Hamstrings exercise
Cable Leg Curl
Knee flexion focused on the hamstrings. The cable keeps tension throughout the movement.
- Primary muscleHamstrings
- Also worksGlutes
- EquipmentCable machine
- TypeIsolation
- LevelBeginner
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Cable machine
How to do the Cable Leg Curl
4 steps, in the order you do them.
- Attach the ankle strap to a low cable and hold onto a support, keeping your standing leg steady.
- Bend your knees, bringing your heels toward your glutes without moving your hips.
- Return slowly and keep the tension in your hamstrings.
- Repeat at a controlled pace without using momentum.
Muscles worked
Common Cable Leg Curl mistakes
What goes wrong most often when you do the Cable Leg Curl, and how to fix it.
You stand too close and the cable barely pulls at the start.
Step away from the machine until the cable is taut with your leg straight.
Your hip bends and your thigh rises forward as you curl.
Keep the thigh of the working leg vertical, in line with the standing leg, and bend only at the knee.
The ankle strap sits on your calf and slides.
Set the strap right above your ankle so the cable pulls from your heel.
Alternatives to the Cable Leg Curl
They work the hamstrings with other equipment, including options for training at home.
Mobbe
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More hamstrings exercises
Dumbbell Hamstring CurlHamstrings · Dumbbells
Nordic CurlHamstrings · Bodyweight
GHD Nordic CurlHamstrings · Bench
Lying Hamstring CurlHamstrings · Machine
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Cable Leg Curl work?
The Cable Leg Curl works mainly the hamstrings. It also works the glutes.