Standing Single Leg Curl

Beginner

Hamstrings

Body Weight

Standing Single Leg Curl earns a place on leg day, and pure bodyweight leverage keeps the focus on strength you can feel outside the gym.

How to do Standing Single Leg Curl

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
Shift your weight onto your left leg and lift your right foot off the ground, bending your knee.
Slowly curl your right heel towards your glutes, squeezing your hamstring.
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your right foot back down to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs.

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Standing Single Leg Curl Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

3 sets of 6-8 hard reps with 2 minutes of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.

Hypertrophy

3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.

Endurance

2-3 sets of 20-25 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.

Common Standing Single Leg Curl Mistakes

Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work

Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.

Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains

Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.

Easier and Harder Than Standing Single Leg Curl

Harder progression

Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift

Swap Standing Single Leg Curl For

Lying Leg Curl

Dumbbell Lying Femoral

Cable Assisted Inverse Leg Curl

Standing Single Leg Curl — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Standing Single Leg Curl?

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. Shift your weight onto your left leg and lift your right foot off the ground, bending your knee. Slowly curl your right heel towards your glutes, squeezing your hamstring. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Standing Single Leg Curl work?

The Standing Single Leg Curl primarily targets the hamstrings. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.

How many sets and reps of the Standing Single Leg Curl should I do?

For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Standing Single Leg Curl good for beginners?

Yes. The Standing Single Leg Curl is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.

What can I do instead of the Standing Single Leg Curl?

Try the Lying Leg Curl, Dumbbell Lying Femoral or the Cable Assisted Inverse Leg Curl. Each trains the hamstrings with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.