Stability ball leg curl

It combines hip extension and knee flexion in one movement, which is how the hamstring actually works. No gym kit needed and with a clear progression: from two legs to one.

• Isolation
• Bodyweight
• Intermediate

How to do it

• Lying down, heels on the ball and hips high
• Roll the ball towards your glutes by bending the knees
• Keep the hips up through the whole range
• Extend slowly: the way back is the hard part

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 10–15 reps · 0–2 RIR

Tempo: 2 s on the way down, squeeze 1 s at the peak and stay in control, no swinging

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips drop as the legs extend
• Going so fast the ball gets away from you
• Resting the whole foot instead of the heel

Muscles worked

Primary

• Hamstrings

Secondary

• Glutes
• Core / abs

Alternatives

• Slider Hamstring Curl
• Leg Curl (lying/seated)
• Nordic Hamstring Curl