Seated Single-Leg Curl
The seated leg curl done one leg at a time: pinned under the lap pad, you curl one heel down and back toward the seat while the other leg rests.
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
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Why do it
This keeps the hamstring stretch of the seated curl and adds the honesty of working one side at a time, so a stronger leg can't cover for the weaker one. It's useful when one hamstring lags or when you want to focus on slow, full-range reps. Some machines feel unstable with only one leg in, so tighten the lap pad and hold the handles. Expect each set to take twice as long as the two-leg version.
How to do it
Set the seat so your knee lines up with the machine's pivot and lower the lap pad onto your thighs.
Put one leg over the roller so it sits just above your heel, leg extended, and hold the handles.
Curl your heel down and back toward the seat as far as the machine allows.
Extend the leg slowly against the resistance. Keep your hips on the seat and finish all reps before switching legs.
Common mistakes
Hips shifting on the seat
With one leg working, the pull can drag your hips forward or lift one side. Tighten the lap pad, hold the handles and stay seated square.
Letting the free leg join in
Pushing the roller with the resting leg quietly turns the set into a two-leg curl. Keep the free leg relaxed and away from the roller.
Picking the weight for your strong side
A load your strong leg handles easily often leaves the weaker one with sloppy reps. Choose a weight the weaker side can do cleanly, and start the set with it.
Cutting the stretch at the top
Stopping before your leg straightens skips the stretched part that makes the seated version useful. Let the leg extend slowly, almost all the way.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
