The standing version requires you to focus only on one leg at a time. The Nordic hamstring curl is a versatile exercise that can help you build bigger, stronger legs! Get access to the latest health and fitness insights, tools and special offers to keep your career moving. Curl the right leg up without Strength training offers numerous compound exercises that target the major muscle groups of the lower body. Alternative Names: Lying leg curl, prone leg curl, hamstring leg curl, pronated leg curl Type: Strength Experience Level: Beginner Equipment: Machine Muscles Targeted: Hamstrings Mechanics: Isolation Average Number of Sets: 3-4 with 10-15 reps each Variations: Seated, standing, stability ball, dumbbell, and banded leg curls Alternative: Deadlift, glute-ham raise First, they target your hamstrings, just like the leg curl. © 2021 (101Exercise.com). Variability adds another wrinkle, in that you don’t have to choose one over the other permanently. This configuration doesn’t guide your form, forcing you to focus on finding the correct angle for the curl and executing it identically for each repetition. All rights reserved. The seated leg curl machine is a rigid, lever-activated apparatus that uses stacked weight plates to provide counterbalanced resistance. Athletes and advanced lifters may find that the variance available with the standing version provides a more thorough exercise. An alternative to the seated leg curl, the lying leg curl will work the hamstrings, glutes, shines, and calves. The decision of which leg curl machine is best depends on your goals. This setup includes a flat bench to lie down on with a levered lifting bar at the end. These leg curl alternatives can be done at the gym or even at home in some cases. The mechanics that provide the resistance are similar, but the machine is free form, requiring you to brace yourself against the machine or the wall while balancing on one foot and curling with the opposite leg. Your email address will not be published. Weights get added to the bar or, if this is a cable machine, the pin can be moved to change the resistance. While the gliding leg curl doesn’t require a standard leg curl machine, it does require a barbell with multiple pin attachments and a standard weight bench. There are alternatives to leg curls … Here’s how to do it: Start in a kneeling position with your feet anchored down firmly. Buttock Lift. Place the pulley on the lowest height setting and attach the ankle strap to your leg. Athletes perform this exercise to increase their balance and strength thereby improving sports performance. Leg raises have as many variations as ice cream has flavors. If you like Good Mornings or barbell work in general, another leg curl alternative would be the stiff legged deadlift (sometimes called the Romanian deadlift). Single-leg deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, kettlebell swings and a horse stance are four great exercises for alternatives to … Popular for building strong and shapely hamstrings, the leg curl machine never goes astray in any serious lower body workout regime. Set up for the Make Exercise 5: Lying Leg Raises. The deadlift is a common weightlifting exercise. The forward lunge does not have a powerful impact on your body as the reverse lunges do. Read Next. This lying leg curl substitute can easily be done by utilizing a dumbbell. Even a barbell works. Each form of the leg curl presents two distinct differences based on the available equipment. left leg is on the machine pad. Why is the Reverse Nordic Curl a Good Leg Extension Substitute? Leg Curl Alternatives Now we’ve seen some variations on the traditional leg curl, let’s look at some alternative movements that will stimulate your hamstrings and posterior chain through a mixture of different stimuli and angles. His work has been published by the Santa Fe Writers Project, "DASH Literary Journal," the "Inland Valley Daily Bulletin" and WiseGEEK. Leg Curl. and stretch your legs fully with the torso bent. If you’re going to be standing in a queue to use any machine at the gym, it’s likely to be the leg curl machine. But, because stopping the movement kills off momentum completely, you will get the main benefit a preacher curl. You’ll actually be lying supine, holding onto the barbell during this movement so your forearms are added to the list of muscles worked. Standing Leg Curl. 5 Leg Machine Alternatives to Tone Your Legs The Path. 13 Seated & Lying Leg Curl Alternatives (You Can Do at Home) Leg Press Vs Hack Squat: The Quest For Maximum Quadriceps Hypertrophy. The preacher curl is a great bicep isolation workout. Adding or removing resistance from the sissy squat is not so easy. Swapping out the seated for the standing version every other week allows you to reap the benefits of both machines. First, the seated lever machine gives you the option to curl with one leg or both legs. We could go on for some time about the benefits of the reverse Nordic curl. This is a very basic abdominal workout that has evolved over time to include different isolating movements and contractions. Hold the side handles of the leg curl machine sure that the lever pad is on the back of the right leg while the knee of the The standing version engages a broader network of muscles in your legs, back and neck to keep you upright. This configuration concentrates the stress of the lift directly on the hamstrings. A leg curl can be done while lying down, standing, and even while seated. The cyclist squat, or quad squat, is another leg extension alternative. Your feet are placed close together and your heels are raised. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. You’ll actually be lying supine, holding onto the barbell during this movement so your forearms are added to the list of muscles worked. facing forward and bending at your waist at an angle of 30-45 degrees. For the standing leg curl, here you get to work on your legs one after the one. Performing standing leg curls at home will help increase your thigh strength and overall balance. The Leg curl has many variations, such a the lying leg curl machine, and the seated leg curl machine. Tags: leg exercises. About Brian Ward. Face the machine and extend your leg behind you to really target your hamstrings and glutes. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of leg curls (and alternative leg curl options) in detail shortly. What is the Best Standing Leg Curl Alternative? This exercise is not always the easiest for many people -- your hamstrings and ankles might not be accustomed to lifting heavy objects. Why People Do Leg Curl Alternatives One of the main reasons is some people prefer to do their workouts at home rather than getting a gym membership. standing leg curl by stacking lighter weights on the leg curl machine and Substitution #1: Dumbbell Lying Leg Curl Shop: Exercise Mat. The other distinct difference is muscle engagement. Attach a resistance band at knee height to an immovable object in front of you. The seated version allows you to focus entirely on the hamstrings, as the machine provides all necessary balance and support. Leg Curl Exercise Information. One of the best alternatives to using the leg curl machine when it comes to training your hamstrings is the stiff-legged deadlifts. This is one of the most convenient of all the leg curl alternatives. You are not going to use a lot of weight in this exercise, but it will heat your adductor muscles (the inside of your thigh) more than any other. The leg curl is the easiest option for targeting the hamstrings. You will then certainly ace at this leg curl alternative! All rights reserved. Single Leg Hip Thrusts It can be included in your leg routine or performed as a part of your overall workout routine. The forgotten exercise of old-school bodybuilding. Think of it as the dumbbell leg curl. It can be included in your leg routine or performed as a part of your overall workout routine. © 2019 www.azcentral.com. Alternative dynamic hamstring exercises include standing long jumps, squat jumps, band pull-throughs and power cleans. Move your right leg back to the initial position and Serious Strength Training; Tudor O. Bompa, et al. The range of motion for the sissy squat is a bit longer if you touch your hamstrings to your calves. One benefit of these is that you only need a set of dumbbells and does not require any special machines or other equipment. There are three versions of the leg curl, lying, standing, and seated. Alternative: Floor hamstring raise, barbell stiff leg deadlift The standing leg curl or the single leg hamstring leg curl is a variation of the basic leg curl and a resistance exercise used for strengthening your hamstrings, calves, and butt. The important aspect of this exercise is your back leg. But those lifters that want to isolate one specific muscle, such as the hamstrings, will need an isolation exercise. Also, deadlifts work on your abs, glutes, and posterior trap muscles. Does the Seated Leg Curl Give You Bigger Calves? Here is the how-to: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, while … Lie on the machine, adjusting the height of the lever. Top 10 Lower-Body Exercises for Women to Do at the Gym. Those who want to focus on improving power or endurance for the hamstrings, or who are rehabilitating a hamstring injury, will find that the seated version allows them to concentrate on a narrow fitness goal much more efficiently. The exercise is done using a resistance band or a cable machine. 5. Simply lie down on your back with your arms on the ground for stability or crossed over your chest for a little more difficulty. Using the ankle attachments allows you to try an even wider variety of exercises on the functional trainer machine. The standing leg extension is more easily loaded, which means it's easier to make the exercise lighter or heavier. You work on one leg while being supported by the other leg. The machine guides your form without much variance from repetition to repetition, and it forces you to use one precise motion through both phases of the curl. If you are getting tired of doing the same old leg curls for you hamstring, the good news is that you can still tone the hamstring, the glutes, and the entire leg by engaging in alternative exercises. Alternative Exercises to Leg Curls. The standing hamstring curl primarily targets your hamstrings, as well as your abs as you stabilize your body. Required fields are marked *. Alternative Reverse Lunges. The leg curl is a popular machine at commercial gyms that many people use, and nearly every training program involves one of the variations of the leg curl. Strength Training Anatomy; Frédéric Delavier, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights. Also, there are machines that aid in carrying out a leg curl, and this makes it more fun. Brian Ward is a fitness writer, founder & editor of TheWorkoutDigest. Also known as the leg curl or the natural glute-ham raise, the Nordic hamstring curl is one of the best exercises to strengthen your hamstrings.You can perform this exercise with a partner or with the help of some simple equipment. raising the other leg from the pad. The standing hamstring curl is a bodyweight exercise that tones your hamstring muscles. It isolates the back of the thigh very well with minimal involvement of any other muscle group. This one is more of an alternative to regular biceps curl than to a preacher curl. It’s an ideal workout for improving balance and leg strength. Your email address will not be published. This exercise is sometimes referred to as the reverse leg curl or kneeling leg curl, but for this exercise you’ll need a workout buddy around to hold your feet or you can anchor your feet under a weighted barbell or anything else that is stable. 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