Muscles worked
The Nordic hamstring curl is one of the toughest hamstring exercises there is, even though you only have your bodyweight. Your hamstrings brake your whole upper body as it falls forward, and that braking phase is the exercise itself. Your calves help across the knee, while your glutes and abs keep your hips extended. Most people cannot pull themselves back up with their hamstrings at first.
Common mistakes
- You let go and drop the last part. Nearly everyone loses control after a while. Catch yourself with your hands, as in a push-up, as soon as you can no longer lower smoothly, rather than thudding to the floor.
- Your knees rest on a hard floor. Much of your weight sits on your kneecaps. Put a folded mat or a cushion under your knees.
- You do too much in the first sessions. The exercise tends to leave serious soreness at first. Start with a couple of sets of just a few reps.
Variations and alternatives
- The glute ham raise is done on a dedicated bench that makes the movement easier to control, and lets you come back up without your hands.
- The slider leg curl is an easier step at home, before you can brake for longer.
- The lying leg curl lets you increase the resistance in small, precise steps.
Sets and reps
The Nordic hamstring curl is done for low reps: two to three sets of 3 to 6, with each rep taking several seconds on the way down. Rest two minutes or more, since what counts is the quality of the braking. How reps and sets relate to your goal is explained in the guide to sets and reps.
Make it harder in this order: brake for longer, lower more slowly, and push off less with your hands on the way up. That is progressive overload without weights. For most people the exercise once or twice a week is enough, see how often to train. If you feel a twinge or pain at the back of your thigh or knee, rather than just fatigue, stop straight away and have it looked at by a physiotherapist or doctor.