- Forward Fold
- Gliding Leg Curl
- Gliding Leg Curl Single Leg
- Half Kneeling Hip Hinge
- Half Split
- Hamstring Bridge with Elevated Legs Box Bilateral
- Hamstring Bridge with Elevated Legs Box Unilateral
- Hamstring Bridge Isometric Open Angle
- Hamstring Curl 1 Supine Single Leg Slider
- Hamstring Curl 2 Supine Single Leg Slider
- Hamstring Curl Eccentric Supine Bilateral Sliders
- Hamstring Curl Standing Bodyweight Single Leg
- Hamstring Curl Standing Isometric Bodyweight Single Leg
- Hamstring Curl Supine Bilateral Slider
- Hamstring Stretch Dynamic Standing Bilateral
- Hamstring Stretch Dynamic Supine Alternating
- Hamstring Stretch Seated Single Leg
- Hamstring Stretch Seated Single Leg Isometric
- Hamstring Stretch Static Standing Single Leg
- Hamstring Stretch Supine Dynamic
- Hamstring Stretch Supine Glide
- Hamstring Stretch Supine Static
- Hamstrings Stretch Variation Four
- Hamstrings Stretch Variation One
- Hamstrings Stretch Variation Three
- Hamstrings Stretch Variation Two
- Head to Knee
- Hurdler Stretch
- Lying Toe Touch
- Modified Hurdler's Stretch
- Nordic
- Partner Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl
- Pilates Arms Pulling Straps Plow Prone on the Box
- Posture Kick
- Prone Lying Hamstrings Curl
- Pyramid Pose Blocks
- Razor Curl
- Reclined Big Toe Pose
- Seated Floor Hamstring Stretch
- Seated Forward Fold
- Seated Hamstring Stretch
- Seated Toe Touches
- Single Downward Dog
- Single Leg Hamstring Stretch
- Single Leg Slider Hamstring Curl
- Single Leg Valslide Leg Curl
- Sit and Reach
- Sit and Reach Legs Open
- Slider Hamstring Curl
- Standing Forward Bend
- Standing Forward Bend Blocks
- Supine Hamstrings Stretch
- Two Leg Hamstring Stretch
- Valslide Leg Curl
- Walk Your Downward Dog
- Hip Hinge Drill
Barbell (54)
- Conventional Deadlift
- Romanian Deadlift
- Good Morning
- Sumo Deadlift
- Jefferson Deadlift
- Seated Good Morning
- Single Leg Barbell Romanian Deadlift
- Barbell Single Leg Deadlift
- Deficit Deadlift
- Pause Deadlift
- Staggered Deadlift
- Stiff Leg Deadlift on Bench
- Straight Leg Deadlift
- American Deadlift
- B Stance Romanian Deadlift
- Barbell Banded Deadlift
- Barbell Banded Romanian Deadlift
- Barbell Block Conventional Deadlift
- Barbell Coan Deadlift
- Barbell Conventional Pause Deadlift
- Barbell Deficit Conventional Deadlift
- Barbell Glute Ham Raise
- Barbell High Bar Good Morning
- Barbell Low Bar Good Morning
- Barbell One Arm Side Deadlift
- Barbell Pin Off Good Morning
- Barbell Reverse Deadlift
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift From Deficit
- Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift Wide Stance
- Barbell Straight Back Straight Leg Deadlift
- Barbell Suitcase Deadlift
- Barbell Sumo Pause Deadlift
- Barbell Sumo Romanian Deadlift
- Barbell Zercher Good Morning
- Behind the Back Deadlift
- Conventional Block Pull Deadlift
- Fat Bar Deadlift
- Good Morning Off Pins
- Mid Shin Stiff Legged Barbell Deadlift
- One Leg Good Morning
- Pause Sumo Deadlift
- Reeves Deadlift
- Reverse Band Deadlift
- Reverse Band Sumo Deadlift
- Single Arm Single Leg Romanian Dead Lift
- Single Leg Romanian Dead Lift
- Single Legged Romanian Deadlift
- Staggered Stance Barbell Romanian Deadlift
- Stiff Legged Barbell Deadlift
- Stiff Straight Leg Deadlift
- Sumo Block Pull Deadlift
- Sumo Deficit Deadlift
- V Squat Good Morning
- Zercher Deadlift
Dumbbells (29)
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- Dumbbell Deadlift
- Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
- Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift
- Dumbbell Hamstring Curl
- Dumbbell Staggered Deadlift
- Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift on Bench
- Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift
- Dumbbell Cross Body Romanian Deadlift
- Dumbbell Deadlift to Press
- Dumbbell Goblet Good Morning
- Dumbbell Half Kneeling Goblet Romanian Deadlift
- Dumbbell Half Kneeling Romanian Deadlift
- Dumbbell Leg Curl
- Dumbbell One Arm Single Leg Bicep Curl on Stability Ball
- Dumbbell Seated Good Morning
- Dumbbell Single Leg Single Arm Deadlift
- Dumbbell Single Leg Stiff Leg Deadlift
- Dumbbell Staggered Waiters Bow
- Dumbbell Straight Back Straight Leg Deadlift
- Dumbbell Waiters Bow
- One Leg Deadlift
- One Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
- Single Dumbbell Deadlift
- Single Leg Deadlift 1 Box Support
- Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift to Press
- Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- Single Leg One Dumbbell Deadlift
- Staggered Stance Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Machines (27)
- Seated Leg Curl
- Lying Leg Curl
- Glute Ham Raise
- Hamstring Curl
- Standing Leg Curl
- Single Leg Seated Leg Curl
- Single Leg Curl
- Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Squat Lunge Romanian Deadlift
- Hamstring Curl One Leg
- Leg Bicep Curl
- Lever Bent Over Leg Curl
- Lever Kneeling Leg Curl
- Lever Single Leg Seated Leg Curl Hammer
- Lever Straight Back Straight Leg Deadlift
- Lying Leg Curl Two Leg Concentric Single Leg Eccentric
- Machine Kneeling Leg Curl
- Machine Leg Curl Prone
- Machine Plate Loaded Kneeling Hamstring Curl
- Machine Seated Hamstring Curl
- Machine Standing Hamstring Curl
- Pilates Feet Pulling Straps Hamstring Curl Prone on the Long Box
- Pilates Hamstring Curl Prone
- Prone Machine Single Leg Curl
- Single Leg Machine Hamstring Curl
- Single Lying Leg Curl
- Step Box Leg Curl
- V Squat Machine One Leg Deadlift
Kettlebells (23)
- Kettlebell Deadlift
- Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
- Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift
- Kettlebell Deadlift Single
- Kettlebell Staggered Deadlift
- Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift
- Double Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift
- Double Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift
- Kettlebell Conventional Deadlift Double
- Kettlebell Deadlift to Press
- Kettlebell Goblet Good Morning
- Kettlebell Half Kneeling Goblet Romanian Deadlift
- Kettlebell Half Kneeling Romanian Deadlift
- Kettlebell Mabu Stance Deadlift
- Kettlebell Staggered Deadlift Single
- Kettlebell Staggered Waiters Bow
- Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift
- Kettlebell Waiters Bow
- Kickstand Kettlebell One Leg Deadlift
- One Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift
- Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift to Press
- Single Leg Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
- Staggered Stance Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
Cables (17)
- Cable Hamstring Curl
- Cable Standing Leg Curl
- Cable Assisted Nordic Leg Curl
- Cable Bar Romanian Deadlift
- Cable Bar Staggered Romanian Deadlift
- Cable Elevated Deadlift
- Cable Good Morning Extension
- Cable Lying Leg Curl
- Cable Romanian Deadlift
- Cable Seated Leg Curl
- Cable Single Leg Deadlift
- Cable Single Leg Lying Leg Curl
- Cable Straight Back Straight Leg Deadlift
- Cable Zercher Good Morning
- Lying Cable Hamstring Curl
- One Leg Lying Cable Hamstring Curl
- Standing Cable Hamstring Curl
Resistance bands (15)
- Band Good Morning
- Band Deadlift
- Band Hamstring Curl
- Band Romanian Deadlift
- Assisted Inverse Leg Curl Bands
- Band Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl
- Band Hamstring Stretch
- Band Leg Curl
- Band Single Leg Curl
- Band Standing Good Morning
- Banded Glute Ham Raise
- Banded Multi Directional Toe Touch
- Banded Sumo Deadlift
- Mini Band Single Leg Deadlift
- Staggered Stance Band Romanian Deadlift
Medicine ball (7)
- Med Ball Deadlift to Press
- Med Ball Romanian Deadlift
- Med Ball Sumo Deadlift
- Medicine Ball Deadlift
- Single Leg Med Ball Deadlift to Press
- Single Leg Med Ball Romanian Deadlift
- Staggered Stance Med Ball Romanian Deadlift
Stability ball (11)
- Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
- 2 1 Ball Hamstring Curl
- Ball Hamstring Curl
- Single Leg Ball Leg Curl
- Stability Ball Hamstring Contract Relax
- Stability Ball Hamstring Curl to Bridge
- Stability Ball Hamstring Curl Single Leg
- Stability Ball Hamstring Stretch
- Stability Ball Single Leg Curl
- Stability Ball Single Leg Hamstring Stretch
- Stability Ball Standing Hamstring Stretch
Weight plate (11)
- Plate Staggered Deadlift
- Plate Deadlift
- Plate Good Morning
- Plate Good Morning Anterior
- Plate Pinch Grip Deadlift
- Plate Resisted Glute Ham Raise
- Plate Single Leg Deadlift
- Plate Single Leg Pinch Grip Deadlift
- Plate Staggered Pinch Grip Deadlift
- Plate Staggered Waiters Bow
- Plate Waiters Bow
Smith machine (10)
- Smith Machine Deadlift
- Smith Machine Stiff Leg Deadlift
- Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift
- Smith Machine Staggered Deadlift
- One Leg Smith Machine Deadlift
- Smith Good Morning
- Smith Machine Good Morning
- Smith Machine Sumo Deadlift
- Smith Machine Sumo Romanian Deadlift
- Smith Straight Back Straight Leg Deadlift
Trap bar (8)
- Trap Bar Deadlift
- Trap Bar Deficit Deadlift
- Trap Bar Romanian Deadlift
- Barbell Trap Bar Deadlift
- Trap Bar Deadlift Against Chains
- Trap Bar Pause Deadlift
- Trap Bar Single Leg Deadlift
- Trap Bar Staggered Romanian Deadlift
Other setups (6)
- Assisted Hamstring Raise Self
- Conventional Deadlift Against Chains
- Lying Hamstrings Curl
- Standing Hamstrings Curl
- Weighted Glute Ham Raise
- Weighted Straight Leg Toe Touch
Suspension trainer (5)
- TRX Hamstring Curl
- Suspended Hanging Leg Curl
- Suspended Leg Curl
- Suspended Straight Hip Leg Curl
- TRX Reg Hamstrings Curl
Foam roller (5)
- Hamstring Foam Roll
- Hamstring Mobilisation Seated Lacrosse Ball
- Hamstring Roller
- Hamstring Tiger Tail
- Hand Roller Hamstring
Landmine (4)
- Landmine Romanian Deadlift
- Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
- Landmine Staggered Romanian Deadlift
- Landmine Sumo Deadlift
EZ bar (2)
- EZ Bar Romanian Deadlift
- EZ Bar Stiff Leg Deadlift
Sources and review
- Cleveland Clinic: Hamstring Muscles (reviewed March 23, 2025). Anatomy and function.
- Currier BS, et al. ACSM's 2026 position stand on resistance-training prescription. Overview of reviews in healthy adults; PubMed abstract. PMID 41843416.
- Mayo Clinic: Strength training—get stronger, leaner, healthier (June 5, 2026). Starting load, repetitions, technique and recovery.
- Maeo S, et al. Seated versus prone leg-curl training and hamstring muscle growth (2021). Full study, including participants, training protocol and MRI outcomes. PMID 33009197.
- Van Dyk N, et al. Nordic hamstring exercise in athlete injury-prevention programs (2019). Systematic review and meta-analysis; PubMed abstract. PMID 30808663.
- Vigotsky AD, et al. Interpreting surface EMG signal amplitudes in sport and rehabilitation research (2018). Methodological review; PubMed abstract. PMID 29354060.
- ACE: The Romanian Deadlift (May 2025). Hip-hinge role and equipment variations.
- ACE: Single-leg Romanian Deadlift. Unweighted version and balance setup.
- Muscle & Strength: Exercise-ball Leg Curl. Ball-supported variation and equipment.
- Muscle & Strength: Nordic Hamstring Curl. Specific support requirements.
- Muscle & Strength: Seated Leg Curl. Machine setup.
- AAOS: Knee Conditioning Program. Doctor-supervised rehabilitation context and standing hamstring-curl example.
- NHS: Hamstring Injury (reviewed July 28, 2025). Symptoms, when to seek help and rehabilitation context.
- ACSM: Updated resistance-training guidance (March 17, 2026). Individual goals, abilities and a sustainable routine.
Written with AI assistance by the Fitness Instructor AI Editorial Team. Updated . A qualified trainer review has not yet been recorded. Read our editorial policy.