For hamstring growth

Glute-Ham Raise vs Lying Leg Curl

For hamstring growth, lying leg curl rates higher on our research criteria: easier to progress.

Glute-ham raise gives more stretch.

Both are good choices that train the hamstrings the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Research score

Target tension

Excellent

Loaded stretch

Strong

Good

Progression

Good

Excellent

Low cost

Strong

See the full hamstrings ranking

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose glute-ham raise

You want more load on the hamstrings while they’re stretched
You want to train more muscles at once

Good reasons to choose lying leg curl

You want something easy to learn
You want to keep adding weight in small steps
You want to train the hamstrings on their own

Glute-Ham Raise

Lying Leg Curl

You need

GHD / back-extension bench

Machine

Skill

Takes some practice

Easy to learn

Type

Compound

Isolation

Why they rank where they do

Glute-Ham Raise. Trains the hamstrings at the knee and hip together, but bodyweight is a lot to start with and hard to add to.

Lying Leg Curl. Still a strong choice; hips are extended, so the hamstrings are less stretched.

From the research

Maeo et al., 2021: Seated leg curls grew the hamstrings more than lying leg curls (+14% vs +9% volume) over 12 weeks. (20 untrained adults; one study.)Cited for lying leg curl in hamstrings

Questions

Which is better for hamstring growth, glute-ham raise or lying leg curl?

For hamstring growth, lying leg curl rates higher on our research criteria: easier to progress. Glute-ham raise gives more stretch. Both are good choices that train the hamstrings the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Is glute-ham raise or lying leg curl easier to learn?

Lying leg curl is easier: it’s easy to learn, while glute-ham raise takes some practice.

Can you do glute-ham raise or lying leg curl at home?

Glute-ham raise needs a GHD or back-extension bench, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Lying leg curl needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.

Which is easier on the joints, glute-ham raise or lying leg curl?

About the same: both rate Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.

More comparisons

Glute-Ham Raise Lying Leg Curl All hamstrings exercises

Glute-Ham Raise vs Lying Leg Curl

For hamstring growth, lying leg curl rates higher on our research criteria: easier to progress.

Glute-ham raise gives more stretch.

Both are good choices that train the hamstrings the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose glute-ham raise

You want more load on the hamstrings while they’re stretched
You want to train more muscles at once

Good reasons to choose lying leg curl

You want something easy to learn
You want to keep adding weight in small steps
You want to train the hamstrings on their own

Glute-Ham Raise

Lying Leg Curl

You need

GHD / back-extension bench

Machine

Skill

Takes some practice

Easy to learn

Type

Compound

Isolation

Why they rank where they do

Glute-Ham Raise. Trains the hamstrings at the knee and hip together, but bodyweight is a lot to start with and hard to add to.

Lying Leg Curl. Still a strong choice; hips are extended, so the hamstrings are less stretched.

From the research

Maeo et al., 2021: Seated leg curls grew the hamstrings more than lying leg curls (+14% vs +9% volume) over 12 weeks. (20 untrained adults; one study.)Cited for lying leg curl in hamstrings

Questions

Which is better for hamstring growth, glute-ham raise or lying leg curl?

Is glute-ham raise or lying leg curl easier to learn?

Lying leg curl is easier: it’s easy to learn, while glute-ham raise takes some practice.

Can you do glute-ham raise or lying leg curl at home?

Glute-ham raise needs a GHD or back-extension bench, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Lying leg curl needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.

Which is easier on the joints, glute-ham raise or lying leg curl?

About the same: both rate Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.