Laying Leg Curl

Directions:

Preperation/body position

1. Set correct resistance on weight stack. Alter settings on machine if needed.
2. Stand in-between leg pads and bench.
3. Lay face down on bench, and bring legs up so back of lower leg is under leg pads.
4. Knees should be just past the edge of the bench.
5. Hold onto handles on either side of the bench for greater support.
6. *Please read specific instructions on the machine being used.*

Excution/Movement

1. Keeping torso flat on bench throughout execution, flex at knee to bring the leg pads up to back of your thighs.
2. Once peak contraction is reached, slowly lower the pads back until a slight stretch of the hamstrings is felt.
3. Repeat for desired amount of repetitions.
4. *Please read specific instructions on the machine being used.*

Comments

The laying leg curl is an exercise that successful isolates the muscles of the hamstrings, plus other upper thigh muscles, via flexion of the knee.

It has become popular for the leg curl to be second choice to the stiff leg deadlifts, when it comes to stimulating the hamstrings. The two exercises target the hamstrings from two totally different planes of resistance, the SLDL recruiting the hamstrings via hip extension, and the leg curl recruiting the hamstrings via knee flexion. Therefore, both exercise can play an integral role for overall development of the hamstrings, and other upper thigh muscles.

For hypertrophy 6-12 reps will likely yield the best results, providing optimal time under tension. This will provide adequate stimulation for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and acute response to anabolic hormone concentrations, compared to that of lower rep ranges.