Exercise
Stability Ball Leg Curl
The Stability Ball Leg Curl is a bodyweight exercise that trains the back of the legs while challenging control and lower-body stability.
Stability Ball Leg Curl
The Stability Ball Leg Curl is a bodyweight movement performed lying on your back with your heels on a stability ball. By lifting the hips and curling the ball toward you, the exercise combines hip extension with knee bending, making it more demanding than floor-based leg curls.
Most of the work is felt in the back of the legs, with the glutes helping keep the hips lifted and steady throughout the movement. Maintaining tension while the ball moves in and out requires control and balance, which increases the overall challenge without adding external load.
This exercise fits well into strength training, warm-ups, or conditioning-focused workouts where body control is a priority. It’s suitable for beginners using shorter ranges of motion and for more advanced users by slowing the tempo or fully extending the legs to increase time under tension.
How to Perform the Stability Ball Leg Curl
- Lie on your back with your legs extended and heels on the stability ball, arms at your sides with palms facing down.
- Engage your core by drawing your navel toward your spine and press your arms firmly into the floor for stability.
- Exhale as you bend your knees, rolling the ball toward your body by contracting your hamstrings and lifting your hips slightly off the floor.
- Continue pulling the ball inward until your feet are flat on the ball and your knees are bent at approximately 90 degrees, maintaining a neutral spine position.
- Hold the contracted position for a moment while keeping your glutes engaged and your hips elevated slightly off the ground.
- Inhale as you slowly straighten your legs, controlling the ball's movement away from your body without letting your hips drop.
- Extend your legs completely while maintaining tension in your hamstrings and keeping your lower back pressed into the floor.
- Perform the prescribed number of repetitions while maintaining a controlled tempo throughout the entire movement.
Important information
- Keep your head, shoulders, and upper back in contact with the floor throughout the entire exercise to protect your neck and spine.
- Avoid lifting your hips too high off the floor, as this shifts emphasis away from the hamstrings and can strain your lower back.
- If you find the exercise too challenging, start with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle rather than fully extended.
- Focus on moving the ball with your hamstrings rather than pushing with your feet to maximize muscle engagement.
FAQ - Stability Ball Leg Curl
The Stability Ball Leg Curl primarily targets the hamstrings and glutes while also engaging the calves and core stabilizers. Your lower back and hip stabilizers also work isometrically to maintain proper position throughout the movement.
For an easier version, keep the ball closer to your hips and perform partial range of motion curls. To increase difficulty, position the ball further from your body, extend your arms out to the sides rather than using them for support, or progress to single-leg variations.
The Stability Ball Leg Curl is generally considered lower-impact than loaded hamstring exercises like deadlifts, making it suitable for many rehabilitation programs. However, those with specific knee injuries or acute lower back pain should consult a physical therapist before attempting this movement.
The most common mistakes include rounding your lower back, rotating your hips instead of keeping them square, rushing through the movement, and not hinging properly at the hips. Focus on maintaining a neutral spine, moving with control, and keeping your standing knee slightly soft rather than locked.
For optimal hamstring development, incorporate Exercise Ball Leg Curls 1-2 times weekly with 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions. Allow 48-72 hours between hamstring-focused workouts for proper recovery, especially if you're also performing other posterior chain exercises like deadlifts or Romanian deadlifts.
Stability Ball Leg Curl
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