For hamstring growth

Seated Leg Curl vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift

For hamstring growth, seated leg curl rates well ahead on our research criteria: more of the work on the hamstrings, easier on the joints.

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)

Research score

Target tension

Excellent

Strong

Loaded stretch

Excellent

Progression

Excellent

Low cost

Strong

Good

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 seated leg curl

You want something easy to learn
You want the hamstrings to do the work, not other muscles
You want something easier on your joints

Good reasons to choose stiff-leg deadlift

You want to train more muscles at once

Seated Leg Curl

Stiff-Leg Deadlift

You need

Machine

Barbell

Skill

Easy to learn

Takes some practice

Type

Isolation

Compound

Why they rank where they do

Seated Leg Curl. Seated curls grew the hamstrings more than lying curls (+14% vs +9%) in a 12-week study.

Stiff-Leg Deadlift. Like the Romanian deadlift with straighter legs: a big hamstring stretch, with similar lower-back fatigue.

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 seated leg curl in hamstrings

Questions

Which is better for hamstring growth, seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift?

For hamstring growth, seated leg curl rates well ahead on our research criteria: more of the work on the hamstrings, easier on the joints. 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.

Is seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift easier to learn?

Seated leg curl is easier: it’s easy to learn, while stiff-leg deadlift takes some practice.

Can you do seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift at home?

Seated leg curl needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Stiff-leg deadlift needs a barbell, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.

Which is easier on the joints, seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift?

Seated leg curl: it rates Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Good for stiff-leg deadlift.

More comparisons

Seated Leg Curl Stiff-Leg Deadlift All hamstrings exercises

Seated Leg Curl vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift

For hamstring growth, seated leg curl rates well ahead on our research criteria: more of the work on the hamstrings, easier on the joints.

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 seated leg curl

You want something easy to learn
You want the hamstrings to do the work, not other muscles
You want something easier on your joints

Good reasons to choose stiff-leg deadlift

You want to train more muscles at once

Seated Leg Curl

Stiff-Leg Deadlift

You need

Machine

Barbell

Skill

Easy to learn

Takes some practice

Type

Isolation

Compound

Why they rank where they do

Seated Leg Curl. Seated curls grew the hamstrings more than lying curls (+14% vs +9%) in a 12-week study.

Stiff-Leg Deadlift. Like the Romanian deadlift with straighter legs: a big hamstring stretch, with similar lower-back fatigue.

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 seated leg curl in hamstrings

Questions

Which is better for hamstring growth, seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift?

Is seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift easier to learn?

Seated leg curl is easier: it’s easy to learn, while stiff-leg deadlift takes some practice.

Can you do seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift at home?

Seated leg curl needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Stiff-leg deadlift needs a barbell, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.

Which is easier on the joints, seated leg curl or stiff-leg deadlift?

Seated leg curl: it rates Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Good for stiff-leg deadlift.