Prone Manual HamstringMuscles Worked
This partner-resisted leg curl works your hamstrings on their own, as you bend your knee against hand pressure while lying face down. Because the resistance comes from a person instead of a weight stack, it can be matched to your strength through the whole rep.
PrimaryHamstrings
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Isolation
- Force
- Static hold
How to do it
- Lie face down on a mat or bench with your legs straight and your forehead resting on your hands.
- Have your partner kneel beside you and place one hand on the back of your working heel or ankle.
- Curl your heel toward your glutes while your partner pushes against it, starting light and building pressure as you bend.
- Pause near the top, then let your partner press your leg back down while you resist the whole way.
- Finish your reps on one leg, then switch sides, telling your partner whenever they should push harder or ease off.
Form tips
- Keep your hips pressed into the floor; if they lift, your lower back is helping the curl.
- Resisting on the way down is half the work, so lower slowly instead of letting your leg drop.
- No partner? Hook your other foot over the working ankle and press down to make your own resistance.
Why it made the list
No. 12 of 12
Best Hamstring Exercises
Bodyweight hamstring curl with partner or self resistance. No equipment needed for effective hamstring work.
More hamstring exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Prone Manual Hamstring sets in KasMaker and watch your hamstrings fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
