10 Best Dumbbell Lying Femoral Alternatives for At-Home Training

The Dumbbell Lying Femoral is done lying face down with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Assisted Prone Hamstring, the Cable Assisted Inverse Leg Curl and the Inverse Leg Curl (On Pull-up Cable Machine).

Dumbbell Lying FemoralWatch the Dumbbell Lying Femoral

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Dumbbell Lying Femoral

The steps for the Dumbbell Lying Femoral itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Hamstrings, with glutes · Dumbbell · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and a dumbbell resting on your lower abdomen.
  2. Bend your knees and bring the dumbbell towards your glutes, keeping your feet flat on the ground.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Lying Femoral Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Lying Femoral on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Assisted Prone HamstringPlay demonstration

    1. Assisted Prone Hamstring

    89% match

    Hamstrings · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a machine to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Lie face down on a mat or bench with your legs fully extended.
    2. Have a partner or use a resistance band to secure your ankles.
    3. Engage your hamstrings and lift your legs towards your glutes, keeping your knees straight.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
    • Equipment: a machine, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
  2. Cable Assisted Inverse Leg CurlPlay demonstration

    2. Cable Assisted Inverse Leg Curl

    86% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the cable machine so that the ankle attachment is at the lowest setting.
    2. Lie face down on the bench with your legs straight and the ankle attachment secured to your ankles.
    3. Hold onto the handles of the bench for stability.
    4. Keeping your upper body stationary, exhale and curl your legs up towards your glutes by flexing your knees.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your hamstrings.
    6. Inhale and slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
    • Equipment: a cable, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
  4. Seated Band Hamstring Curl

    4. Seated Band Hamstring Curl

    82% match

    Hamstrings · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a band to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

    • Band
    How to perform it
    1. Secure a band close to the ground and place a bench a couple feet away from it.
    2. Seat yourself on the bench and secure the band behind your ankles, beginning with your legs straight. This will be your starting position.
    3. Flex the knees, bringing your feet towards the bench. You may need to lean back slightly to keep your feet from striking the floor.
    4. Pause at the completion of the movement, and then slowly return to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
    • Equipment: a band, not free weights
    • Body position: seated, not lying face down
  5. Inverse Leg Curl (Bench Support)Play demonstration

    5. Inverse Leg Curl (Bench Support)

    80% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the hamstrings with bodyweight alone.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Lie face down on a bench with your hips at the edge and your legs extended straight behind you.
    2. Hold onto the bench for support.
    3. Keeping your upper body still, bend your knees and curl your legs towards your glutes.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly extend your legs back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
  7. Lever Kneeling Leg CurlPlay demonstration

    7. Lever Kneeling Leg Curl

    78% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a lever machine to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

    • Lever
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the machine to fit your body and select the desired weight.
    2. Kneel on the machine facing downwards, with your knees resting on the pad and your feet secured under the footpads.
    3. Grasp the handles or the sides of the machine for stability.
    4. Keeping your upper body stationary, exhale and curl your legs up towards your glutes by flexing your knees.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your hamstrings.
    6. Inhale and slowly lower your legs back to the starting position, fully extending your knees.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Dumbbell Lying Femoral
    • Equipment: a machine, not free weights
    • Body position: kneeling, not lying face down

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Lying Femoral Alternative

You may swap the Dumbbell Lying Femoral for reasons such as lack of a bench, wrist/shoulder pain when handling the weight, knee sensitivity to prone joint angles, or a need to shift emphasis from distal to proximal hamstrings. Biomechanically, the lying femoral isolates knee flexion, stressing the distal hamstrings and gastrocnemius. Hip-hinge substitutes (RDLs, single-leg RDLs) increase proximal hamstring and glute activation by lengthening the muscle under tension. For rehab or hypertrophy, pick alternatives that let you control range, tempo, and load; for example, use a slow 3–4s eccentric on a stability-ball curl to increase time under tension while protecting the knee.

Dumbbell Lying Femoral FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell Lying Femoral work?

The exercise primarily targets the hamstrings as knee flexors, especially the biceps femoris and semitendinosus. It also recruits the gastrocnemius as a secondary knee flexor; hip extension contribution is minimal when performed strictly as a prone knee curl.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Lying Femoral?

The Nordic hamstring curl is the top bodyweight substitute because it produces high eccentric hamstring activation. Cue: anchor your heels, keep a straight line from head to hips, and lower slowly for 3–5 seconds to maximize eccentric loading.

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