Dumbbell Lying Femoral

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Place a dumbbell standing upright on the floor at the end of a flat bench.
2. Lie face down on the bench with your knees positioned just off the edge of the padding.
3. Secure the handle of the dumbbell between the arches of your feet, squeezing your feet together to grip it firmly.
4. Grasp the underside or the front legs of the bench to stabilize your upper body.

How to do it

1. Inhale and brace your core, pressing your hips firmly into the bench to stabilize your pelvis.
2. Exhale as you slowly curl the dumbbell toward your glutes by flexing your knees in a controlled arc.
3. Pause for one second at the top of the movement, focusing on a hard contraction in the hamstrings.
4. Inhale as you lower the weight back down with a slow, controlled tempo until your legs are nearly straight.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips glued to the bench; do not let your lower back arch or your butt rise.
• Maintain a neutral neck position by looking slightly down or straight ahead.
• Keep your feet flexed (dorsiflexion) throughout the movement to ensure the dumbbell remains secure.
• Avoid using momentum or swinging the weight at the bottom of the rep.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pulling' with your heels toward your glutes to maximize mind-muscle connection with the hamstrings.
• Intentionally drive your quads into the bench padding to help isolate the posterior chain and prevent hip compensation.
• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to three seconds to maximize mechanical tension and muscle fiber recruitment.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second isometric hold at the midpoint of the repetition where tension is highest.
• Perform 'partials' at the end of a set, moving only through the bottom half of the range of motion to reach total failure.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell lying femoral work?

The dumbbell lying femoral primarily targets the calves and hamstrings, and also works the glutes as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell lying femoral?

The dumbbell lying femoral uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell lying femoral good for beginners?

The dumbbell lying femoral is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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