Exercises / Thigh & knee
Nordic hamstring curl
- Strength
- Thigh & knee
- Partner or fixed ankle support, Mat
Kneeling with the ankles held, lean forward as slowly as possible. Halves hamstring injury rates; preferentially recruits semitendinosus.
Also called Nordic, Nordic hamstring exercise, NHE, Russian curl.
Where you stand
No published distribution for this exercise yet. We add one only from a peer-reviewed study.
Muscles worked
Filled: primary. Outlined: secondary.
How much
Programmes in the meta-analysis varied; a low weekly volume progressed over several weeks is typical.
Start: Kneeling
Steps
- Kneel on a mat with the ankles held firmly by a partner or strap.
- With the hips extended, lean forward slowly, resisting with the hamstrings.
- Catch yourself with the hands, then push back to the start.
Cues
- Hips stay straight (knees-to-head line)
- Fight the fall for as long as possible
Common mistakes
- Bending at the hips
- Dropping quickly
Used for
- Hamstring injury prevention
- Late-stage hamstring strain rehabilitation
Take care (1)
- High eccentric load: expect soreness when starting. Delay after acute strains until guided by criteria.
Evidence (2)
Easier
References (3)
- Bourne MN, Williams MD, Opar DA, Al Najjar A, Kerr GK, Shield AJ. Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(13):1021-1028. Impact of exercise selection on hamstring muscle activation
- Neumann DA. Elsevier. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed.
- van Dyk N, Behan FP, Whiteley R. Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(21):1362-1370. Including the Nordic hamstring exercise in injury prevention programmes halves the rate of hamstring injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 8459 athletes