Lever Seated Leg Curl
The seated leg curl trains the hamstrings from a different angle than lying variations, rounding out complete hamstring development.
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
intermediate
Sets & reps
3 sets · 12-15 reps
Muscles worked
Hamstrings
A machine hamstring exercise performed seated, curling the legs against resistance to isolate the hamstrings from a different angle than a lying curl.
How to do it
- Sit in the machine with the pad resting against the back of your lower legs and knees aligned with the machine's pivot.
- Grip the handles to stabilize your upper body.
- Curl your legs down and back by bending your knees.
- Squeeze your hamstrings at the bottom of the movement.
- Return to the starting position under control.
Coaching tips
- Adjust the seat and pad so your knees align with the machine's pivot point before starting.
- Control the return phase just as carefully as the curling phase.
- The seated position trains the hamstrings from a slightly different angle than a lying curl, useful for variety.
Common mistakes
- Not adjusting the machine properly, misaligning the knee with the pivot point.
- Using momentum to yank the weight instead of a controlled curl.
Frequently asked questions
Seated or lying leg curl — do I need both?
Not strictly, but alternating between them provides slightly different angles of hamstring emphasis and can help avoid training plateaus.
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