Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound
Lever Kneeling Leg Curl: How to Do It & Muscles Worked
The lever kneeling leg curl is an isolation exercise targeting the hamstrings, performed on a leverage machine while kneeling. It primarily works the hamstrings and also engages the glutes as secondary muscles.
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings
- Secondary muscles
- Glutes
- Equipment
- Leverage Machine
- Level · type
- Intermediate · Compound
How to do the lever kneeling leg curl
- Step 1: Adjust the machine to fit your body and select the desired weight.
- Step 2: Kneel on the machine facing downwards, with your knees resting on the pad and your feet secured under the footpads.
- Step 3: Grasp the handles or the sides of the machine for stability.
- Step 4: Keeping your upper body stationary, exhale and curl your legs up towards your glutes by flexing your knees.
- Step 5: Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your hamstrings.
- Step 6: Inhale and slowly lower your legs back to the starting position, fully extending your knees.
- Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets, reps and programming
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 3–5 min | 1–3 reps in reserve |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 6–12 | 2–3 min | 1–2 reps in reserve |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 12–20 | 1–2 min | 1–3 reps in reserve |
Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.
Lever Kneeling Leg Curl alternatives
More exercises that train the hamstrings as their main target:
-
Barbell Good Morning
Hamstrings · Barbell · Intermediate compound -
Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift
Hamstrings · Barbell · Intermediate compound -
Cable Assisted Inverse Leg Curl
Hamstrings · Cable · Intermediate compound -
Inverse Leg Curl (Bench Support)
Hamstrings · Body Weight · Intermediate compound -
Kettlebell Hang Clean
Hamstrings · Kettlebell · Intermediate compound -
Lever Lying Two-One Leg Curl
Hamstrings · Leverage Machine · Intermediate compound -
Self Assisted Inverse Leg Curl (On Floor)
Hamstrings · Body Weight · Intermediate compound -
Self Assisted Inverse Leg Curl (On Floor) with Elite
Hamstrings · Body Weight · Intermediate compound
More hamstrings exercises
-
Lying Leg Curl
Hamstrings · Leverage Machine · Beginner compound -
Assisted Prone Hamstring
Hamstrings · Assisted · Beginner compound -
Dumbbell Lying Femoral
Hamstrings · Dumbbell · Beginner compound -
Exercise Ball Seated Hamstring Stretch
Hamstrings · Stability Ball · Beginner stretch -
Glute-Ham Raise
Hamstrings · Body Weight · Advanced compound -
Hamstring Stretch
Hamstrings · Body Weight · Beginner stretch
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
- Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.
Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.
This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.