Lying Leg Curl

Exercise technique:

Lying on your stomach on the machine, with the backs of your ankles tucked under the sausage, make sure you don’t arch your lower back too much. In this position, you flex your knees to bring the feet back towards the buttocks. In the return phase, come back slowly (allow a minimum of 2 to 3 seconds). In theory, the hands have a location provided in the form of handles.

Muscles worked:

Main: hamstringsa
Secondary: calves

Interest of the liying leg curl

This is a complementary exercise to the hip extension movements because it shortens the hamstrings at the knees.

To be used in addition to the straight leg deadlift for example.

Variants 

As with the seated leg curl, the calves can more or less intervene.

If you want to use your calves, you will have to point your toes forwards (dorsiflexion) in the starting position (extended leg) here.

Danger / contraindication 

A muscle never likes to be shortened at its two insertions. He always tries to stay in a “strong” position.

This is how by using a flat bench, your buttocks will rise during the contraction of the hamstrings (seeking to lie down) and will accentuate your lumbar arch.

This is also what happens on a donkey bench when it comes to straining.

The elongated leg curl is therefore an exercise to be done in isolation, without trying to put on weight. It should be noted that these are tonic muscles (postural muscles) and that they need to be stretched otherwise you will increase your muscle stiffness.