Nordic Curl Progressions

Progressions

1. 01

   Nordic Curl Hinges

   • Secure your feet under a sturdy ledge or have a partner hold your ankles

   • Kneel upright with your body forming a straight line from knees to head

   • Keep your hips extended and glutes squeezed — do not bend at the hips

   • Slowly lean your entire body forward as one rigid plank, pivoting only at the knees

   • Only go as far forward as you can control, then return to upright using your hamstrings

   • Start with a small range of motion and increase the lean angle as you get stronger

   • Use a pad or cushion under the knees for comfort

2. 02

   Leaning Nordic Curl Hinges

   • Secure your feet under a sturdy ledge or have a partner hold your ankles

   • Start in a kneeling position, then lean your body forward to about 30-45 degrees

   • Maintain this forward-leaning angle — your body stays as a rigid plank from knees to head

   • From this leaned position, lower yourself further forward by pivoting at the knees

   • Control the descent with your hamstrings, then pull yourself back to the leaned start position

   • The starting lean makes the exercise harder than standard hinges by increasing the hamstring load

   • Keep hips extended and glutes engaged throughout — do not bend at the waist

3. 03

   Band-Assisted Nordic Curl

   

   Bands

   • Anchor a resistance band to a sturdy point above and behind you

   • Loop the band around your chest or under your armpits for assistance

   • Secure your feet under a ledge and kneel upright

   • Keep your body in a straight rigid line from knees to head — squeeze glutes, brace core

   • Lower yourself forward slowly by pivoting at the knees, resisting gravity with your hamstrings

   • The band provides the most help at the bottom (hardest point) and less at the top

   • Use the band assistance plus your hamstrings to pull yourself back up to the start

   • As you get stronger, use a thinner band to reduce assistance

4. 04

   Hinging Nordic Curl

   • Secure your feet under a sturdy ledge or have a partner hold your ankles

   • Start upright on your knees with your body in a straight line from knees to head

   • Lower yourself forward by pivoting at the knees, allowing your hips to flex (fold forward) as you descend

   • The hip hinge shortens the lever between knees and torso, reducing hamstring load — this is the regression

   • Resist the descent with your hamstrings, then use them to curl yourself back up to upright

   • As you get stronger, gradually reduce the amount of hip flexion and aim for a straighter body line

   • Use a pad under the knees for comfort

5. 05

   Negative Nordic Curl

   • Secure your feet under a sturdy ledge or have a partner hold your ankles

   • Start upright on your knees with your body in a straight line from knees to head

   • Squeeze your glutes and brace your core — your body must stay rigid like a plank

   • Lower yourself forward as slowly as possible, resisting with your hamstrings the entire way

   • Aim for a 3-5 second controlled descent — the slower the better

   • Once you can no longer hold, catch yourself with your hands and push back up to the start

   • Do not use your hamstrings to come back up — only the lowering (eccentric) phase matters here

   • Use a pad under the knees for comfort

6. 06

   Nordic Curl

   • Secure your feet under a sturdy ledge or have a partner hold your ankles firmly

   • Start upright on your knees — squeeze glutes, brace core, body rigid from knees to head

   • Lower yourself forward slowly and under full control, pivoting only at the knees

   • Resist the descent with your hamstrings all the way down — aim for at least 3 seconds

   • At the bottom, use your hamstrings to curl yourself back up to the kneeling position

   • Keep your hips fully extended throughout — do not pike or bend at the waist at any point

   • If you cannot curl back up fully yet, give a small push with your hands to assist the bottom portion

Common mistakes

• Bending at the hips instead of staying rigid
• Falling forward without control
• Feet slipping out during the movement
• Hyperextending the lower back
• Knees too close together or too far apart