Quadruped Leg Curl
- Músculo objetivo
- Hamstrings
- Músculos sinergistas
- Gastrocnemius, Sartorius, Soleus
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Thighs
- Tipo
- Strength
The Quadruped Leg Curl is a bodyweight strength exercise that targets the hamstrings from a hands-and-knees position, with the gastrocnemius, sartorius, and soleus contributing as synergists. By curling one heel toward your glutes while keeping your hips square, you isolate the hamstrings through active knee flexion. It is an effective option for building posterior thigh strength without any equipment.
Cómo hacer el Quadruped Leg Curl
- 1Position yourself on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips, hip-width apart.
- 2Brace your core and set your spine to neutral — your back should be flat, neither rounded nor overarched.
- 3Lift your right knee off the floor and raise your thigh until it is roughly parallel with the floor, with the knee bent at approximately 90°.
- 4From that position, actively curl your right heel toward your glutes by contracting your hamstring, flexing the knee as far as you can while keeping your thigh still.
- 5Pause briefly at the top of the curl, squeezing the back of your thigh.
- 6Lower your foot under control until your knee returns to the 90° starting position, keeping your thigh parallel to the floor throughout.
- 7Complete all reps on the right leg, then switch to the left side and repeat for the same number of reps.
Consejos de técnica
- Keep your hips square to the floor throughout each rep — any rotation of the pelvis shifts the demand away from the hamstrings and into the lower back.
- Control the lowering phase deliberately; a slow eccentric places greater tension on the hamstrings and produces more training stimulus than a fast drop.
- Keep your foot in a neutral or slightly plantar-flexed position rather than letting it hang loose, which helps engage the gastrocnemius and soleus as the curl completes.
- Focus on moving only from the knee — the thigh should stay stationary as the heel travels toward the glute, not rise higher through hip extension.
Errores comunes
- Rotating the hip outward to gain extra range of motion, which redirects the work away from the hamstrings and can place unwanted stress on the lower back.
- Rushing the lowering phase — releasing the heel quickly removes eccentric tension and significantly reduces the effectiveness of each rep.
- Letting the lower back sag during the set, which disrupts the neutral spine needed to correctly load the hamstrings and can cause lumbar strain.
- Substituting hip extension for knee flexion — hiking the thigh higher by arching the back replaces hamstring work with lumbar effort rather than deepening the curl.
- Losing core tension mid-set, which causes the torso to shift and makes it harder to keep the working thigh stable as the leg curls.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the Quadruped Leg Curl work?
It primarily works the hamstrings, the group of muscles running along the back of your thigh. The gastrocnemius, sartorius, and soleus act as synergists, assisting with knee flexion as the heel curls toward the glute.
How is the Quadruped Leg Curl different from a lying leg curl?
Both exercises train the hamstrings through knee flexion, but the quadruped version requires no equipment and also demands core and hip stability throughout each rep. The lying leg curl allows heavier loading and removes the stability demand, making it easier to isolate the hamstrings in isolation.
How many reps should I do per set?
For strength and muscle development, 10–15 reps per leg per set is a useful starting range. Because the resistance is fixed at body weight, increasing reps, slowing the tempo, or adding a longer pause at the top are practical ways to progress the exercise over time.
Can I make this exercise harder without equipment?
Yes. Slow the lowering phase to three to five seconds per rep to add time under tension, hold the peak contraction for two to three seconds, or perform the movement with your thigh raised slightly higher than parallel. You can also move to a single-leg glute bridge leg curl variation once this version feels comfortable.
Is the Quadruped Leg Curl suitable for beginners?
It is well suited to beginners because the body weight load is manageable and the range of motion can be reduced until mobility and strength improve. Focus on keeping the hips level and the spine neutral from the first session, as clean form here builds the motor pattern needed for more demanding hamstring work later.
