Lying Butt Curl
Lying Butt Curl Exercise Description
The Lying Butt Curl is a bodyweight posterior-chain exercise that blends a glute bridge with a controlled heel-drag hamstring curl. It primarily targets the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus), while the abdominal wall stabilizes the pelvis and ribs. You’ll maintain hip extension as the knees flex and extend, reinforcing a strong hip hinge pattern without loading the spine. Because your heels slide against the floor, you create resistance by pressing down and pulling through the heels, emphasizing tension in the back of the hips and thighs. Keep a neutral spine with the ribs down to avoid lumbar hyperextension, and move smoothly so the hips stay level throughout the curl.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hamstrings, Hips
- Target Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Gluteus Maximus, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
- Assisting Muscles: Adductor Magnus, Biceps Femoris - Short Head, Gastrocnemius - Medial Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Gluteus Medius, Internal Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors, Knee Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes, Inner Hamstring, Outer Hamstring
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Lying Butt Curl Exercise
‘- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width, heels on the floor, arms at your sides.
– Brace your core (ribs down, neutral pelvis) and press through your heels to lift into a glute bridge.
– Keeping hips lifted and level, slowly slide your heels away from your body until your knees are nearly straight.
– Without letting your lower back arch or hips drop, drive your heels down and pull them back toward your glutes to flex the knees.
– Maintain a straight line from shoulders through hips, and keep knees tracking over the middle of each foot.
– Keep your neck long, gaze up, and shoulders anchored to the floor.
– Lower your hips to the floor with control to finish the set, or keep hips up for continuous reps.
– If you feel hamstrings cramping, pause, reset your brace, and reduce the range of motion on the next repetition.
Lying Butt Curl Tips
‘- Brace your core with ribs down and a neutral pelvis before lifting into the bridge.
– Press firmly through your heels to lift your hips and create resistance during the curl.
– Keep your hips lifted and level as you slide your heels away and back.
– Slide your heels out slowly until your knees are nearly straight, then pull them back under control.
– Avoid letting your lower back arch or your hips drop as you flex and extend your knees.
– Maintain a straight line from your shoulders through your hips throughout the movement.
– Keep your knees tracking over the middle of each foot as you curl.
– Keep your neck long, gaze up, and shoulders anchored to the floor.
– Lower your hips to the floor with control at the end of the set, or keep them up for continuous reps.
– If your hamstrings cramp, pause, reset your brace, and use a smaller range of motion on the next rep.
Lying Butt Curl Beginner Introduction
The Lying Butt Curl blends a bridge-style position with a smooth sliding action of the feet. This bodyweight movement places attention on the back side of the hips and thighs, while the abs help steady the middle of the body. With the hips lifted and the shoulders resting on the ground, the knees bend and straighten as the heels glide along the floor, creating resistance through downward pressure and a pulling sensation through the back of the legs.
Throughout the curl, the upper body stays steady and the spine rests in its natural curve, so effort shifts into the hips and hamstrings rather than the lower back. Level hips and a long line from shoulders through pelvis encourage a hinge-style pattern without added strain on the spine. As the heels travel farther away and then return, tension builds and eases in a smooth rhythm, enhancing awareness of how the hips, thighs, and core share the work of extending the hips while the knees move.