10 Best Lever Lying Leg Curl Alternatives for Home and Gym

The Lever Lying Leg Curl is done lying face down with a lever machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: Lying Leg Curls, the Assisted Prone Hamstring and the Reverse Hyperextension. A harder version, the Lever Lying Two-one Leg Curl, is listed below as a progression rather than a swap.

Lever Lying Leg CurlWatch the Lever Lying Leg Curl

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

How to Do the Lever Lying Leg Curl

The steps for the Lever Lying Leg Curl itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Hamstrings, with calves · Lever · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Adjust the machine to fit your body and select the desired weight.
  2. Lie face down on the machine with your legs straight and your heels against the padded lever.
  3. Grasp the handles or the sides of the machine for stability.
  4. Keeping your upper body stationary, exhale and curl your legs up as far as possible without lifting your hips off the pad.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your hamstrings.
  6. Inhale and slowly lower the lever back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Lever Lying Leg Curl Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Lever Lying Leg Curl 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. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

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

  1. Lying Leg Curls

    1. Lying Leg Curls

    99% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Isolation

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

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the machine lever to fit your height and lie face down on the leg curl machine with the pad of the lever on the back of your legs (just a few inches under the calves). Tip: Preferably use a leg curl machine that is angled as opposed to flat since an angled position is more favorable for hamstrings recruitment.
    2. Keeping the torso flat on the bench, ensure your legs are fully stretched and grab the side handles of the machine. Position your toes straight (or you can also use any of the other two stances described on the foot positioning section). This will be your starting position.
    3. As you exhale, curl your legs up as far as possible without lifting the upper legs from the pad. Once you hit the fully contracted position, hold it for a second.
    4. As you inhale, bring the legs back to the initial position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Lever Lying Leg Curl
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Lying Leg Curl
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Lever Lying Leg Curl
  4. Standing Leg Curl

    4. Standing Leg Curl

    84% match

    Hamstrings · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want an easier version that works the hamstrings one side at a time.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the machine lever to fit your height and lie with your torso bent at the waist facing forward around 30-45 degrees (since an angled position is more favorable for hamstrings recruitment) with the pad of the lever on the back of your right leg (just a few inches under the calves) and the front of the right leg on top of the machine pad.
    2. Keeping the torso bent forward, ensure your leg is fully stretched and grab the side handles of the machine. Position your toes straight. This will be your starting position.
    3. As you exhale, curl your right leg up as far as possible without lifting the upper leg from the pad. Once you hit the fully contracted position, hold it for a second.
    4. As you inhale, bring the legs back to the initial position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
    5. Perform the same exercise now for the left leg.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Lever Lying Leg Curl
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Lying Leg Curl
  7. Lever Kneeling Leg CurlPlay demonstration

    7. Lever Kneeling Leg Curl

    81% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Isolation

    The same equipment, done kneeling instead.

    • 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 Lever Lying Leg Curl
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Lying Leg Curl
    • Body position: kneeling, not lying face down

Lever Lying Leg Curl FAQ

What muscles does Lever Lying Leg Curl work?

The Lever Lying Leg Curl primarily targets the hamstrings, the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus, by producing knee flexion. It also recruits the gastrocnemius and stabilizers, but it provides minimal hip-extension loading compared with hinge movements.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Lever Lying Leg Curl?

The Nordic hamstring curl is the best bodyweight alternative. Anchor your ankles, keep the hips extended, and lower under control, this delivers strong eccentric loading to the hamstrings and closely replicates knee-flexion emphasis.

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