Exercise Ball Leg Curl
Strengthen your hamstrings and glutes with the Exercise Ball Leg Curl. Lie on your back, feet on a stability ball, then curl the ball towards your body
- Movement
- Compound
- Force
- Pull
- Per set
- 1 min
- Rest
- 2 min
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store
Variations of Exercise Ball Leg Curl
Assisted Inverse Leg Curl
Thighs · Hamstrings · Assisted
Resistance Band Leg Curl
Thighs · Hamstrings · Resistance Band
Resistance Band Seated Leg Curl
Thighs · Hamstrings · Resistance Band
Exercise Ball Wall Squat
Thighs · Gluteus Maximus · Stability ball
Description
A stability ball exercise that targets the hamstrings and glutes. The exercise involves lying flat on your back with your feet on top of a stability ball. Using your glutes and hamstrings, you pull the ball towards your body and then push it back out again.
Save Exercise Ball Leg Curl to a routine
Log sets, reps, and weight as you train — free in the Ellim app.
How to do Exercise Ball Leg Curl
- 01Setup
Lie supine on the floor with your legs extended, placing your heels and lower calves on top of a stability ball.
- 02Setup
Position your body so your hips are slightly elevated off the floor, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your heels; keep your arms extended by your sides for stability.
- 03
Exhale as you engage your hamstrings and glutes to curl the stability ball towards your glutes, bending your knees and lifting your hips further off the floor.
- 04
Continue pulling the ball until your feet are flat on the ball and your knees are bent at approximately a 90-degree angle, maintaining a strong glute contraction.
- 05
Inhale as you slowly extend your legs, pushing the stability ball away from your body with control, returning to the starting position with slightly elevated hips.
Tips
- Actively squeeze your hamstrings throughout the curling motion, imagining you're trying to touch your heels to your glutes for a stronger contraction.
- Keep your hips elevated and stable throughout the entire movement, avoiding any sagging that reduces tension on the hamstrings.
- Slowly extend your legs on the return, resisting the ball's outward movement to maximize time under tension and build strength.
- Engage your core by bracing your abdominal muscles to maintain a stable torso and prevent lower back arching during the exercise.
Common mistakes
- Sagging hips during the movement reduces hamstring activation; fix this by actively pushing your hips upwards throughout the entire curl and extension.
- Jerking the ball quickly with momentum rather than controlled muscle contraction diminishes effectiveness; instead, perform the movement slowly and deliberately, focusing on muscle engagement.
- Arching the lower back excessively can cause discomfort; correct this by bracing your core and maintaining a neutral spine, only lifting the hips as high as your hamstrings allow.
In the Ellim app, Exercise Ball Leg Curl unlocks
Free — no subscription needed
Log sets, reps, and weight
Track every set as you train
See your strength curve
Performance graphs across all sessions
Add to a routine
Save into a custom workout in one tap
Rest timer with Live Activity
Dynamic Island countdown between sets
HealthKit sync
Workouts flow to Apple Health
3,500+ exercise library
Search, filter, and pick variations offline
Ready to train exercise ball leg curl?
Get Ellim — FreeQuestions
What muscles does Exercise Ball Leg Curl work?
Exercise Ball Leg Curl primarily targets Hamstrings. Secondary muscles include Gastrocnemius, Sartorius, Soleus.
Is Exercise Ball Leg Curl good for beginners?
Exercise Ball Leg Curl is rated intermediate. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.
What equipment do I need for Exercise Ball Leg Curl?
You need Stability ball to perform Exercise Ball Leg Curl. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.
What are the best tips for Exercise Ball Leg Curl?
Actively squeeze your hamstrings throughout the curling motion, imagining you're trying to touch your heels to your glutes for a stronger contraction. Keep your hips elevated and stable throughout the entire movement, avoiding any sagging that reduces tension on the hamstrings. Slowly extend your legs on the return, resisting the ball's outward movement to maximize time under tension and build strength. Engage your core by bracing your abdominal muscles to maintain a stable torso and prevent lower back arching during the exercise.
What are common mistakes when doing Exercise Ball Leg Curl?
Sagging hips during the movement reduces hamstring activation; fix this by actively pushing your hips upwards throughout the entire curl and extension. Jerking the ball quickly with momentum rather than controlled muscle contraction diminishes effectiveness; instead, perform the movement slowly and deliberately, focusing on muscle engagement. Arching the lower back excessively can cause discomfort; correct this by bracing your core and maintaining a neutral spine, only lifting the hips as high as your hamstrings allow.
Related exercises
Exercise Ball Seated Hamstring Stretch
Thighs · Stability ball
Quadruped Leg Curl
Thighs · Hamstrings · Body weight
Inverse Leg Curl (bench support)
Thighs · Hamstrings · Body weight
Standing Single Leg Curl
Thighs · Hamstrings · Body weight
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
Back · Chest · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Back · Hips · Dumbbell
Track every rep of Exercise Ball Leg Curl.
Watch the weight climb session by session and add it to a routine you will actually run. Free on iPhone.
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store