Leg curls are the opposite of leg extensions, if the latter pumps the quadriceps, then curls are a formative exercise for the biceps femoris. This exercise perfectly allows you to both tire the biceps of the thigh before heavy basic exercises, and “finish off” it after. Not least important is that it allows you to pump the biceps in isolation from the gluteal muscles, because sometimes, if these muscles are well developed, then they already receive excessive stress on squats with a barbell.

Pumping up the legs is not an easy task, the legs are the largest muscle group in the human body, so they need to be pumped hard, powerfully and voluminously. One of the exercises that allows you to achieve massive and embossed legs are leg curls, which are very effective to combine with Romanian traction. Moreover, we recommend men to perform leg curls before the basic exercise, so that then they “reach failure” faster.

Work of muscles and joints

Leg curls pump the biceps of the legs, located on the back of the thigh. The bundles of the biceps of the legs resemble the biceps of the arm: two bundles, one long and strong, the other short and weak. But the biceps of the legs is very important for athletes, not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also because it removes the load from the knee joint, so both bundles must be pumped.

From an anatomical point of view, leg curls are a much more comfortable exercise than extensions, because the knee is in a more natural position and receives almost no load. Rather, if leg extensions force the knee joint to hold weight, then leg curls only stretch it.

In general, legs need to be pumped with various exercises and perform a very voluminous load on them, which forces athletes to recover well as well. By and large, the legs should be trained separately from the rest of the muscles. Such powerful workouts require proper nutrition, or rather a nutrition system, and we recommend you a bodybuilder’s diet, which will allow you to “build” really beautiful legs.

Leg curl – scheme
1) Adjust the machine for yourself, it is very important to fix the back, so the lower back and buttocks should fit snugly against the back and seat, respectively.
2) The body must be tightly fixed, therefore, in addition to clamping it between the seat and the back, you grab the handrails.
3) The pillow of the simulator, you should place it on the ankle in order to better feel the hamstrings.
4) It is necessary to bend the legs quickly, on exhalation, lingering a little at the bottom point, when the peak muscle contraction occurs.
5) Unbending the legs, it is necessary to do this slowly and under control, so that the hamstrings receive sufficient load.

Leg curls – notes

1) When you unbend your legs, you need to exhale the air, which will help you concentrate even more on the work of the muscles.
2) The knees should always remain slightly bent, not so much because you can injure yourself, but because otherwise the load will leave the muscles.
3) The weight on the projectile should be moderate, do not forget that bending the legs is a formative exercise.
4) Rest between sets is best to choose in the range of 20-40 seconds, which will “pump” the muscles.
5) Be sure to warm up before the exercise, so before the working set you should do 1-2 warm-ups for 30 repetitions.

Anatomy

Leg curls pump the biceps femoris, which is not the main muscle of the legs, but in order to pump up the legs, you should also pump it. The biceps femoris is attached to the knee joint, so if it lags behind the quadriceps, it can cause knee injuries during heavy barbell squats.

The knee joint, when bending the legs, does not receive a load, which is, of course, a positive feature of this exercise. Thus, if you have a knee injury, then leg curls are probably the only thing you can do. But this exercise should not be neglected during a training program for gaining mass, as it allows you to perfectly tire, or “finish off” the hamstrings, which will allow you to progress even faster!