Dumbbell Lying Leg Curl

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie face down on a flat bench with your knees positioned just off the edge of the pad.
2. Secure a dumbbell vertically between the arches of your feet, squeezing your feet together tightly to lock it in place.
3. Grip the underside or the front legs of the bench firmly to stabilize your upper body.
4. Extend your legs fully while maintaining a firm grip on the dumbbell with your feet.

How to do it

1. Exhale and curl the dumbbell toward your glutes by flexing your knees in a smooth, controlled arc.
2. Squeeze your hamstrings forcefully at the top of the movement, stopping when your shins are just past vertical.
3. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position using a controlled 3-second eccentric tempo.
4. Stop just before your knees lock out to maintain constant tension on the hamstrings before starting the next rep.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips and pelvis pressed firmly into the bench to prevent lower back compensation.
• Maintain a neutral spine and keep your head down or in line with your torso.
• Ensure the movement occurs only at the knee joint; avoid swinging or using momentum.
• Keep your feet flexed (dorsiflexion) to help secure the dumbbell and engage the calves slightly for stability.

Pro tips

• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by imagining you are pulling your heels toward your glutes rather than just moving a weight.
• Point your toes slightly outward if you want to emphasize the lateral hamstrings (biceps femoris).
• Maintain a slight 'posterior pelvic tilt' by squeezing your glutes to keep your lower back flat and safe.

Make it harder

• Slow down the eccentric phase to 5 seconds to maximize mechanical tension and muscle fiber breakdown.
• Perform '1.5 reps' by curling to the top, lowering halfway, curling back to the top, and then lowering all the way down.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell lying leg curl work?

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

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell lying leg curl?

The dumbbell lying leg curl uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell lying leg curl good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Cone Single Foot Lateral HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Air Pillow Balance Counterbalanced Skater SquatAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps