Nordic Hamstring Curl
With the ankles anchored, lower the torso forward as slowly as possible, then pull back using the hamstrings.
See your setup in four steps
Demo video from YouTube, played in its own player.
- Muscles worked
- Hamstrings
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Movement
- Hinge
How to do the Nordic Hamstring Curl
The Nordic hamstring curl has you kneel with your ankles anchored and lower your torso toward the floor using your hamstrings as brakes. It loads the hamstrings very hard while they lengthen and is widely used in sports training programs.
Set up
- 1Kneel on a pad with your ankles held under a bar, a bench or a partner's hands.
- 2Keep your body in a straight line from knees to shoulders, hands ready in front of your chest.
The movement
- 1Brace and squeeze your glutes to keep your hips straight.
- 2Lean forward slowly by straightening your knees, resisting the fall with your hamstrings.
- 3When you can no longer control the descent, catch yourself with your hands in a push-up position.
- 4Push gently off the floor to return to kneeling, or pull yourself back up with your hamstrings if you are strong enough.
Cues
- Hips stay locked straight
- Fight the fall
- As slow as you can
- Catch and push back
Common mistakes
- Bending at the hips to shorten the lever.
- Keep your glutes squeezed so your body stays one line from knees to head.
- Dropping quickly after the first few inches.
- Control the part of the range you can and catch yourself early rather than falling.
- Starting with too many reps.
- Begin with one or two sets of three to five and build over several weeks.
Also works: Calves, Glutes, Core
Make it easier
Use the Nordic Curl Assisted with a band to take some of your weight.
Make it harder
Control the full range to the floor, then pull back up without pushing off your hands.
Expect significant soreness when you first try them, so start with a small number of reps and increase gradually.
Sets and reps
- For strength: 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets.
- For muscle: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps (up to 15 on smaller lifts), resting 1 to 2 minutes, ending each set 1 to 3 reps short of failure (RPE 7 to 9).
- Add a rep or a small amount of weight once every set reaches the top of the range at the same effort.
General ranges, not medical advice. Stop if anything hurts.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the hamstrings, for when the bodyweight is taken or you want a change.
Questions
- What muscles does the Nordic Hamstring Curl work?
- The Nordic Hamstring Curl mainly works the hamstrings.
- What equipment do you need for the Nordic Hamstring Curl?
- None: it is a bodyweight exercise.
- How many sets and reps of the Nordic Hamstring Curl?
- For strength: 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets. For muscle: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps (up to 15 on smaller lifts), resting 1 to 2 minutes, ending each set 1 to 3 reps short of failure (RPE 7 to 9). Add a rep or a small amount of weight once every set reaches the top of the range at the same effort.
- What can I do instead of the Nordic Hamstring Curl?
- Band Good Morning, Barbell B-Stance Romanian Deadlift, Barbell Good Morning and Barbell Romanian Deadlift work the same main muscle.
Program it for your clients
Coaches add the Nordic Hamstring Curl to any workout in CoachVana, set the sets, reps, load and rest, and clients see this demo as they train.
See your setup in four steps
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