Hamstring Exercises Without a Leg Curl Machine
You do not need a leg curl machine to train your hamstrings well. The muscle has two jobs: it extends the hip, as in a deadlift, and it bends the knee, as in a leg curl. Cover the first with Romanian deadlifts or single-leg Romanian deadlifts, and the second with slider leg curls, cable leg curls or Nordic curls, and you have a complete hamstring programme. Many machine-free options are actually harder than the machine, because your body has to stabilise itself instead of being strapped in. The trick is choosing one exercise for each job and progressing them steadily, rather than collecting variations.
Why you need both a hinge and a curl
Three of the four hamstring muscles cross both the hip and the knee. That means they work in two different ways. In a hinge, such as a Romanian deadlift, the knee stays fairly still and the hamstrings lengthen and then pull the hips through. In a curl, the hip stays still and the hamstrings bend the knee. The two kinds of exercise load the muscle at different lengths and in different ways, which is why most coaches programme one of each rather than relying on deadlifts alone.
A leg curl machine is simply a convenient way to do the curl. Remove it and you need another way to resist knee bending. That is the gap most home and small-studio programmes leave open.
Hinge exercises: the hip side
Romanian deadlift
The cornerstone. Hold a barbell or dumbbells at the thighs, soften the knees, then push the hips back while the weight slides down the front of the legs. Stop when the hips can no longer travel back without the lower back rounding, usually somewhere around mid-shin. Drive the hips forward to stand. The guide to Romanian deadlift form covers the faults in detail.
Single-leg Romanian deadlift
The same movement on one leg. Lighter loads, more balance, and very useful if one side is weaker or if you do not have heavy weights. A pair of moderate dumbbells becomes a hard set.
Cable pull-through
Facing away from a low cable with a rope between your legs, hinge back and stand up against the pull. It is gentle on the lower back and a good teaching tool, though it is limited in how heavy it can get.
Barbell good morning
With the bar on the upper back, hinge forward from the hips. It strongly loads the hamstrings at length but asks a lot of the back, so it suits experienced lifters using modest weights.
Curl exercises: the knee side
Slider or towel leg curl
Lie on your back with your heels on sliders, or on a towel on a smooth floor. Lift the hips into a bridge, then slide the heels away until the legs are almost straight and pull them back in, keeping the hips up. Start with the lowering phase only: slide out slowly and put the hips down to reset. This is the most underrated machine-free hamstring exercise, and it needs almost no kit.
Cable leg curl
With an ankle cuff on a low cable, stand facing the stack holding on for balance, and curl the heel towards your bottom while keeping the thigh still. You can also lie face down on a bench in front of the cable. It is the closest thing to the machine, with the bonus that the load can rise in small steps.
Lying dumbbell leg curl
Face down on a bench with a light dumbbell held between the feet. It works, but it is awkward to set up safely and the weight can slip, so keep it light and have someone place the dumbbell for you.
Nordic hamstring curl
Kneeling with the ankles held, lower your body forward as slowly as you can. It is extremely demanding on the lowering phase and needs a gradual build-up; we have a separate guide to the Nordic hamstring curl and its progressions.
Choosing your pair
| Your situation | Hinge | Curl |
|---|---|---|
| Home, a few dumbbells | Single-leg RDL | Slider leg curl |
| Gym with barbell and cables | Romanian deadlift | Cable leg curl |
| Training partner available | Romanian deadlift | Nordic curl (lowering only) |
| Sensitive lower back | Cable pull-through | Slider or cable leg curl |
A sample week
For most people training two or three times a week, this is enough:
- Session A: Romanian deadlift, 3 sets of 6 to 10. Slider leg curl, 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 slow lowers.
- Session B: Single-leg Romanian deadlift, 3 sets of 8 each leg. Cable leg curl, 3 sets of 10 to 15.
Leave one or two reps in the tank on most sets. Add load or reps when every set of a given exercise reaches the top of its range with clean form. Hamstrings tend to be sore after slow lowering work, so start with fewer sets than you think and build over three or four weeks.
Common mistakes
- Only hinging. Deadlifts are excellent, but the knee-bending role goes untrained.
- Rounding to go lower. In a Romanian deadlift, depth comes from the hips going back, not the spine bending.
- Dropping the hips in slider curls. If the hips sag, the hamstrings are not doing the work. Shorten the range.
- Rushing Nordics. Jumping straight into full Nordic curls is a reliable way to be very sore for days. Progress them.
- Stretching instead of strengthening. Hamstrings that feel tight are often weak at long lengths. Our piece on why stretching alone rarely fixes tight hamstrings explains why.
Check with your GP first if
You have had a recent hamstring tear, sciatica-type pain down the back of the leg, lower back pain that is worsening, or you are returning after a long break with a heart condition or other medical issue. Pain behind the knee or in the buttock that is sharp rather than muscular should be assessed before you load it. The NHS outlines general physical activity guidance for adults, including muscle-strengthening work on two days a week.
How it works in the studio
Our studio in Highgate does not have a leg curl machine. It has a squat rack, barbell and plates, a dumbbell rack and a two-stack cable station, which between them cover every exercise above. In 1-1 personal training sessions, Artem picks the hinge and curl that suit your back, your history and your goals, and adjusts the load each week so the progress is steady rather than sore.
Questions we get asked
Are Romanian deadlifts enough on their own?
They are a strong foundation, but adding a knee-bending exercise covers the other half of the muscle’s job. Most well-rounded programmes include both.
Can I train hamstrings at home with no weights?
Yes. Slider leg curls, single-leg bridges and single-leg Romanian deadlifts with a bag or bottle will challenge most people for weeks.
How often should I train hamstrings?
Two sessions a week with a couple of days between suits most adults. Slow lowering work needs more recovery than you expect.
Why do my hamstrings cramp during slider curls?
Usually because the muscle is working near its shortest length with little practice. Shorten the range, rest more between sets and it tends to settle within a few sessions.
To have your hamstring work planned around your week, see personal training in Highgate and prices, or start at the homepage.
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