Inverse Leg Curl With Bench Pads

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Place a pad or towel on a flat bench to protect your knees.
2. Kneel on the bench facing away from the end, with your lower legs flat against the surface.
3. Secure your ankles firmly under a heavy weighted bar, a specialized attachment, or have a partner hold them down.
4. Align your shoulders, hips, and knees in a straight vertical line.

How to do it

1. Inhale and brace your core, maintaining a completely straight line from your head to your knees.
2. Slowly lower your torso toward the floor by extending your knees, resisting gravity with your hamstrings for a 3-5 second count.
3. Exhale and pull yourself back to the starting position by contracting your hamstrings, using a light push from your hands if necessary to initiate the ascent.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, focusing on the tension in the back of your legs throughout the entire range of motion.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips fully extended; do not let your glutes drift backward.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid arching your lower back.
• Ensure your ankles are locked and immobile against the anchor point.
• Control the descent as long as possible before using your hands for support.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pulling' the bench toward your knees with your calves and hamstrings to maximize mechanical tension.
• Squeeze your glutes as hard as possible to prevent hip flexion, which shifts the load away from the hamstrings.

Make it harder

• Increase the eccentric duration to 8-10 seconds before floor contact.
• Hold a weight plate against your chest to increase the resistance during the descent.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the inverse leg curl with bench pads work?

The inverse leg curl with bench pads primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings, and also works the adductors and quadriceps as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the inverse leg curl with bench pads?

The inverse leg curl with bench pads requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the inverse leg curl with bench pads good for beginners?

The inverse leg curl with bench pads is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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