Nordic Hamstring Curl

The Nordic Hamstring Curl is an effective exercise for strengthening the hamstrings.

  1. Start by kneeling on a soft surface with your feet secured under a stable object.
  2. Engage your core and slowly lower your body forward while keeping your hips extended.
  3. Use your hamstrings to control the descent and stop just before hitting the ground.
  4. Push through your heels to return to the starting position.

How to perform the Nordic Hamstring Curl

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Nordic Hamstring Curl using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

Build a free routine

Stage exercises here, then sign up to save them as a real Fitly routine — synced to web and mobile.

View staged routine (0)

Variations of Nordic Hamstring Curl

Related exercises

0 exercises staged Save your routine — sign up free.