Nordic Hamstring Curl (How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits)

The Nordic Hamstring Curl is an advanced, bodyweight hamstring exercise that eccentrically loads the hamstrings to build strength, resilience, and injury resistance.

It involves lowering your torso toward the ground while your feet are anchored, forcing your hamstrings to control the descent, making it one of the most effective posterior chain exercises.

Primary Muscles Worked: Hamstrings (eccentric focus)
Secondary Muscles Worked: Glutes, Calves (gastrocnemius), Lower Back (stabilization)
Equipment Needed: Anchor for feet (partner, loaded barbell, or Nordic bench)

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How To Do Nordic Hamstring Curls

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Set-Up:
   • Kneel on a padded surface with your ankles secured under a partner’s hold, a loaded barbell, or an anchored device.
   • Keep your knees hip-width apart, torso tall, and core engaged.
2. Execution:
   • Cross your arms over your chest or keep hands ready to catch yourself.
   • Slowly lean forward from the knees, keeping your hips extended and your body in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
   • Lower yourself as far as you can under control using your hamstrings to resist the descent.
   • Catch yourself with your hands when you can no longer control the movement, lightly push off the floor, and pull yourself back up using your hamstrings.
3. Tips for Proper Form:
   • Keep your hips extended; avoid bending at the hips.
   • Move slowly, especially during the lowering phase, to maximize eccentric loading.
   • Engage your core to maintain alignment throughout the descent.

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Key Benefits

• Builds eccentric hamstring strength critical for injury prevention, especially for athletes.
• Improves sprinting and jumping power by strengthening the posterior chain.
• Requires minimal equipment while delivering high effectiveness.

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Modifications and Variations

• Easier Option:
  • Use a resistance band looped around your chest and anchored in front to assist the movement.
  • Lower only to a depth you can control before returning to the start.
• Harder Option:
  • Add a slow tempo (3–5 seconds down) with a pause at the bottom before pushing back up.
  • Perform full-range reps without hand assistance if strength allows.
  • Add a slight concentric pull back to the start using only your hamstrings (advanced).

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Common Mistakes

• Breaking at the Hips: Keep hips fully extended throughout.
• Dropping Too Fast: Control the descent to gain the eccentric benefits.
• Not Engaging the Core: Maintain a straight line from shoulders to knees.

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Reps and Sets Recommendations

• For Eccentric Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 slow reps.
• For Injury Prevention: 2–3 sets of 5–8 reps weekly in-season or during sprint training.
• For Hypertrophy: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps, using band assistance to complete the range if needed.

Nordic Hamstring Curl Alternatives

Don’t have a partner or any way to anchor your feet on your own? Don’t worry. Here are a few alternative exercises that you may be able to try out.

Need more options? Here are 7 of my favorite Nordic Hamstring Curl alternatives to develop hamstring strength.

Floor Slider Leg Curls

Floor Slider Leg Curls use furniture sliders that are laid on the ground (typically carpet or turf) and then curled along the ground with your feet.

Make sure you drive the hips up while you curl the feet into your body.

Stability Ball Leg Curls

Don’t have floor sliders? A stability ball can be used in much the same way. Place your feet up on a stability ball, curl your feet into your body while driving your hips up.

Either Floor Slider Leg Curls or Stability Ball Leg Curls make an excellent alternative for Nordics.

More Links and Info

If you’d like to see more lower body exercise guides, head over to the Lower Body Lifts section of our Exercise Library. There you’ll find dozens of exercises, all with step-by-step instructions.

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