The standing leg curl bends one leg at a time in a machine: each side works on its own, so a weaker side shows right away.
1Starting positionStart2End positionFinish
Setup
Step into the machine with the pad above the heel of the working leg and your knee in line with the pivot. Hold the handles, torso leaning slightly forward. Curl your heel toward your glute.
Execution
Set the machine to your height, stand up, tuck the pad against the back of one leg and hold the handles.
Exhale and curl that leg, bringing your heel toward your glute without lifting your thigh off the pad; hold for a second at the top.
Inhale and straighten the leg slowly. Same number of reps on the other side.
Common mistakes
Your knee drifting back or forward — the thigh stays still, only the knee bends.
Arching your lower back to finish the rep — drop the weight.
Letting it drop — lower slowly.
Doing more reps on your strong leg — same reps on both.
Not sure about your form? Send me a video of a set — I'll take a look and tell you what to fix first.
