Primary
Hamstrings
Secondary
Glutes, Core
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Pull
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The slider leg curl uses sliders or a towel on a smooth floor to perform leg curls without any equipment, making it a perfect home gym hamstring exercise. You bridge your hips up and slide your heels toward your glutes, creating the same knee flexion pattern as machine curls. The minimal equipment requirement makes these ideal for travel or home training.
When to use it
Use for home workouts or when no equipment.
Who it's for
All levels with sliders or smooth floor.
Keep your hips elevated—the moment they drop, hamstring tension decreases. Slide your heels slowly in both directions for maximum time under tension. Use towels on hardwood floors or furniture sliders on carpet.
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We slot it into the right day with sets, reps, and progression you can follow.
Lie on back with heels on sliders or towels.
Lift hips into bridge position.
Curl heels toward glutes by sliding.
Squeeze hamstrings at peak.
Extend legs back out slowly.
Keep hips elevated throughout.
Works well on smooth floors.
Similar to stability ball curl.
Great home exercise.
Program slider leg curls for home workouts, hotel room training, or anywhere without leg curl machines. Use them for moderate to high reps with controlled tempo. They pair well with any hip hinge variation for complete hamstring training without equipment.
Dropping hips - this is a common issue that reduces exercise effectiveness.
Losing hip position during the Slider Leg Curl shifts the loading pattern away from your Hamstrings and can compress your lower back. Stay planted and let your Hamstrings do the work.
Going too fast which reduces muscle tension and control.
Rushing through the Slider Leg Curl reduces the time your Hamstrings spends under tension — which is one of the main drivers of growth. Aim for a controlled 2-second lowering phase on every rep.
Not full range of motion.
Cutting the range of motion short on the Slider Leg Curl means your Hamstrings never reaches full stretch or full contraction. Research shows full range of motion produces significantly more muscle growth than partial reps at the same load.
All levels with sliders or smooth floor.
Lower reps with heavier weight builds raw strength. Your muscles and nervous system adapt to handle more load over time. This range is best for strength-focused goals.
This rep range keeps your muscles under tension long enough to trigger growth. Most people see the best muscle-building results in this zone. It balances strength and muscle size.
Higher reps with lighter weight builds muscular endurance and improves conditioning. This range is good for joint health and building work capacity.
General guideline: 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Rest 60 seconds.
MySetPlan places Slider Leg Curl inside a complete workout — with the right sets, reps, rest periods, and a progression you can follow week to week.
Sample workout
MySetPlan guides you set by set, times your rest, lets you swap if equipment is busy, and tells you what to do next.
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Slider Leg Curl
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Slider Leg Curl
The Slider Leg Curl primarily targets the Hamstrings, making it an effective exercise for hamstrings development. Secondary muscles worked during the Slider Leg Curl include Gluteus maximus, Core, providing additional training stimulus. Stabilizer muscles engaged include Hip stabilizers.
The Slider Leg Curl is rated as intermediate difficulty, meaning it requires some training experience. All levels with sliders or smooth floor. Focus on proper technique and consider starting with easier variations.
For the Slider Leg Curl, the recommended approach depends on your goals. 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Rest 60 seconds. For strength, use 8-10 reps. For muscle growth, perform 12-15 reps. For endurance, complete 15-20 reps.
Yes, the Slider Leg Curl can be done at home with no equipment. It requires minimal space and is a great option for home workouts targeting hamstrings.
Good alternatives to the Slider Leg Curl include: Stability Ball Curl, Lying Leg Curl, Nordic Curl. These exercises target similar muscle groups as the Slider Leg Curl and can be used as substitutes based on your equipment availability, gym setup, or training preferences.