Hamstring exercise
Nordic Hamstring Curl
Build eccentric knee-flexor strength in the hamstrings.
- Equipment
- Nordic bench
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 60X0
Setup
Kneeling on a pad with your ankles anchored by a partner or a Nordic bench.
How to do it
- Keep your hips fully extended so your body stays in one straight line from knee to shoulder - breaking at the hips is the universal fault and makes the exercise almost worthless.
- Lower yourself forward as slowly as you can control, then push back up with your hands.
- Introduce it gradually because the soreness is severe if you start with high volume.
- Two sessions a week is the floor; fortnightly does nothing at all.
Coaching cues
- Hips locked - one line from knee to shoulder
- Resist as far as you can control
- Push back with the hands
Common mistakes
- Breaking at the hips, which is the single most common fault
- Starting with too much volume, which causes soreness bad enough to end adherence
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Bodyweight eccentric | 2 to 3 | 4 to 8 | 2 min |
Tempo 60X0: Take 6 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, no pause before the next rep.
Related exercises
- Razor Hamstring CurlGet high eccentric hamstring force with less soreness than the Nordic.
- Glute-Ham RaiseTrain the hamstring through its full range at both the hip and the knee.
- Hamstring Slider CurlTrain knee-flexion hamstring strength with no equipment at all.
- Romanian DeadliftLoad the hamstrings in a lengthened position, which is where they get injured.
- Single-Leg Romanian DeadliftCombine hamstring loading with the hip control that cutting demands.
- Back SquatBuild maximal bilateral lower-body strength, the foundation of scrum drive and contact.