The Nordic hamstring curl is a big eccentric hamstring builder: kneel with your ankles anchored, lower your torso forward as slowly as you can while your hamstrings resist, then push back up. It's used in ATG and widely beyond it. Here's how to do it with good form, the muscles it works, the mistakes to avoid, and how to program it.
The Nordic curl is a bodyweight isolation movement that primarily works the hamstrings — especially the lengthening (eccentric) portion — with the glutes and calves assisting. You kneel with your ankles anchored and your hips extended in line with your torso, then lower yourself forward as slowly as possible, catch with your hands near the floor, and push back up. It's one of the most effective ways to build eccentric hamstring strength, though it's advanced and usually needs regressing at first. It appears in the ATG / knees over toes approach popularized by Ben Patrick, and widely across strength training.
The Nordic curl is a hamstring-focused isolation move. The hamstrings do nearly all the work as they lengthen under load, while the glutes hold the hips extended and the calves help brace the lower leg.
| Role | Muscles | What they do in the lift |
|---|---|---|
| Primary mover | Hamstrings | Resist the fall and pull you back up (knee flexion, eccentric) |
| Assisting | Glutes | Keep the hips extended so the torso and thighs stay in line |
| Assisting | Calves | Help brace the lower leg against the anchor |
| Stabilizers | Core | Keeps the trunk rigid through the descent |
Step-by-step form for the Nordic hamstring curl. If you're new, regress the range before chasing full reps.
If you want to train the same pattern with a different difficulty or equipment, these are the common swaps:
Related hamstring work includes the glute-ham raise and the Romanian deadlift.
The Nordic curl fits on leg or posterior-chain days as a hamstring focus. General starting points:
| Goal | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building the movement | 2–3 × 3–5 | Regressed range or elevated hands; focus on slow, controlled descents |
| Eccentric strength | 3–4 × 4–8 | Full or near-full range as you progress; add range before adding reps |
| Frequency | 1–2× / week | Expect soreness early; keep volume low and build gradually |
If you see an ATG's own benchmark for full Nordic reps, treat it as a coach target to work toward, not a universal standard. For the bigger picture, read the knees over toes pillar.
Log every set — reps, range, and how assisted it was — in LiftHero, and it charts your progressive overload and flags personal records so you can see your hamstrings getting stronger over the weeks. You can add warm-up sets, supersets and rest-timer holds, then drop the Nordic curl into a saved routine so it's ready the next time you train. LiftHero records what you log; it doesn't diagnose your form.
It primarily works the hamstrings, especially the lengthening (eccentric) portion as you lower, with the glutes and calves assisting to keep the hips extended and the body braced.
It loads the hamstrings through a long eccentric with only your bodyweight and leverage, which is very demanding. Most people can't lower all the way under control at first — that's normal, and it's why the movement is usually regressed.
Shorten the range so you only lower part way, place your hands ready to catch and push off sooner, or elevate your hands on a raised surface so they take more of the load. Add range as you get stronger.
You just need your ankles securely anchored. A partner holding your ankles, a loaded barbell or heavy object, a padded bar, or a GHD all work. Kneel on something soft to protect your knees.
Because the eccentric load causes a lot of soreness at first, most people start with low volume once or twice a week and build up gradually. A few controlled reps done well is plenty early on.
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This guide is educational and not medical advice. Consult a qualified coach or medical professional before starting or changing a training program, especially if you're new to lifting or returning from injury. LiftHero is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Ben Patrick, ATG, or Athletic Truth Group; names are used descriptively for identification only.
By Meitar Lazimi, founder of LiftHero · Last updated July 9, 2026.