B-stance RDL
Hamstrings · Glutes
Dumbbells
Exercises by muscle
Hamstring exercises
Explore hip hinges and leg curls for the back of your thighs. These are different movement patterns, so start by deciding which one your workout needs.
The map shows the hamstrings as a surface group. Open an exercise guide for its specific muscle targets.
Two movements to recognise
The hamstrings sit at the back of your thighs. Leg curls train knee bending, while hip hinges involve the hamstrings that cross the hip. The short head of the biceps femoris crosses the knee but not the hip, so the two patterns are not identical.
Choose your starting point
Explore a hip hinge
Romanian deadlifts use hip movement with a barbell or dumbbells. The equipment changes the setup, and the glutes work alongside the hamstrings.
Choose a leg curl
Seated and lying curls both bend the knees against resistance. The seated machine keeps the hips flexed; the lying version uses a prone setup.
Explore other setups
A single-leg RDL changes the balance demands of a hinge. A Nordic curl uses a secured lower-leg support for knee-flexion work. Check the individual setups before choosing.
How to choose
Match the movement you want to replace
If you need an alternative to a leg curl, another knee-flexion exercise preserves that movement more closely than a hip hinge. Decide which role you need first.
Check the equipment and support
A seated curl machine, dumbbell hinge and Nordic setup require different equipment. Use the guides to check what you need and keep the chosen setup consistent.
Explore the exercises
Guides: 18
Back extension
Back · Hamstrings · Glutes
Bench
Cable pull-through
Hamstrings · Glutes
Cable
Conventional deadlift
Back · Quads · Hamstrings · Glutes · Adductors
Barbell
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
Hamstrings · Glutes
Dumbbells
Glute-ham raise
Hamstrings
Machine
Good mornings
Back · Hamstrings · Glutes
Barbell
Kettlebell snatch
Hamstrings · Glutes
Kettlebells
Kettlebell swings
Hamstrings · Glutes
Kettlebells
Leg curl
Hamstrings
Machine
Nordic hamstring curl
Hamstrings
Bodyweight
Romanian deadlift
Hamstrings · Glutes
Barbell
Single-leg RDL
Hamstrings · Glutes
Dumbbells
Sumo deadlift
Quads · Hamstrings · Glutes · Adductors
Barbell
Suspension hamstring curl
Hamstrings
BodyweightSuspension trainer
Keep exploring
Frequently asked questions
Are Romanian deadlifts and leg curls interchangeable?
They involve the hamstrings through different movements. Romanian deadlifts are hip hinges; leg curls bend the knee. Consider which pattern your workout needs rather than treating them as identical replacements.
Can I train my hamstrings with dumbbells?
Yes. A dumbbell Romanian deadlift offers a loaded hip-hinge option, and a single-leg RDL offers a different stance. They do not reproduce a machine leg curl’s knee-flexion movement.
What is different about seated and lying leg curls?
Both resist knee bending. Seated curls keep the hips flexed and the thighs restrained; lying curls use a prone bench with the hips closer to extended. Use the guide for your machine’s setup.