Legs · Dumbbell
Leg Curl
How to do the leg curl, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Curl
- Mechanic
- Isolation
See it in motion
How to do it
Lie face-down on a bench with a dumbbell held between your feet. Curl the dumbbell towards your glutes by engaging your hamstrings, then lower slowly.
- 1Lie face down on a bench with a dumbbell held between your feet and curl it toward your glutes; you should feel your hamstrings contracting
- 2Keep your hips pressed into the bench and your knees together
- 3Squeeze at the top and lower the dumbbell slowly to feel a stretch
Common mistakes
- Don't let the dumbbell slip, grip it firmly with your feet
- Avoid lifting your hips off the bench or arching your lower back
- Don't swing your legs or rely on momentum, control the entire range of motion
Muscles worked
The leg curl mainly works the hamstrings, with the calves and glutes assisting.
- HamstringsPrimary
- CalvesSupport
- GlutesSupport
- QuadsMinor
Kovo programs the leg curl for you and tracks it every session.
The AI builds your whole program, drops the right lifts into each workout, and adjusts your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More hamstrings exercises
- How to do the dumbbell romanian deadlift
- How to do the glute ham raise
- How to do the lying leg curl
- How to do the nordic curl
- How to do the romanian deadlift
- How to do the seated leg curl
Last reviewed April 2026.