8 Alternatives to Leg Curls

Looking for an alternative to leg curls that you can perform at home or on the go without the need for special equipment? see our guide on The Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: Calm Your Mind, Transform Your Life for more details. Fortunately, there are several effective exercises that target your hamstrings and glutes, providing a solid workout wherever you are. Whether you're in your living room, traveling, or outdoors, movements like glute bridges, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, and reverse lunges offer a versatile solution. These exercises not only strengthen your legs but also improve stability and balance, making them great options to replace traditional leg curl machines while ensuring you stay consistent with your fitness goals.

Glute Bridges

This bodyweight exercise is perfect for activating your hamstrings and glutes.
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hands by your sides.
Press through your heels to lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Hold the position for a moment, squeezing your glutes at the top, then lower back down slowly.

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Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts

This exercise is great for targeting the hamstrings while improving balance and coordination.
Stand on one leg, and hinge at your hips as you lower your torso forward while extending the opposite leg behind you.
Keep your back flat and lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then return to the starting position.
This movement engages your hamstrings, glutes, and core for a well-rounded workout.

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Reverse Lunges

Reverse lunges are an excellent lower-body movement that engages the hamstrings and glutes.
Stand tall, step one leg back, and lower your hips until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles.
Press through the front heel to return to the standing position.
This movement strengthens your legs, improves balance, and can be done anywhere.

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Nordic Hamstring Curls

This advanced movement closely mimics the leg curl.
Kneel on a mat and anchor your feet under a stable surface or have someone hold them.
Slowly lower your torso toward the floor, using your hamstrings to control the descent.
Push yourself back up to the starting position for an intense hamstring workout.

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Stability Ball Hamstring Curls

If you have access to a stability ball, this is a great alternative to leg curls.
Lie on your back with your heels on the ball and lift your hips.
Roll the ball toward your glutes by bending your knees, then extend your legs back out.
This exercise strengthens your hamstrings and glutes while also engaging your core.

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Step-Ups

Step-ups are an effective lower-body movement that engages your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Find a sturdy platform like a bench or step, place one foot on it, and push through your heel to lift your body.
Step down with control and repeat on the other leg.
This is a functional, equipment-free way to strengthen your legs.

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Wall Sits

Wall sits target the quads and hamstrings and can be performed anywhere with a wall.
Stand with your back against a wall and slide down into a sitting position with your knees bent at 90 degrees.
Hold the position for as long as possible, keeping your weight in your heels.
This isometric exercise builds strength and endurance in the legs.

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Bulgarian Split Squats

This single-leg exercise focuses on strength, balance, and flexibility.
Place one foot behind you on a bench or chair and lower your body into a lunge.
Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
This movement targets the hamstrings, quads, and glutes, while also improving stability.

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Lateral Lunges

Lateral lunges engage the muscles on the side of your legs, including the hamstrings and glutes.
Step one leg out to the side and lower your hips, keeping your chest up and your back flat.
Push through your bent leg to return to the center and repeat on the other side.
This movement improves strength and mobility in the lower body.

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Bodyweight Good Mornings

This bodyweight exercise is great for hamstring and lower back engagement.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hinge at your hips, and lower your torso forward while keeping your back flat.
Use your hamstrings and glutes to return to the starting position.
This is a great alternative to traditional leg curls that can be done anywhere.

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Sprints

Sprinting is a simple, high-intensity way to activate the hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
Find a flat surface or track and perform short, fast sprints with rest in between.
This is an excellent way to develop explosive strength and build muscle in the lower body.

Jumping Lunges

This explosive variation of lunges targets the hamstrings, glutes, and quads.
Begin in a lunge position, then jump and switch your legs mid-air, landing in the opposite lunge.
This plyometric exercise improves both strength and endurance in the lower body.

Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are an effective movement for strengthening the posterior chain, including the hamstrings.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hinge at your hips, and swing the kettlebell between your legs.
Drive through your hips to swing the kettlebell upward to shoulder height, engaging your hamstrings and glutes.

Pistol Squats

This challenging bodyweight exercise focuses on unilateral leg strength and balance.
Stand on one leg, extend the other leg in front of you, and squat down as low as possible while keeping your torso upright.
Push through the heel of the standing leg to return to the starting position.
This movement works the quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving balance.

Hamstring Walkouts

This simple bodyweight exercise effectively engages the hamstrings.
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, and lift your hips into a glute bridge position.
Slowly walk your feet out, one at a time, until your legs are almost fully extended, then walk them back in.
This movement strengthens the hamstrings and glutes without any equipment.