Bodyweight Lying Legs Curl
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Thighs
- Type
- Strength
The bodyweight lying legs curl is a strength exercise for the back of the thighs, working the hamstrings by curling your heels toward your glutes while you lie face down. It needs no equipment, making it an accessible way to train the legs and build knee-flexion strength at home.
How to do the Bodyweight Lying Legs Curl
- 1Lie face down on a mat with your legs straight, hips pressed into the floor, and your upper body relaxed.
- 2Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your pelvis stays anchored and your lower back does not arch.
- 3Curl one or both heels slowly toward your glutes by bending at the knees, keeping your thighs in contact with the floor.
- 4Apply resistance as you go — press your heels back against a towel, your own hands, or a partner's hands to make the back of the thigh work.
- 5Pause briefly at the top when your knees are fully bent and the hamstrings are fully contracted.
- 6Lower your heels back toward the floor under control, resisting the descent the whole way.
- 7Stop just short of fully straightening to keep tension on the muscle, then begin the next rep.
- 8Complete your reps, then relax your legs flat on the floor to finish.
Form tips
- Move slowly in both directions — a controlled lowering phase is where most of the work on the back of the thigh happens.
- Keep your hips pinned to the floor so the movement comes from your knees, not from rocking your pelvis.
- Add resistance with a towel under your foot, your own hands, or a partner pressing on your ankle to keep the exercise challenging as you get stronger.
- Curl until your heels are close to your glutes to take the hamstrings through their full range of motion.
- Keep your ankles relaxed and let the bend happen at the knee rather than pointing or flexing your feet hard.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the hips or arching the lower back to swing the legs up, which shifts work away from the thighs and strains the spine.
- Rushing the lowering phase and letting the legs drop, which throws away the most productive part of the rep.
- Cutting the range short and barely bending the knees, so the hamstrings never fully contract and progress stalls.
- Letting the thighs lift off the floor, which lets momentum take over and reduces tension on the target muscle.
- Using no resistance at all once the movement feels easy, so the legs stop being challenged and stop adapting.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the bodyweight lying legs curl work?
It works the back of the thighs — the hamstrings — which bend the knee as you curl your heels toward your glutes. Because it is a bodyweight movement, the load comes from the resistance you add with a towel, your hands, or a partner.
How do I add resistance without any equipment?
Press your foot back against a folded towel held in your hands, reach back and resist your own ankle, or have a partner push down on your ankle as you curl. Adjust how hard you push to control the difficulty.
Is the bodyweight lying legs curl good for beginners?
Yes. It is low-impact, needs no equipment, and lets you set your own resistance, so beginners can start light and focus on bending the knee through a full range with the hips kept on the floor.
How many sets and reps should I do?
For most people, 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps per leg is a sensible starting range. Use enough self-applied resistance that the last few reps feel hard while you keep your hips down and the tempo controlled.
Where should I feel this exercise?
You should feel it in the back of your thighs as you curl your heels up and resist on the way down. If you feel it mainly in your lower back, anchor your hips and squeeze your glutes so the movement comes from the knees.
