Seated Leg Curl
Research keeps coming back to the same finding: the seated leg curl grows the hamstrings better than its lying cousin. Sitting with the hips flexed puts the hamstrings on stretch before the curl even begins, so every rep trains the muscle at longer lengths. It isolates knee flexion completely, making it the ideal partner to hip-hinge work like Romanian deadlifts.
How to do the seated leg curl, step by step
- Adjust the seat so your knees align with the machine's pivot and the ankle pad sits just above your heels.
- Lower the thigh pad snugly onto your legs and grip the handles.
- Sit tall — the more upright your torso, the longer the hamstring stretch.
- Curl your heels down and back as far as the machine allows, taking about one second.
- Hold the fully contracted position briefly.
- Return over 2 to 3 seconds to a full stretch without letting the stack slam down.
Form cues that fix most reps
Sit tall and lean slightly forward to stretch the hamstrings even harder.
Pull with your heels, dragging them toward the back of the machine.
Fight the weight on the way back up — the lengthening half of the rep does the most for growth.
Common mistakes (and the fix)
Seated Leg 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 |
How our free programs prescribe it
Legs A3 × 12–15Powerbuilding 5-day
Legs · volume3 × 12–15Power + Hypertrophy U/L
Lower · hypertrophy3 × 12–15
Seated Leg Curl FAQ
What muscles does the seated leg curl work?
The hamstrings, in isolation — all three heads flex the knee, and the seated position adds a hip-flexed stretch that lying curls cannot match. The calves' gastrocnemius assists slightly, but the hamstrings do the real work.
Seated vs lying leg curl — which is better?
Studies comparing the two have found notably more hamstring growth from seated curls, because the flexed hips train the muscle at longer lengths. The lying curl is still worthwhile — some lifters feel it better — but if you pick one, pick seated.
How many sets and reps?
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps with a slow negative covers it. Hamstrings tolerate and benefit from being close to failure on machines, so take most sets within a rep or two of your limit.
More hamstrings exercises
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