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The exercise is all over social media: A trainer will kneel on a bench, then slowly lower himself forward at the knees until head and chest are within inches of the floor. Then he’ll somehow power back up, having completed the full “Nordic curl.”

The popularity of the move has inspired a new class of gym equipment—specialized benches made for Nordic curls—and sparked a new love affair with an oft-neglected muscle group: your hamstrings. These are the main muscles worked during the full Nordic.

Building them up can insulate you against injuries, power you to run faster, and complete your physique, too. “Hamstrings are very aesthetic,” says Dr. Mike Israetel, a strength training expert and content creator. “And they actually require very little volume to train effectively if you use good technique.”

Interest in those hamstrings has helped push leg day back into prominence. For most gym-goers, leg day has long been a day to dread, filled with vicious exercises, like squats and deadlifts, that torch your entire body. “It hurts at a deep, systemic level,” Israetel says. “It’s malaise writ large.”

That’s due to the sheer size of the muscles involved: The quadriceps (front thigh), adductors (inner thigh), and hamstrings are among your largest muscle groups, demanding huge amounts of oxygen during any session. They also need large loads to challenge them, so your spine and core are heavily recruited, too. Moves like squats and lunges are the equivalent of an “all units” alarm for your entire nervous system.

It’s the stuff that “I survived #legday” memes are made of—but gutting out these sessions will fuel total-body gains. All those heavy lunges, for example, are like a free workout for your abs. And any set of deadlifts not only builds your glutes but also hones forearm strength and layers muscle onto your back. Plus, you’ll burn major calories on leg day, in part because of the sheer weight you’re moving.

It all makes leg day worthwhile, no matter your fitness goal, even if you never attempt the Nordic curl.

Must-Do Hamstring Moves

Stiff-Legged Deadlift

How To Do It: Meet the finest hamstring exercise out there. Stand holding a barbell at your hips, knees bent just slightly, then push your butt back and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor. Keep the bar near your shins as you do this. Pause, then stand back up.

Reps & Sets: Do 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

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Andrew Hetherington

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