Legs · Machine
Lying Leg Curl
How to do the lying leg curl, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Machine
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Curl
- Mechanic
- Isolation
See it in motion
How to do it
Lie face down on a leg curl machine. Curl your heels towards your buttocks, then lower back down with control.
- 1Feel your hamstrings contract as you curl the pad toward your glutes
- 2Press your hips into the pad to isolate your hamstrings
- 3Move through a full range of motion to fully engage the muscle
Common mistakes
- Avoid lifting your hips off the pad
- Don't swing or use momentum to lift the weight
- Avoid stopping short, use a complete range
Muscles worked
The lying leg curl mainly works the hamstrings, with the calves and glutes assisting.
- HamstringsPrimary
- CalvesSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the lying 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 leg curl
- How to do the dumbbell romanian deadlift
- How to do the glute ham raise
- How to do the nordic curl
- How to do the romanian deadlift
- How to do the seated leg curl
Last reviewed April 2026.