Seated Leg Curl Machine: Techniques, Variations and Benefits

1686

Are you looking for the perfect workout for your legs? A specific workout that strengthens and makes your hamstring muscles flexible?

The seated leg curl machine is a great leg-specific workout that gives you strong, flexible, and beautiful legs. You can buy this machine if you want more excellent workouts for your legs.

The target areas are your hamstrings, calf muscles, glutes, quads, and shins. Unlike any other exercise allowing, leg curls isolate your hamstring muscles.

What do you know about the Seated Leg Curl Machine?

The seated leg curl is a fitness machine to exercise/workout that you can use with a weight machine to work the muscles in the back of the thigh.

Advertisement

It is a low-impact and effective method to restore strength in your legs and lower body. Anyone wishing to add a new exercise to a comprehensive resistance training regimen, beginners, or anyone else should try this simple workout.

How to do seated leg curl extension machine correctly

Follow these steps to do the seated leg curl extension machine correctly

Step 1: Adjust the machine lever to meet your height and sit on the machine with your back against the back support pad.

Step 2: Place the back of your lower leg on top of the padded lever (a few inches below the calves) and fasten the lap pad against your thighs slightly above the knees.

Then, grab the machine’s side handles as you point your toes straight ahead (or in either of the other two positions) and ensure your legs are fully extended. It will be your beginning position.

Step 3: Exhale and bend your knees to move the machine lever as far as possible towards the back of your thighs. At all times, maintain a still torso. Keep your body contracted for a little moment.

Step 4: While you breathe in, slowly move back to the starting position.

Step 5: Repeat it 10-12 times.

Precaution: Avoid swinging and jerking throughout the workout by not using too much weight. By doing so, you run the risk of tearing your hamstrings and your lower back.

Variations of seated curl machine

Seated curl machine has five types of variations, including:

1. Seated leg curl

In the hamstring, you’ll feel this curl. Keep your back against the bench while performing a seated leg curl. It’s too heavy if you can’t raise it without arching your lower back.

The lower thigh should be where the top leg pads rest. Place the ankle bones with the ankle pads.

Ankle pads should be placed above ankle bones.

2. Lying leg curl

This curl acts on even more leg muscles, helping to repair the shins and calves. You’ll also notice it in your glute muscles.

Place the pad between the heel and calf while lying face down to perform a leg curl. Between lifts, completely straighten your legs. This will increase the range of motion in your hamstrings.

3. Standing leg curl

One advantage of performing a standing leg variation is that using a machine or weights is unnecessary. This body weight exercise is beneficial for individuals who might not be physically capable of performing a weighted leg curl.

Step one is to stand with your feet hip-width apart. Put all your weight on one leg while elevating the lower leg and bending the other leg at the knee to bring the heel closer to your glutes. On the opposite side, repeat.

4. Valslide leg curl

This exercise combines knee flexion and hip extension, making it particularly effective in working the hamstring.

Also, just like the standing version, you can finish it without a machine. A set of Valslide discs is all you require. Place one disc under each foot while lying on your back.

Your hips are up in the air. Your knees are 90 degrees bent. Slide your heels out without letting your hips touch the ground until your legs are straight. Pull the legs back into the beginning position after holding them for a while.

5. Nordic hamstring curl

This curl differs from many others in that the leg is held stationary by grasping the heel rather than being raised and lowered.

It entails crouching on the floor and supporting your ankles with a barbell. The hamstring is worked by bending forward at the knee and pushing the muscle to sustain the forward motion.

Benefits of leg curl

  1. Leg curls mainly aim to target the hamstrings and calf muscles. The gluteus muscles, quadriceps, and tibialis anterior on the front of the shins all contract when you bring your feet back down.
  2. Strong, flexible hamstrings are crucial for total strength, balance, and stamina.
  3. Strong hamstrings are helpful in the gym and prevent injury in day-to-day activities.

A seated leg curl machine is an exercise method or way to make your hamstrings strong and flexible, including calf muscles.

FAQs

How to use a seated leg curl machine

Put your knees in the lap pad and place your legs on the ankle pad with the pad directly below your ankles. Keep your hands on the handles. Also, engage your abs to stop your back from arching.

What muscles are targeted in seated leg curls?

The sitting hamstring curl targets the hamstring muscles located at the back of the thigh, as the exercise’s name suggests.