The Nordic hamstring curl: a guide for footballers

Hamstring strains are among the most common injuries in football, and they tend to happen when sprinting. The Nordic hamstring curl trains the hamstrings to produce force while lengthening, which is exactly what they do at the end of a sprinting stride. It needs no equipment beyond a partner or something to hook your heels under.

What the research shows

A meta-analysis of 8,459 athletes found that injury programmes including the Nordic were linked with about half the rate of hamstring injuries van Dyk et al. 2019. Two of the key trials were in football: one in Danish men’s teams Petersen et al. 2011 and one in Dutch amateur players van der Horst et al. 2015.

It’s worth being honest about the limits. A 2026 network meta-analysis found the Nordic on its own gave a modest and uncertain benefit, with the FIFA 11+ warm-up the most consistent Hong et al. 2026. And many players in the trials didn’t stick to it. The sensible conclusion: do the Nordic, do a proper warm-up, and do both consistently.

How to do a Nordic hamstring curl

1. Kneel on a soft mat with your heels anchored, either by a partner holding your ankles or under a secure bar or bench.
2. Keep a straight line from your knees to your head. Squeeze your glutes and brace your trunk.
3. Lean forward as slowly as you can, resisting with your hamstrings. Aim for 3–5 seconds on the way down.
4. When you can’t hold it any longer, catch yourself with your hands in a press-up position.
5. Push lightly off the floor to return to the start. Don’t pull yourself up with your hamstrings at first.

Common mistakes: bending at the hips to make it easier, dropping fast once it gets hard, and doing too many reps in the first week.

Easier and harder versions

• Easier: hold a band fixed above you for support, or lean onto a box or Swiss ball so you only cover part of the range.
• Harder: slower lowering, a short pause near the bottom, then (much later) a light plate held to the chest.

How many sets and reps?

The original trials used a lot of volume: Petersen’s players built up over 10 weeks to three sessions a week Petersen et al. 2011, and van der Horst’s players did 25 sessions in 13 weeks van der Horst et al. 2015. That’s hard for amateurs to stick to. Fortunately, reviews and trials show low volumes build strength about as well as high volumes Cuthbert et al. 2020, and low volume kept strength and muscle-length gains in elite youth players Lacome et al. 2020.

Expect sore hamstrings after the first couple of sessions. That’s why the build-up is gradual.

Some players benefit from the fuller dose of two sessions a week in season: wide players (full backs, wing backs and wingers sprint the most), players over 35, and anyone with a previous hamstring strain, ACL injury or calf strain. Those are the factors a large meta-analysis linked with more hamstring strains Green et al. 2020. That’s a reason to do a bit more, not a label to worry about.

When to do them in your week

Timing matters as much as volume.

• Not the day before or the day after a match. Your hamstrings need to be fresh for the game and are still recovering after it.
• Not earlier in the day before club training. One set of five Nordics cut amateur players’ eccentric hamstring strength by 8–17% straight afterwards Marshall et al. 2015. Do them after training or on a non-training day.
• Not as a filler between other sets. Give them full attention and rest.
• No gaps longer than two weeks. Strength held for about four weeks after stopping, but muscle-length gains reversed within two Presland et al. 2018.

For a Sunday player who trains on Wednesday, Tuesday’s gym session or straight after Wednesday training both work. In a congested week, such as Saturday, Tuesday and Saturday games, one low-volume bodyweight set two days after a match keeps the habit going.

Nordics and sprinting go together

Nordics build eccentric strength, but the hamstrings also need regular exposure to fast running. If club training doesn’t include any near-top-speed running that week, add a few runs at 90–95% over 30–50 m with full recovery. Observational data from Gaelic football and hurling suggested both too little and too much high-speed running went with more injuries, so keep the dose small Malone et al. 2017 Malone et al. 2019.

After a hamstring injury

Follow your physio’s plan. Sprinting must be pain-free before you return, and return to play is a process rather than a single test Paton et al. 2023. Once you’re back, the full in-season dose is a sensible default.