One leg exercise I can almost guarantee you are not currently taking advantage of is the Nordic hamstring curl, aka the Russian Leg Curl or the Natural Glute Ham Raise. The Nordic hamstring curl is an eccentric exercise that is performed on the knees with your ankles locked into place, while your upper body and torso are used as a hinge or lever into a prone position. We are going to cover the history of Nordic curls, the muscles worked, and their benefits so you can add them to your leg split.

Nordic Curls: Build Powerful Hamstrings with This Proven Bodyweight Exercise

The Nordic Hamstring Exercise (NHE)—commonly known as Nordic Curls—is an advanced, bodyweight-based eccentric movement that builds massive posterior chain strength, especially in the hamstrings and glutes. Though deceptively simple in appearance, the Nordic curl is backed by extensive history and modern sports science, offering exceptional results in both muscle development and injury prevention.

Also referred to as the Inverse Leg Curl, Russian Leg Curl, or Natural Glute Ham Raise, this exercise requires minimal equipment—just a way to anchor the ankles—and can be performed virtually anywhere.

What Are Nordic Curls?

The Nordic Hamstring Curl is a controlled eccentric exercise, performed by kneeling with your ankles secured and lowering your upper body slowly toward the floor, resisting gravity with your hamstrings.

This controlled lowering phase creates significant tension in the muscle, promoting hypertrophy, neuromuscular control, and injury resilience.

According to a systematic review by van Dyk et al., the NHE has been shown to reduce hamstring injury rates by up to 51% in athletes (van Dyk, British Journal of Sports Medicine).

Nordic Curl History: From Medical Gymnastics to Muscle Science

While Nordic curls have surged in popularity thanks to strength coaches and viral training videos, the exercise is actually rooted in a 19th-century movement called Ling Gymnastics or “medical gymnastics.”

This methodology was developed by Pehr Henrik Ling, a Swedish physiologist who believed that kinetic movement could cure physical ailments. Ling's approach blended principles of military training, medical rehab, and education, placing a heavy emphasis on bodyweight movements.

In 1860, American physician George Herbert Taylor introduced the concept to the U.S. and documented it in The Exposition of the Swedish Movement Cure—referring to the Nordic curl as the “wing/kneeling stretch” (Taylor, 1860).

Nordic Curls Muscles Worked

The Nordic curl heavily targets the posterior chain, especially the hamstrings and glutes, with secondary engagement of stabilizers throughout the core and hips.

Hamstrings

• Primary movers: semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris

• Function: knee flexion, hip extension, and eccentric control during walking, sprinting, and deceleration

• Heavily recruited during the lowering phase of the Nordic curl

Pro Tip: Keep your hips extended and avoid hinging at the waist—this ensures all tension stays in the hamstrings.

Glutes

• Includes: gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus

• Function: hip extension, abduction, and postural stabilization

• Support the movement by maintaining hip alignment during the eccentric phase

Form Cue: Squeeze your glutes throughout the descent to avoid hip flexion and to stabilize your lower back.

Additional Benefits of Nordic Curls

1. Injury Prevention 

Nordic curls have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of hamstring injuries—particularly in athletes. A study from the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that athletes who regularly incorporated the NHE experienced fewer hamstring strains and better recovery outcomes (Petersen et al., AJSM).

2. Posterior Chain Strength

This movement develops high levels of isometric and eccentric strength, improving power in sprinting, jumping, and directional changes.

3. Bodyweight Progression

Nordic curls offer a scalable progression for anyone looking to build leg strength without equipment. Using bands, resistance assistance, or eccentric-only reps can make the exercise accessible for all levels.

Nordic Curls Benefits: Why This Eccentric Movement Deserves a Place in Your Training

Nordic curls are more than just a bodyweight hamstring movement—they’re a science-backed powerhouse for building strength, improving mobility, and preventing injuries. Whether you're a power athlete, CrossFitter, or recreational lifter, Nordic curls can provide a functional advantage that translates to both performance and daily movement quality.

1.  Reduced Risk of Hamstring Injury

Nordic curls have been widely studied for their preventative effect on hamstring strain injuries, particularly in athletes. By improving eccentric strength and enhancing fascial lengthening in the posterior chain, this exercise helps protect the hamstrings from overstretching during explosive or decelerative movements.

In a meta-analysis conducted on elite-level athletes, those who integrated Nordic curls into their programming experienced up to a 51% reduction in hamstring injury rates (van Dyk, British Journal of Sports Medicine).

Training Insight: Increased eccentric control from Nordic curls supports deceleration and landing mechanics—key elements in preventing pulls or tears during sprints, lunges, and plyometric movements.

2.  Improved Range of Motion

Unlike machine-based hamstring curls that limit your body’s natural biomechanics, Nordic curls encourage full hip and knee extension through bodyweight leverage. Often called the “poor man’s glute-ham raise,” this movement trains the hamstrings through an extended range of motion, making it more effective for muscle activation and injury prevention.

Form Insight: With no machine constraints, you can train at angles that are more sport-specific and aligned with real-world movement—resulting in greater mobility and functional joint alignment.

3. Increased Hamstring Hypertrophy

Nordic curls create significant muscle damage and eccentric tension, which are essential for stimulating hypertrophy. By lengthening the hamstring fascia, you're not only building thicker muscles but also enhancing their structural integrity and ability to generate force.

Increased hamstring size is correlated with better sprinting performance, posture, and gluteal activation—which is critical for both strength athletes and those focused on aesthetics.

Training Insight: Due to their slow eccentric tempo, Nordic curls are highly effective at targeting type I and II fibers, promoting both muscular endurance and power gains.

4. Faster Sprinting and Explosive Power

Adding Nordic curls into your program can result in measurable improvements in sprint speed, stride efficiency, and acceleration. Research has shown that stronger hamstrings—especially during the eccentric phase—can generate more torque and peak ground force, which translates to quicker turnover and better sprint mechanics (Bourne et al., Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports).

Even if you’re not a sprinter, stronger hamstrings help support conditioning, cardio training, and fat loss goals by improving movement economy and reducing energy leaks during high-rep or endurance sessions.

Pro Tip: Pair Nordic curls with bounding or sled sprints in the same training cycle to maximize power transfer to your sprint mechanics or fat-burning workouts.

How to Perform Nordic Curls

1. Start Position:

   • Kneel on a soft surface

   • Anchor your ankles (using a partner, padded bar, or heavy object)

   • Maintain an upright torso and brace your core

2. Descent (Eccentric Phase):

   • Slowly lower your torso forward

   • Keep your hips in line with your spine—no bending at the waist

   • Resist the pull of gravity as long as possible

3. Catch & Reset:

   • When you can no longer resist, catch yourself with your hands

   • Push off slightly and return to the starting position

   • For advanced users: try pulling yourself back up (concentric phase)

Form Tip: Keep your neck neutral and eyes focused forward. Avoid overarching the back or collapsing at the hips.

Nordic Curls: Takeaway

The Nordic curl is a great movement for using body weight to appropriately target and strengthen the hamstrings and glutes to further improve athletic performance, posture, and stability. While you don’t need much equipment to do this movement, we do recommend mastering the form and building strength, as poor form can recruit other inappropriate muscles to support the poor form or cause injury. If you’re unable to perform the movement fully with body weight only, we suggest using a band for support.

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