# Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl

A Nordic hamstring curl with a high cable pulling you back toward upright. The cable takes part of your bodyweight, so you can control the full descent before you can do the bodyweight version.

- Intermediate · Isolation
- Equipment: Lat pulldown
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/cable-assisted-inverse-leg-curl/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/cable-assisted-nordic-hamstring-curl/

## Muscles worked

- Hamstrings: 10/10
- Glutes: 5/10
- Calves: 4/10

## How to do the Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl

1. Kneel with your ankles under the rollers, cable bar across your upper back.
2. Slowly lower your body forward as one unit, keeping your hips extended.
3. Use your hamstrings to control the descent; gently return to the starting position.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Attach a short bar to the high pulley and kneel on the seat with your ankles hooked under the rollers.
2. Hold the bar across your upper back with both hands, elbows pointing down.
3. Set your hips extended and hold a straight line from knees through shoulders.
4. Lower your body forward as one unit, resisting the descent with your hamstrings.
5. Keep lowering until your torso approaches parallel to the floor or you can no longer control it.
6. Pull yourself back up with your hamstrings, letting the cable help, without bending at the hips.
7. Return to the tall kneeling position with hips extended before beginning the next rep.

## Common mistakes

- Bending at the hips
- Free-falling through the bottom
- Loose or shifting ankle anchor
- Using too much machine assistance
- Pulling the bar forward with the arms

## Form cues

- Move only at knees
- Keep hips fully extended
- Fight the way down
- Use less assistance over time

## How much to do

- **Strength** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 4–6 reps · rest 2 min 30 s · 2 reps in reserve · lower 5 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (best fit): 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 4 s, lift 1 s
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Resistance bands**: [Standing Resistance Band Leg Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/standing-resistance-band-leg-curl/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Lying Leg Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-leg-curl/) — Beginner
- Easier: [Kneeling Leg Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/kneeling-leg-curl/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl — Intermediate**

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl work?

Primary: Hamstrings 10/10. Also works: Glutes 5/10, Calves 4/10.

### When should I do the Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl in a workout?

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 9 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 4–6 reps, rest 2 min 30 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl?

Resistance bands: Standing Resistance Band Leg Curl.

### What is an easier version of the Cable Assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl?

Kneeling Leg Curl (Beginner), Lying Leg Curl (Beginner).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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