Exercises

Sliding leg curl

Slide your heels outward and pull them back while keeping your hips raised. Your hamstrings bend the knees without a machine.

Face-up sliding leg curl with hips raised and both heels resting on separate folded towels.

No gym equipment · Towels · Smooth floor

Source: Muscle & Fitness · Sliding Leg Curl

Step by step

  1. Lie face-up on a smooth floor with a folded towel under each heel, knees bent and arms alongside you.
  2. Brace your torso and lift your hips into a bridge with the toes pointing upward.
  3. Slowly slide both heels away, extending the knees only as far as you can keep your pelvis controlled.
  4. Pull the heels back toward you, pause, then lower your hips; keep the movement smooth.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop or arching the lower back.
  • Sliding too far to pull back smoothly or using an uneven, obstructed surface.

Anatomy and technique: the references below. Region boundaries and movement diagrams are schematic. Exercise images are AI-generated illustrations.