Nordic Curl
Kneel down, anchor your ankles, and lower your body toward the floor using nothing but hamstring strength — the Nordic curl is as simple and as savage as bodyweight training gets. Sports science has adopted it widely because eccentric hamstring loading of this kind is linked with fewer hamstring strains in athletes. For lifters, it is a knee-flexion exercise of a difficulty no machine matches.
How to do the nordic curl, step by step
- Kneel on a pad with your ankles anchored — under a loaded bar, a partner's hands, or a Nordic bench.
- Set your body in a straight line from knees to head, hips fully extended.
- Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes, then lower your torso toward the floor as slowly as possible.
- Keep the hips extended throughout — no folding at the waist.
- When the hamstrings can no longer hold you, catch yourself with your hands in a push-up position.
- Push off the floor just enough to help the hamstrings pull you back to the start.
Form cues that fix most reps
Fight for every degree on the way down — a 5-second descent beats three fast falls.
Squeeze the glutes to lock the hips; a straight line from knees to shoulders is non-negotiable.
Use your hands as a spot at the bottom without shame; almost nobody does full clean reps at first.
Common mistakes (and the fix)
Nordic Curl sets and reps
Match the rep range to your goal, not the other way around. These are the standard evidence-based ranges:
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 8–12 | 60–90 sec |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 15–20 | 30–60 sec |
Nordic Curl FAQ
What muscles does the Nordic curl work?
The hamstrings, through brutal eccentric knee flexion, with the calves assisting at the knee and the glutes holding the hips extended. Few exercises overload the lengthening phase of the hamstrings this hard.
Do Nordic curls prevent hamstring injuries?
Research in team-sport athletes has associated regular Nordic curl training with a substantially lower rate of hamstring strains, likely because it builds eccentric strength at long muscle lengths. That is an encouraging pattern, not a guarantee — think of it as one strong tool for resilient hamstrings.
How do I progress if I cannot do a full rep?
Nearly everyone starts with eccentrics only: lower slowly, catch yourself, push back up with your arms. Progress by lengthening the descent, then reducing hand assistance, then adding a band around the chest for help on the way up. 2 to 3 sets of 3 to 6 quality reps is plenty.
More hamstrings exercises
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