How to do the Nordic Hamstring Curl
Step by step
- Kneel on a pad with your ankles anchored under a sturdy support or held down.
- Cross your arms or keep hands ready in front of your chest, body upright.
- Lower your torso toward the floor as slowly as you can, resisting with the hamstrings.
- Push off gently with your hands near the bottom, then pull yourself back up.
The thing people get wrong
This is very demanding - lower as slowly as possible and use your hands to catch and protect the bottom range; use a band or shorter range if needed.
Coaching cue
Keep your body in one straight line from knees to head; do not fold at the hips.
Stay safe
Keep your hands ready to catch you; hamstring strains happen in the last few inches when you drop.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Lower only a few inches and push back up, adding range over time.
- Harder: Cross your arms on your chest and take five seconds to lower.
Muscles worked
- Primary: Hamstrings
- Secondary: Glutes, Core
Daily Coach builds this into a real weekly plan. It picks the exercises for your equipment and experience, swaps around injuries you tell it about, and tracks what you actually lifted.