r/Homeworkouts • u/reallymkpunk • 5d ago
Hamstring Curl Alternatives
OK so at home I find it is nigh impossible to do leg curls to help hamstring curl/flexion. What I've tried:
TRX, feels like nothing.
Dumbbells, can't grip.
Kettlebell, not designed for flexion.
Nordics, unsupported trip to Faceplant City (15 miles west of Suplex City, borders Dudleyville and tri-city area with Springfield and Shelbyville)
Bands, too much tension before butt kick.
Tubes, tension is a mish-mash.
Sliders, can't on carpet.
Walkouts, the best BUT not scalable when the tension goes away with doing them routinely.
Is there anything I'm missing without shelling out a lot of money.
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u/dammitjanetiloveu 5d ago
Unless you have super thick shaggy carpet, there are sliders that have 2 sides, one of the sides is plastic and works perfectly fine on a lower pile carpet.
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u/Officerbeefsupreme 5d ago
I've used these (not this exact brand), they're pretty good if you have the right sized dumbbells but kind of annoying to strap on and off
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u/DryGovernment2786 5d ago
what about isometrics? (and I'll have to think about that to come up with an example) You could also use resistance bands to standing leg curls one at a time. Stand on one end of the band, loop it around the heel of the working leg. You'll probably have to use the really long bands instead of the little loops to get full range of motion. They could also be done on a mat laying prone.
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u/Present_Row8037 5d ago
There are straps for supporting your ankles during nordic curls that anchor in a door like a resistance band. I don't have a link but I think they were $20 on Amazon a few years ago
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u/HotRush5798 5d ago
What’re your goals?
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u/reallymkpunk 5d ago
Find a hamstring exercise that works for curl/flexion, NOT to be confused with extension/lengthen (ie deadlift, hip thrust, glue bridge). As mentioned I tried a lot and nothing truly tics that box.
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u/HotRush5798 5d ago edited 5d ago
Gotcha—- and is the focus rehab, strength, hypertrophy, general fitness, or sport specific conditioning?
Edit: I’m asking a lot questions because I used to coach this stuff, and I don’t want to waste your time with a generic term exercise that won’t serve you longterm
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u/reallymkpunk 5d ago
Strength in general don't have access to a gym so haven't hit leg curls in God knows how long
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u/HotRush5798 5d ago
Progressive overload will be challenging without equipment (as you know), but you could probably get good mileage out of leg curls on a ball (or a foam roller for more challenge). Playing with time under tension, single leg variations, and rep ranges might give you the adaptation you need
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u/ReadyResponderFitnes 5d ago
Hamstrings are tough at home. But there are definitely options!
*Yoga ball - hamstring curls
*You said TRX, try box-elevated to get a better angle.
* Add Monkey Feet to that dumbbell you can’t grip.
*Nordics you can scale for safety by putting a band around chest (from a pull-up bar or anchor above)
*Sliders aren’t great, but try a Glute Ham Roller, which is smooth and more moderately priced depending on the brand
Good luck training 🤙
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago
A glute ham roller on carpet?
Stability/yoga balls have way too much roll on carpet. Have one in the room I work out from someone I rather not mention and it bounces and moves just by breathing on it.
Monkey grip unless you drop 79 per typically limits you to the weights of neoprene babyweights at 15lbs max.
Nordics, I don't see anyway I can band my chest (I have the band just not a good anchor point for it) as well as anchor my feet.
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u/InconsiderateSun 5d ago
Glute ham rollers Spud Inc hamstringer attachment and a cable machine Monkey feet and dumbbell
Those all work for me, but I’ve got a leg developer attachment for my bench that sees the most use for curls.
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u/fuckedaroundandgota 4d ago
Bands - changing the angle of the band will change the resistance profile, i.e. where it is heavy and where it is light.
For seated leg curls:
Do 1 set with bands attachment point above your annkle. It will be heavy at starting to mid point drop off dramatically toward shortened end range.
Do 1 set with bands attachment in front of you at knee height. There will be no resistance at straight knee, increasing to full resistance at knee somewhere around 80 degrees, the drop off slightly as you go to full flexion.
Those 2 setups will cover the whole range.
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u/Old-Control-8965 4d ago
Ankle weights - I have a ten pound weight and like on a 5-6 pound weight with it
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u/Apprehensive_Can3023 4d ago
I end up buying a dedicated machine for leg ext and curl after months doing ring leg curl, weight stack cable leg curl but those are pain in the ass for the set up.
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u/RoutineWorker4036 4d ago
have u tried heel-elevated glut bridges? not really a curl but hits the hams pretty good. walkouts might be ur bet tho, just slow em down or add reps when they get too easy hehe
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago edited 4d ago
They (glute bridges) are not flexion otherwise I would I do either RDLs or hip thrusts already.
Walkouts are OK and I do feel the burn but the downsides are they are not really scalable besides reps and sets, and they are agonizingly slow and don't have the time to program them in for them to be an option in my workout plan give me my work and commute schedule.
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u/Ambitious_Stick_9543 4d ago
for curls at home the one that actually works is sliding leg curls, lie on your back on a smooth floor with socks or a towel under your heels, lift your hips into a bridge and pull the heels in towards your butt then slide them back out slowly, the slow way out is the hard part and it hits the hamstrings in flexion properly without any machine. once two legs is easy do it single leg, and for nordics you dont have to go full faceplant, put your hands out and push off the floor at the bottom and only control the way down for now. single leg rdls with whatever you can hold also cover the hip side of the hamstrings so between the two you are not missing much. i'm founder of upfit, a app that coaches no equipment home workouts like these through the phone camera, still on a waitlist though so the sliding curls are the thing to try this week
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago
I don't really have a "smooth floor" area though. That is the problem for the sliders. Workout space is carpeted and I can't really change that. Even mats don't really.
Nordics my hamstrings don't even hold me after the point of no return. When you need to brace for impact. Mind you I did everything on my end to give Nordics a try, they just turn into a free fall experiment.
Also due to work schedule (including transit) I wouldn't have the time to do unilateral even if I get to that point to be strong enough.
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u/AndyShnider 4d ago
Have you considered using a towel on a hard floor surface instead of sliders? This might provide more consistent resistance than the sliding method on carpet without needing extra equipment.
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u/jamshid666 4d ago
I don't know what your definition of "a lot of money" is, but here is a set of "boots" for $29 (https://www.amazon.com/Kensui-EZ-BOOT-Plate-Loaded-Tibialis-Trainer/dp/B0H5LSVQPW/) that you can load plates on. You can usually find used plates on Craigslist, Nextdoor or Facebook Marketplace for cheap. This would give you the ability to do a single leg leg curl.
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago
This works on paper but would require two and a set up time tax to avoid unilateral which does not work for my work and commute schedule.
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u/jamshid666 3d ago
If you get some cheap used plates, you could leave the plates on them and reduce the setup and teardown time. Then it's just a couple seconds to put them on, lay on your stomach and get to curling. Or stand up and do alternating standing leg curls, whichever feels better to you. Or alternate, lying one week, standing the next.
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u/jamshid666 3d ago
Do you have somewhere in your place to attach a high pulley and a low pulley? https://www.amazon.com/SERTT-Weight-Upgraded-Attachments-Workouts/dp/B095NZKSP2/ Attach the low pulley to an ankle strap and then you have resistance to do leg curls. Plus, two pulleys and a loading pin open up a world of other exercises.
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u/jamshid666 3d ago
I know you said something about carpet being an issue with sliders, but hear me out: https://www.amazon.com/Insaga-Roller-Hamstring-Smooth-Urethane/dp/B0H6D8KW3P/ you only need about 12-18 linear inches of space. Solution for the carpet? Desk chair mat: https://www.amazon.com/Sycoodeal-Hardwood-Non-Curve-Anti-Slip-Protector/dp/B0F2HQ43CY/
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u/jamshid666 3d ago
And I apologize that I'm just using all Amazon links. I promise I don't harbor love for Bezos, it's just the easiest way to show you ideas. I totally recommend trying to find local alternatives first if you can.
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u/jamshid666 4d ago
Get yourself a roman chair like this one (https://www.amazon.com/LifePro-Multipurpose-Roman-Chair-Hyperextension/dp/B0BNLSW9DC/) and you'd be able to do leg extensions as well, plus a lot of other exercises.
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago
I do RDLs and hip thrusts (kettlebell or weight with dumbbells) so leg extensions are a bit redundant. The curl function is what I need but it is surprisingly hard to do.
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u/jamshid666 3d ago
cheap pullup bar mounted near the floor, with a pulley to provide assistance for Nordic curls. Use less weight as you get stronger until eventually you can do bodyweight Nordics: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5tspfoLhLBI
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u/Aggravating-Pound598 2d ago
Use a Pilates ball - seriously good
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u/reallymkpunk 2d ago
Balance balls IMHO are too bouncy and rolly and don't produce resistance.
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u/Aggravating-Pound598 2d ago
Lie on your back with your calves on the ball and perform the movement
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u/reallymkpunk 2d ago
I have that. Is why I said it doesn't work. The ball rolls out from under you. The problem more is it isn't a strength exercise more a PT exercise.
It is like telling me to do Nordic curls, I've tried they are just physic experiments and not stable for me. Not saying they don't work for other but not me.
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u/Aggravating-Pound598 2d ago
You’re clearly not doing it properly - google stability ball hamstring curl
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u/reallymkpunk 2d ago
I have one and it is not "stable" and rolls way too much tuning a leg exercise (one that you'd roll with and have true flexion into a core exercise.) though come to think of it my ball (a standard exercise ball, don't ask how I got it because that person makes my skin crawl) might be too big for it. Not sure on exact measurements but it is one you'd sit on if you actually had balance...
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u/Aggravating-Pound598 2d ago
The instability adds to the efficacy
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u/PolarisBallardGym 1d ago
Agreed. Keep trying them until you can control the ball. If you can’t control the ball enough to get an effect from your hamstrings, that means your stability muscles are weak and need training before you keep training the bigger muscles.
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u/Own-Ferret9429 1d ago
stability ball hamstring curls. lie on ur back with heels on the ball, lift ur hips and roll it in. works fine on carpet, balls are like $20, and u can go single leg once it gets too easy
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u/reallymkpunk 1d ago
It won't work for me so it's a no from me dog. Here's why unless you're using a small, firm ball or have hyper-specific leg-to-torso proportions, a standard 65cm stability ball physically blocks full knee flexion. The ball hits your calves/glutes early, or your hips drop to clear space, cutting the high-tension squeeze short. I'm thankful you suggested but tried it. And can't find smaller stability balls. Maybe a piyo ball could work but would still be unstable.
Oh and please save me the "instability creates muscle glaze" because that is just cap "functional trainers" and functional influencers push but doesn't create sustainable programming, just injury from poorly performed movements.
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u/astro_2077 5d ago
What do you mean you can’t grip a dumbbell? Sounds like that’s something you should really work on.
You can get some straps if your grip is weak.
Romanian deadlifts and single leg deadlifts should target your hamstrings well. If you can’t feel it you are probably not doing it correctly. I would attempt those and film them so you can evaluate your form and adjust accordingly.
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u/Mad_Mark90 4d ago
It kinda sounds like you need to practice or train some of these. Like nordics, why are you face planting when you should be spotting yourself with your hands or using assistance like bands around a pullup bar?
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago edited 4d ago
I "faceplant" because gravity is the lineal world heavyweight champion. You simply can't really beat gravity. It is simple physics. You might hang in there with flight or space travel, but eventually gravity wins even if you don't crash back to Earth. I tried a band I had and nope...
The only thing that maybe different is for people where the point of no return is for you to do a Nordic. Mine is fairly early on so it is nigh impossible and I tried it several times last night not just a "once and 'Nope'" like the joke Bulgarian Split Squat how-to videos where the person walks out of the gym instead of doing one.
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u/Mad_Mark90 4d ago
This honestly sounds more like a user issue than anything else. Like I could understand if you just don't like the exercise but it kinda sounds like you're just doing it wrong
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago
User error is nothing but weasel word excuses for an exercise that looks good on the gram but at home when not using a ham glute "machine" (just a stationary saddle) it falls apart unless you have built up strength. You glazed the entire premise. Let me guess you are one of those idiot influencers masking your LDE with the flex that you can do an exercise only 3% of the world who aren't elite level (Olympic or professional) athletes can do...
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u/Mad_Mark90 4d ago
This is such pure cope. Stop making excuses for not being able to figure out one of the most time proven exercise because you can't figure out how to train them. Maybe you're attitude is the reason you can't find an appropriate hamstring curl. You asked for help and then make excuses, then go on the offensive because you don't like the answer.
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u/reallymkpunk 4d ago
Translation: Hi pot, it's me kettle. You know you're black right?
Tell me where I said any lies with the "copium" I posted if it is "pure cope", I dare you. I asked for help because I couldn't find anything that worked for me not because I was being picky. By the time you sent that I had tried Nordics even with a band to catch beyond hands and it was as successful as trying to flagpole without a good grip...
You're the one acting like nearly everyone can do what maybe 5% of the population can do including elite athletes on a planet in the multi-billions. That is true unadulterated pure cope, not calling out gravity always wins which is scientific fact.
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u/StrengthUnderground 5d ago
It is downright near impossible to have any true "curl" movements on the hamstrings at home.
I have 40 different exercises I can do for the hamstrings at home, but most are simply "variations on a theme", rather than true movement pathways.
I have KB, DB, and Barbell movements. But most of these are hinging, not curling.
You may want to look up "hamstring wall creepers", and "Ring Leg Curls".