Seated Leg Curl
The seated leg curl is a machine exercise in which you sit upright with your thighs held under a pad and bend your knees to pull a padded lever down and under the seat. It isolates the hamstrings, and because the hips are bent it trains them at a longer muscle length than the lying leg curl.
Also called: Seated Leg Curl (Machine), Seated Hamstring Curl, Seated Machine Leg Curl, Hip-Flexed Leg Curl · Equipment: machine · Pattern: pull
Step by step
- Adjust the back pad so the middle of your knee lines up with the machine's pivot point when you sit fully back.
- Sit with your back against the pad and rest the lever pad on the back of your legs, just above the heels.
- Bring the thigh pad down firmly onto your thighs, just above the knees, and hold the handles.
- Start with your legs almost straight, then bend your knees to drive your heels down and back under the seat. Keep your toes pulled up towards your shins.
- Curl as far as the machine allows and squeeze the hamstrings for a moment at the bottom.
- Let your knees straighten slowly back to the start, keeping control through the stretch at the top of the range.
- Keep your back against the pad and your hips down for every rep, then let the lever return fully before raising the thigh pad to get out.
- Sit tall, back against the pad
- Drive your heels down and under the seat
- Toes pulled up to your shins
- Squeeze at the bottom, then return slowly
- Smooth start to every rep, no yank
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hamstrings: biceps femoris (long head) | Prime mover | B |
| Hamstrings: biceps femoris (short head) | Prime mover | C |
| Hamstrings: semitendinosus | Prime mover | B |
| Hamstrings: semimembranosus | Prime mover | B |
| Gastrocnemius: medial/lateral head | Secondary | C |
| Gracilis | Secondary | D |
| Sartorius | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Thighs lifting against the pad
Fix: Set the thigh pad firmly on your thighs and sit fully back against the pad.
Letting the weight snap back to the start
Fix: Straighten your knees slowly and keep tension through the top of the range.
Lever pad high on the calves
Fix: Set the lever pad on the back of your legs, just above the heels.
Short reps at the bottom
Fix: Curl as far as the machine allows and pause briefly before returning.
Leaning forwards to heave the weight
Fix: Keep your back against the pad and hold the handles to stay in place.
Knee out of line with the pivot
Fix: Adjust the back pad so the middle of your knee sits level with the pivot.
What the research says
Muscle growth · first choiceRehab & prehabGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Seated or lying — In a 12-week trial comparing legs, the seated curl, which trains the hamstrings at a longer length, produced more hamstring growth than the lying curl, about 14% against 9%.
- Curl and hinge — Research finds hip-extension training grows the long head of the biceps femoris more, while knee-flexion work such as curls and Nordics biases the inner hamstrings. Many programmes include both a curl and a hinge.
- Load and effort — Research finds growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure, and true failure adds only a small extra benefit. Common practice is 3–4 sets of about 8–15 reps.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns, and the seated curl's low overall fatigue makes it easy to add sets.
- Tempo — Studies show growth is similar across rep speeds from about half a second to eight seconds, so a controlled return into the stretch fits any common tempo.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the seated leg curl in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.