For hamstring growth
For hamstring growth, lying leg curl rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more of the work on the hamstrings.
Single-leg RDL gives more stretch.
Both are good choices, and they train the hamstrings differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed. (Fonseca et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2021)
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Lying Leg Curl. Still a strong choice; hips are extended, so the hamstrings are less stretched.
For hamstring growth, lying leg curl rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more of the work on the hamstrings. Single-leg RDL gives more stretch. Both are good choices, and they train the hamstrings differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed.
Lying leg curl is easier: it’s easy to learn, while single-leg RDL takes some practice.
Lying leg curl needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Single-leg RDL needs dumbbells, so a home gym covers it.
Lying leg curl: it rates Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Good for single-leg RDL.