Your favorite bodybuilder’s favorite bodybuilder probably starts their lower-body workouts with leg curls, not squats. It’s not some ancient muscle-making tradition, nor is it an industry secret.
Physique pros like Mike Israetel and John Meadows, social media studs like Sam Sulek, and even renowned coaches like Dave Tate & Joe Bennett have all endorsed leg curls prior to squatting.
In fewer than 500 words, we’re going to teach you why.
Why Bodybuilders Do Leg Curls Before Squats
First, an anatomy primer. Squats involve the knee and hip joints; your hamstrings move both. However, this also means squats are a subpar hamstring exercise.
- Studies tell us the hamstrings shorten at one end and lengthen at the other during squats. Their overall length doesn’t really change, limiting muscle activation. (1)
- Strength researcher Greg Nuckols has discussed how emphasizing your hamstrings while squatting could interfere with how much weight you can lift.
[Related: Best Knee Sleeves for Squatting]
Doing leg curls before squats can be useful if your hamstrings are a weak point or if you’re prone to knee pain. Let’s hear from the experts.
“Leg curls are not systemically fatiguing, so you can ‘get them out of the way’ at the start of your workout,” said Dr. Mike Israetel of his exercise order preferences.
“Leg curls are a great squat warm-up,” remarked legendary powerlifting coach Dave Tate during a conversation with bodybuilder John Meadows. Meadows himself wrote in 2013:
- “Squats can’t be beat for big legs, but that doesn’t mean you should do them first in your workout. [Leg curls] pump the hamstrings with blood, making squats feel sturdier.”
Joe Bennett, the “Hypertrophy Coach”, commonly prescribes hamstring curls at the start of leg workouts for his pro bodybuilders, even if they don’t perform squats afterward, since there’s no performance-related downside.
Hamstring exercises like the leg curl are also commonly prescribed in physical therapy settings to rehabilitate and strengthen the knee joint after injuries such as ACL tears. (2)
Many clinicians utilize the Nordic curl for this purpose, but the leg curl machine is a bit better for bodybuilders due to the consistent mechanical tension — the main driver of muscular hypertrophy. (3)
How To Do Leg Curls
Of the many different leg curl variations — you can use a resistance band if you’re in a gym without machines, or Nordic curls if you have no equipment at all — we’d endorse the seated leg curl station.
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- Adjust the machine so the heel pad rests on the backs of your ankles and the thigh pad pushes against your leg just above the knee.
- SIt upright in the seat and ensure your lower back isn’t rounded.
- Curl your leg by pushing against the heel pad until your shin is at least perpendicular to the floor.
That’s your hamstring isolation done and dusted. Time to move on to your leg workout proper. If you’re including leg curls before squats, your leg day might look something like this:
- Machine Leg Curl: 2-4 x 8-15
- Back Squat: 3 x 6
- Leg Press or Stiff-Leg Deadlift: 3 x 8-12
- Walking Lunge: 2 x 15
- Leg Extension: 2-4 x 8-15
- Back Extension: 2 x 15
- Calf Raise: 2 x 20
A good rule of thumb for balanced leg development and joint health is to match your posterior and anterior training 1-to-1. If you perform 10 sets of quad-focused leg training per week, make sure you’re doing at least 10 sets for your posterior chain.
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- If you want to go real deep on leg curl lore, rehabilitative specialist and BarBend collaborator Jordan Shallow discusses the machine’s utility beyond building muscle in the Reel above.
Doing leg curls before squats will not cure a knee injury. It’s a precautionary measure taken by veteran coaches and athletes who have seen it work anecdotally for themselves and their clients. If you’re injured, your first move should be to consult with a qualified clinician.
Once you’re back in fighting shape, hammer those curls at the start of every leg day and reap the benefits.
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References
- Lee JH, Kim S, Heo J, Park DH, Chang E. Differences in the muscle activities of the quadriceps femoris and hamstrings while performing various squat exercises. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2022 Jan 21;14(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s13102-022-00404-6. PMID: 35063016; PMCID: PMC8783452.
- Cuthbert M, Ripley N, McMahon JJ, Evans M, Haff GG, Comfort P. The Effect of Nordic Hamstring Exercise Intervention Volume on Eccentric Strength and Muscle Architecture Adaptations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses. Sports Med. 2020 Jan;50(1):83-99. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01178-7. Erratum in: Sports Med. 2020 Jan;50(1):101-102. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01208-4. PMID: 31502142; PMCID: PMC6942028.
- Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Oct;24(10):2857-72. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3. PMID: 20847704.
Featured Image: @kirifitness_ / Instagram
