How to do it · start and finish
Left is the start. Right is the finish. Match the shape, then add load.
Hinge
Lying Leg Curl
Hamstring isolation. Control the return — that is where the work and the risk both live.
beginnerCult Gym floor
Hamstrings · Machine
How to handle weight
8–15. The last reps should slow. If you need to yank, drop a plate.
Usual programming
3 × 8–15 after the main hinge.
Caution
Hips stay on the pad. Do not yank the stack with a hip hinge. Control the return — the hamstring tear risk is on the way down.
Setup
Hips on the pad, Achilles under the roller, curl toward the glutes, lower slow.
Cues
- Hips stay down
- Full squeeze
- Three seconds down
- Don’t yank the stack
Common mistakes
- Hips hinging off the pad
- Using momentum
- Slamming the return
- Too much load on a cold hamstring
Home swap
Slider or towel leg curl on a wooden floor
