The 9 Best Leg Curl Machines
Special Honors
Technogym Pure Standing Leg Curl It might seem a little less conventional than the seated or lying-down models that you may be used to, but a standing leg-curl like this one from Technogym can actually provide a more effective workout. Unlike seated machines which allow for your stronger leg to compensate for the weaker one, this design forces you to target one leg at a time. Plus, Technogym makes very reliable equipment and has held multiple appointments as the official equipment supplier to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. technogym.com
Editor's Notes
April 23, 2020:
There were a couple of all-in-one options here like the Bodycraft Xpress Pro and Marcy MWM-990 that I’ve simply decided to replace for a few good reasons. Much like the all-in-one machines, the leg curls I’ve replaced them with - the Body-Solid DLEC Pro and Inflight Fitness MEC - utilize pulley-based systems which come with a stack of weights. I’m also a purist and just thought that the home gym options were inappropriate when there are so many good leg-curl-only models available; you can however find some great home gym options on our site.
Leg-curl and leg-extension machines go hand-in-hand, with the seated models like the Body Solid Cam Series, XMark Fitness Rotary and Valor Fitness CC-4 offering a curl function that works by providing resistance in the opposite direction to the extension function, while other models like the Deltech Fitness and Marcy SB-350 either have a bench or can be turned into a bench so you can lie on your stomach to perform leg curls. Pulley systems offer convenience in that they give you more space, and you don't need to stack the weights onto the machine when you want to change weights, etc.
I’ve demoted the Deltech Fitness which, as a bench option, is a little rudimentary, and comes without any back support if you’re also planning on doing extensions, though it’s still a nice budget-friendly pick, and I can see someone who prioritizes budget options putting it as a top choice; though, I personally lean towards prioritizing high-quality options like the Body-Solid DLEC Pro and XMark Fitness Rotary over budget picks.
For similar reasons, I’ve decided to remove the Powerline PLCE165X, which like the Deltech Fitness, has no adjustable bench. Unlike the Deltech however, the Powerline has been struggling with quality-related issues, particularly with regards to its bench caps. I’ve decided to move a few of the seated models up like the XMark Fitness Rotary and Valor Fitness CC-4, because they’re seated models that have proven to be exceptionally reliable and they’re quite affordable for what they offer, as is the Marcy SB-350.