Sliding Leg Curl On Floor With Towel

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on your back on a smooth floor (hardwood or tile) with your knees bent and feet flat.
2. Place a small towel or sliders under both heels.
3. Position your arms by your sides with palms down for stability.
4. Engage your core and lift your hips into a glute bridge position, creating a straight line from shoulders to knees.

How to do it

1. While keeping your hips elevated, slowly slide your heels away from your body until your legs are nearly straight.
2. Inhale during the extension and maintain a controlled 3-4 second tempo.
3. Exhale as you dig your heels into the floor and pull them back toward your glutes, keeping your hips high throughout the movement.
4. Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes at the top of the movement before starting the next rep.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips elevated and level throughout the entire range of motion.
• Avoid arching your lower back; keep your ribs tucked and core engaged.
• Ensure your feet stay parallel and do not flare outward.
• Maintain a slow, controlled speed, especially during the extension (eccentric) phase.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'digging' your heels into the floor as if you are trying to scrape the ground toward you to maximize hamstring recruitment.
• Maintain a constant squeeze in your glutes to protect your lower back and keep the tension on the hamstrings.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement unilaterally (one leg at a time) while keeping the non-working leg tucked toward your chest.
• Add a 2-second pause at the point of maximum extension before pulling back.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the sliding leg curl on floor with towel work?

The sliding leg curl on floor with towel primarily targets the hamstrings, and also works the abs, glutes, obliques, and quadriceps as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the sliding leg curl on floor with towel?

The sliding leg curl on floor with towel requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the sliding leg curl on floor with towel good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• Alternate Hamstring Curl Sky PunchIntermediate · glutes and hamstrings
• Alternate Single Leg Raise PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques
• Alternating Child To Downward Dog To Body RockIntermediate · abs, calves, hamstrings, and lats
• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps