10 Best Lying Hamstring Alternatives for Limited Equipment

The Lying Hamstring is done lying on your back. Ranked closest by our scoring: the The Straddle, the Leg-up Hamstring Stretch and the Seated Hamstring And Calf Stretch.

Lying Hamstring

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

How to Do the Lying Hamstring

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

Hamstrings, with calves · Other · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Lie on your back with your legs extended. Your partner should be kneeling beside you. Raise one leg up towards the ceiling and have your partner hold the ankle. Your partner can use their shoulder to brace your leg if necessary. This will be your starting position.
  2. With your partner holding your leg in place, attempt to flex the knee, contracting the hamstrings for 10-20 seconds.
  3. Then relax your leg, allowing your partner to gently push the leg towards your head. Be sure to inform your helper when the stretch is adequate to prevent injury or overstretching. Switch sides once complete.

The 10 Best Lying Hamstring Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Lying Hamstring 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. The Straddle

    1. The Straddle

    81% match

    Hamstrings · Beginner · Isolation

    It still works the hamstrings, through a different movement.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Begin in a seated, upright position. Start by extending your legs in front of you in a V.
    2. With your hands on the floor, lean forward as far as possible. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.

    Sets and reps: Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat 2 or 3 times.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Lying Hamstring
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Lying Hamstring
    • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
  2. Leg-up Hamstring Stretch

    2. Leg-up Hamstring Stretch

    79% match

    Hamstrings · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want to work the hamstrings one side at a time.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on your back, bend one knee, and put that foot flat on the floor to stabilize your spine.
    2. Extend the other leg in the air. If you're tight, you wont be able to straighten it. That's okay. Extend the knee so that the sole of the lifted foot faces the ceiling (or as close as you can get it).
    3. Slowly straighten the legs as much as possible and then pull the leg toward your nose. Switch sides.

    Sets and reps: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds on each side, 3 sets.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Lying Hamstring
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Lying Hamstring
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Lying Hamstring

Why You Might Need a Lying Hamstring Alternative

You may need substitutes because equipment is unavailable, you feel kneecap or low-back pain, or you want a different loading pattern. Lying hamstring primarily isolates knee flexion and stresses the distal hamstrings; hip-dominant options like RDLs shift activation to the proximal hamstrings and glutes. Choose an alternative when you need more load capacity, unilateral balance work, or eccentric overload for tendon rehab. For example, pick a Nordic curl for high eccentric hamstring activation (anchor the ankles and lower slowly for 3–5 seconds) or a single-leg RDL to address side-to-side strength deficits while preserving lumbar stability.

Lying Hamstring FAQ

What muscles does Lying Hamstring work?

Lying hamstring curls primarily load the three hamstring muscles: biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus, with secondary involvement of the calves and glutes. The exercise isolates knee flexion, so you should feel contraction at the back of the thigh just above the knee when curling.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Lying Hamstring?

The Nordic hamstring curl is the most effective bodyweight substitute for isolation and eccentric overload; anchor your ankles and lower slowly while keeping hips extended. That long, controlled eccentric targets distal hamstring fibers and builds strength useful for sprinting and injury prevention.

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