Nordic Hamstring Curl
Reviewed by Bryan Cortez, MS
Use enough help to make the long lever controlled, not theatrical.
Demonstration
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Physique Skool is filming one canonical demonstration per exercise. Until this movement is published, use the setup, execution, common errors, programming, and substitutions below.
Browse Physique Skool on YouTubeHow to do it
Setup
- Pad the knees and secure both ankles
- Kneel tall with hips extended
- Set a band, dowel, or hand-support option within reach
- Brace the trunk before leaning forward
Execution
- Lean the whole body forward from the knees
- Resist the descent as long as possible
- Use the planned assistance before control is lost
- Pull back up by flexing the knees while keeping the hips extended
Common Errors
- Bending sharply at the hips
- Dropping through the final range
- Using an insecure partner or anchor
- Progressing by removing assistance too soon
Cues That Work
- Hips tall; fall as one piece; earn every centimeter
No-Fly Zone
Avoid an unsecured ankle anchor, free-falling through the range, or treating an assisted progression as failure because a full unassisted rep is unavailable.
Programming
Sequence priority
Flexible
The high eccentric demand and technique sensitivity fit after primary hip hinges but before fatigue is so high that the descent cannot be controlled.
Progression
Model — Double
Fallback model — RPE
Increase controlled range and repetitions before reducing assistance; count only reps that retain a long trunk-to-thigh line and smooth descent.
Best program fit
Legs
Load increments
If it hurts
Pain is information, not a challenge to push through. Stop the set if pain is sharp, worsening, or changes how you move. These are exercise-selection options, not medical diagnosis or rehabilitation advice.
Work down this list in order. Stop at the first change that removes the pain.
Step 1
Setup tweaks
Use strong band or hand assistance and a shortened range so every repetition is controlled.
Step 2
ROM / tempo / bias
Extend the eccentric range or reduce assistance in small steps while preserving the same body line.
Step 3
Implement swap
Seated leg curl, lying leg curl, or sliding leg curl.
Substitutions
Approved fallback
Seated leg curl, lying leg curl, or sliding leg curl.
The Evidence
The Nordic is a distinct high-torque knee-flexion task, not a universal replacement for machine curls. Assistance, range, soreness response, and knee comfort determine whether it fits the program.
SFR — 0.7
Put the exercise inside a system.
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