Exercise description of the prone leg curl.  Learn about the prone leg curl with videos, pictures, and other sports information.  Also learn how the prone leg curl can increase your sports skills.

Primary muscles worked:  Hamstrings

Synergist Muscles:  N/a

Mechanics:  Isolation Equipment:  Prone Leg Curl Machine

How to perform the exercise:  The athlete should correctly adjust the ankle bar if the bar does not rest just above the ankles. To perform the prone leg curl an athlete should assume a face down position on the prone leg curl machine, with the ankle bar positioned just above the ankle. From this position, the athlete should flex the legs by trying to bring the legs closer to the glutes. Once the knee joint has reached a 90 degree angle, the athlete may lower the weight back in to starting position. The athlete may repeat this motion for more reps.

Spotting the exercise:  The prone leg curl is best spotted by having the spotter stand next to the ankle bar. If the athlete can not perform a complete rep of the prone leg curl, the spotter can push up on the ankle bar to assist with a complete rep.

Sport specific application:  Most sports do not require an athlete to be in a prone position to elicit a skill required for that sport; however, the prone leg curl can serve as a valuable training tool for athletes for several reasons. The first is that it isolates that hamstrings which are often under trained in many training protocols. Also, the prone leg curl is a stable movement that can be used by beginners to learn how to actively contract their hamstrings.