Quadruped Leg Curl
Strengthen your hamstrings with the quadruped leg curl. This bodyweight exercise targets the back of your thighs, improving knee flexion and muscle
Description
An exercise where you balance on your hands and knees, then curl one leg towards the ceiling while keeping your knee bent.
How to Do Quadruped Leg Curl
- 1Setup
Begin on all fours, positioning your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Ensure your spine is neutral and your core is gently engaged.
- 2Setup
Lift one foot off the ground, keeping your knee bent at approximately a 90-degree angle. This is your starting position for the movement.
- 3
Exhale as you slowly curl your heel upwards towards the ceiling, further flexing your knee and actively squeezing your hamstring.
- 4
Continue lifting until your foot is pointing directly at the ceiling or you feel a strong, peak contraction in your hamstring.
- 5
Inhale and slowly lower your leg back down to the starting 90-degree bent-knee position, maintaining control throughout the entire eccentric phase.
- 6
Complete all desired repetitions on one leg before carefully switching to the other side.
Tips
- Focus on the hamstring contraction: Actively squeeze your hamstring at the top of the movement to maximize muscle engagement, rather than just lifting with momentum.
- Maintain a stable core: Keep your abdominal muscles braced throughout the exercise to prevent your lower back from arching or sagging, which can reduce hamstring activation and strain your spine.
- Control the eccentric phase: Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position, resisting gravity. This controlled descent enhances muscle growth and improves overall strength.
- Keep your hips level: Avoid shifting your weight or tilting your hips during the movement; keep your hips square to the floor to ensure proper muscle isolation.
Common Mistakes
- ×Arching the lower back: Avoid excessive lumbar extension by actively engaging your core and maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- ×Using momentum: Do not swing your leg up quickly; instead, focus on a slow, controlled curl to isolate the hamstrings effectively.
- ×Not achieving full contraction: Ensure your heel points directly towards the ceiling at the top of the movement to fully shorten the hamstring muscle.
Variations
Lever Seated Leg Curl
Target your hamstrings effectively with the Lever Seated Leg Curl. Learn proper setup and execution for strength and flexibility development.
Ring Leg Curl
Master the challenging Ring Leg Curl to sculpt strong hamstrings and glutes. This advanced bodyweight exercise builds posterior chain strength and
Related Exercises
Squat mobility Complex
Improve hip, knee, and ankle mobility with this bodyweight squat complex. Flow through deep squats, lunges, and single-leg variations to enhance
Inverse Leg Curl (bench support)
Strengthen your hamstrings with the Inverse Leg Curl. This bodyweight exercise uses a bench for support, focusing on powerful leg contractions to lift
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
Standing Single Leg Curl
Strengthen your hamstrings and glutes with the Standing Single Leg Curl. This bodyweight exercise improves balance, stability, and lower body strength
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Build total-body strength with this demanding complex combining renegade rows and explosive squats.
Track Quadruped Leg Curl in your workouts
Log sets, reps, and weight. See your progress over time.
Get Ellim — Free