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Exercises

Nordic curl alternatives: easier, loadable and no-anchor swaps

Published October 23, 2026

The closest Nordic curl alternative is the glute ham raise on a lat pulldown: the same bodyweight knee curl with your hips straight, but the weight stack helps you, so you can do full reps long before you can do a full Nordic. A lying or seated leg curl trains the same knee curl with a load you pick, lowered slowly. At home with nothing to hook your feet under, stability ball and suspension strap leg curls keep your hips straight as you curl, and a dumbbell Romanian deadlift covers your hamstrings at the hip.

What a Nordic hamstring curl alternative has to replace

The Nordic hamstring curl trains your hamstrings by lowering your whole body forward from your knees with your hips straight. It loads them hardest on the way down, as your body nears the floor and your knees straighten, which is why most people can control only part of the rep at first.

A replacement has to keep a hard knee curl with your hips straight, ideally with a slow, heavy lowering.

How to do the Nordic hamstring curl

Machines and cables

In a gym, these keep the knee curl and let you pick the load, so you can train a slow lowering for full sets.

Closest swap, assisted

Glute Ham Raise

Hamstrings, Glutes

Kneeling on a lat pulldown with your calves under the pads, you lean forward and curl back up like a Nordic, but the stack takes off part of your bodyweight. Use less help as you get stronger until a full Nordic is in reach.

How to do it

  1. Face away from a lat pulldown and kneel on its seat, calves locked under the thigh pads.
  2. Hold the pulldown bar across the back of your shoulders; a heavier stack gives you more help.
  3. Keep your hips straight and lean your body forward as one piece until it is close to level with the floor.
  4. Curl yourself back up by pulling your heels into the pads.

Cues

  • Hips locked straight
  • Lean as one piece
  • Heavier stack if form breaks

Common mistakes

  • Folding at the hips on the way up: add assistance until you can rise in one straight line.
  • Falling through the bottom: control the lowering just as much as the lift.
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Closest loaded swap

Lying Leg Curl

Hamstrings

The same knee curl with your hips straight, and you choose the weight. Lower each rep over three to four seconds to get close to the Nordic's slow lowering.

How to do it

  1. Adjust the roller so it rests on your lower calves, with your knees just past the end of the pad.
  2. Lie chest-down, grip the handles, and press your hips into the bench.
  3. Curl the roller toward your glutes as far as it goes.
  4. Lower it over a slow count of three and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips glued down
  • Full curl, slow lowering
  • Toes pulled toward shins

Common mistakes

  • Hips popping up at the top: reduce the weight until they stay flat.
  • Bouncing at the bottom: keep the stack from touching between reps.
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Curl from a longer stretch

Seated Leg Curl

Hamstrings

Your hips are bent, so your hamstrings start each curl more stretched than in a Nordic. It is easy to load and suits higher reps.

How to do it

  1. Set the backrest so your knees line up with the machine's pivot, and lock the thigh pad down firmly.
  2. Rest the lower pad just above your heels with your legs straight.
  3. Curl your heels down and back under the seat as far as they go.
  4. Let the pad rise slowly until your legs are straight again, and repeat.

Cues

  • Thigh pad snug
  • Pull heels under the seat
  • Two seconds on the way up

Common mistakes

  • Lifting your hips off the seat to finish the rep: tighten the thigh pad and lighten the stack.
  • Letting the stack crash between reps: control it all the way to straight legs.
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One leg at a time

Single-Leg Leg Curl

Hamstrings

A lying curl one leg at a time, so a weaker hamstring can't hide. Start each set with the weaker leg.

How to do it

  1. Lie chest-down on the bench with both ankles under their pads and your knees just past the end of the bench.
  2. Hold the handles and keep your hips pressed down.
  3. Curl one leg toward your glutes while the other stays straight and relaxed.
  4. Lower it under control, finish all reps on that side, then switch. Start each set with your weaker leg.

Cues

  • Weaker leg first
  • Hips flat the whole set
  • Same reps both sides

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your pelvis toward the working leg: lighten the load until both hip bones stay on the pad.
  • Doing more reps on the strong side: match the weaker leg's count, then stop.
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One-leg machine curl

Kneeling Leg Curl

Hamstrings

A one-leg curl on a kneeling machine, with a long, slow lowering. Count your sets per leg.

How to do it

  1. Kneel with one knee on the knee rest and the other leg's ankle hooked under the roller pad, forearms on the support.
  2. Keep your back flat and your hips square to the machine.
  3. Curl your heel toward your glutes as far as the machine allows.
  4. Return over two to three seconds to an almost straight leg, finish the set, and switch legs.

Cues

  • Square hips
  • Heel to glutes
  • Long, slow return

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back to swing the weight up: brace your abs and use a weight you can lift with the knee alone.
  • Rushing the lowering half: the slow return is where most of the work happens on a curl.
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Best swap with a cable stack

Cable Leg Curl

Hamstrings

An ankle strap on a low pulley turns any cable stack into a standing curl, with small weight jumps for steady progress.

How to do it

  1. Strap your working ankle to the low pulley, face the machine, and hold the frame for balance.
  2. Stand tall with your thighs lined up and the working knee slightly behind the standing one.
  3. Curl your heel up toward your glutes without letting the thigh swing forward.
  4. Pause at the top, then lower slowly until the leg is straight. Finish the set and switch legs.

Cues

  • Thigh stays put
  • Heel to glute
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the thigh forward to finish the rep: keep the knee pointed at the floor.
  • Rushing the lowering: take two seconds to straighten the leg.
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At home: a ball, straps or a band

No anchor for your feet? These keep the curl with your hips held up or a band as the load.

Best swap with no anchor

Stability Ball Leg Curl

Hamstrings

Holding a bridge while you roll the ball in keeps your hips straight during the curl, and you need nothing to hook your feet under.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up with your heels and lower calves on a stability ball and your arms flat on the floor beside you.
  2. Dig your heels into the ball and raise your hips until shoulders, hips and feet line up.
  3. Keeping your hips high, pull the ball in toward your glutes until your feet are flat on top of it.
  4. Roll the ball back out slowly until your legs are straight again, without letting your hips sag.

Cues

  • Hips up before you curl
  • Heels dig into the ball
  • Slow on the way out

Common mistakes

  • Letting your hips drop as the ball rolls in: the curl gets easier because your hamstrings stop holding the bridge.
  • Rushing the roll-out: take two to three seconds on it.
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Best swap with suspension straps

TRX Leg Curl

Hamstrings

The same hips-up curl as the ball version with your heels in the straps, steadier and easy to make harder by lowering the straps.

How to do it

  1. Set the straps so the foot cradles hang about knee height, then lie face up with your heels in them.
  2. Raise your hips until your shoulders, hips and heels line up.
  3. Pull your heels toward your glutes, keeping your hips lifted as your knees bend.
  4. Straighten your legs under control and keep your hips off the floor between reps.

Cues

  • Drive the hips up as the knees bend
  • Squeeze the backs of the thighs at the top
  • Arms flat for balance

Common mistakes

  • Starting with the straps too high, so your hips sink: lower the cradles until you can hold the bridge.
  • Swinging the legs in and out: pause a moment with your knees fully bent before you extend.
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Lightest swap, a mini band

Band Leg Curl

Hamstrings

A standing curl with a mini band around your ankles. Light, so use high reps or finish a session with it.

How to do it

  1. Put a mini loop band around both ankles and stand tall, holding a wall or chair for balance.
  2. Keep your thighs side by side.
  3. Bend one knee and lift that heel toward your glutes as high as you can.
  4. Lower it slowly. Finish the set, then switch legs.

Cues

  • Knees side by side
  • Heel to glutes
  • Slow return

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the thigh back to finish the curl: keep both knees level.
  • Leaning forward: stand tall and hold onto support.
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Hinges for the hip half

Your hamstrings also straighten your hips. Pair one of these with any curl above.

Heavy hamstring work at the hip

Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

It loads your hamstrings through a long stretch with more weight than any curl, but at the hip instead of the knee. Pair it with a curl.

How to do it

  1. Stand with a barbell at your thighs, hands just outside your legs, feet under your hips.
  2. Soften your knees and push your hips back, sliding the bar down your thighs.
  3. Stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched, usually just below the knee, with your back flat.
  4. Push your hips forward to stand up, glutes tight at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back
  • Bar stays on your legs
  • Back flat

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat: keep them soft and still.
  • Reaching for the floor: stop where your back would round.
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Best hinge with dumbbells

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

The same hinge with two dumbbells. With a light pair, slow the lowering to three seconds and stop close to failure.

How to do it

  1. Stand hip-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand resting against the front of your thighs, palms facing you.
  2. Push your hips straight back and let your torso fold forward, knees softly bent, the dumbbells brushing your legs.
  3. Lower until the dumbbells pass your knees and you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, with your back still flat.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top, and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Dumbbells slide down your legs
  • Flat back, chin tucked

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat so the dumbbells go lower: the depth comes from your hips, and most people stop just past the knees.
  • Rounding your lower back at the bottom: end the rep where your back stays flat, and lighten the load if that is high.
Build a session with Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Example sessions without the Nordic hamstring curl

Session 1

Gym, Nordics too hard or nothing to anchor

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Glute-Ham Bench, Seated Leg Curl

You train in a gym with a barbell, a lat pulldown and curl machines, and can't yet do full Nordic curls.

The Romanian deadlift covers the hip half of your hamstrings, the assisted glute ham raise is the Nordic with help, and the seated and single-leg curls add loaded volume. 11 working sets.

Hamstrings
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 3 × 6–10 2 2:30 min
Glute Ham Raise 3 × 5–8 2 2 min
Seated Leg Curl 3 × 8–12 1 75 s
Single-Leg Leg CurlSets are per leg. 2 × 10–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Run it as the hamstring part of your leg day, once or twice a week.
How to progress
When every set reaches the top of its rep range at the RIR shown, add the smallest weight jump next session. On the glute ham raise, take weight off the stack instead, since it is helping you.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home, no anchor for your feet

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Exercise Ball, Resistance Bands

You train at home with dumbbells, an exercise ball and a mini band, and nothing sturdy to hook your feet under.

The dumbbell Romanian deadlift does the heavy hamstring work, the ball curl keeps the hips-straight knee curl, and band curls finish with high reps. 11 working sets.

Hamstrings
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 4 × 10–15 1 90 s
Stability Ball Leg CurlThree seconds on the roll-out. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Band Leg CurlSets are per leg. 4 × 15–25 1 45 s
How to run it
Twice a week on non-consecutive days.
How to progress
Add reps until every set hits the top of its range. Then move up a dumbbell, hold the top of each ball curl for two seconds, or use a thicker band.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Gym, want the slow lowering on machines

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentLying Leg Curl, Adjustable Cable

You want the Nordic's hard lowering with a weight you can pick and add to, and your gym has curl machines and a cable stack.

Every curl here is lowered slowly, which keeps the part of the Nordic that works your hamstrings hardest, with a load you can pick and add to. 10 working sets.

Hamstrings
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Lying Leg Curl1 warm-up set firstLower over four seconds. 4 × 6–10 1 90 s
Kneeling Leg CurlSets are per leg. 3 × 8–12 1 1 min
Cable Leg CurlSets are per leg. 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Once or twice a week. Lower each rep of the lying curl over four seconds.
How to progress
When every set reaches the top of its range, add the smallest weight jump and keep the slow lowering.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What can I do instead of Nordic curls?

The glute ham raise on a lat pulldown is the closest, because the stack helps you through the same curl. A lying or seated leg curl lowered slowly, or a stability ball leg curl at home, also works.

What can I use to anchor my feet for Nordic curls?

A couch, a heavy bed frame, a partner holding your ankles, or the pads of a lat pulldown all work. Kneel on a cushion or folded towel.

Why are Nordic curls so good?

They make your hamstrings control your whole bodyweight as they lengthen, which is very hard work for them, and you need no equipment.

Can the average person do a Nordic curl?

Most people can lower only part of the way at first. Lower as far as you can control, catch yourself with your hands, and add range over the weeks.

Is a Nordic curl the same as a glute ham raise?

They are close. Both curl your knees against your bodyweight with your hips straight, but a glute ham raise has a pad to roll over, and on a lat pulldown the stack helps you, so it is easier.

What are the top 3 exercises for hamstrings?

A Romanian deadlift, a leg curl (seated or lying) and the Nordic curl cover the heavy hinge, the loaded curl and the hard lowering.