Partner Nordic Hamstring Curl | Friends

Quick Intro

Partner Nordic Hamstring Curl is the Nordic hamstring curl done with a friend holding your ankles to the floor. One partner kneels and lowers the torso forward as slowly as they can, resisting with the hamstrings, then catches themselves with the hands. The other partner is the anchor. Then they swap. It is also called the partner-assisted Nordic curl.

The lowering itself, how to hold the body straight from knees to head and how to build the movement over time, is covered at Nordic Hamstring Curl. This guide covers the partner’s job, which is what decides whether the exercise works at all. The curl can be done with the heels hooked under something heavy, but a partner is the most common anchor, and a poor one makes the exercise unsafe.

What You’ll Need

A mat, or a folded towel, under the working partner’s knees. This is not optional.
Enough clear floor in front of the working partner for them to land on their hands.
No other equipment.

How It Works

The working partner kneels on the mat, upright from knees to head, hips straight.
The anchor kneels behind them and pins both ankles to the floor (details below).
The working partner says “ready” and the anchor answers “set” once their hold and stance are firm. Nothing starts before both have spoken.
The working partner lowers forward as slowly as they can, catches themselves with the hands and pushes back up to kneeling, using the hands as much as they need.
The anchor keeps the same firm hold through the whole rep, including the push back up, and lets go only when the working partner is upright again and says so.
After the agreed number of reps, swap roles. Both people work and both anchor.

For the Partner Anchoring

The anchor’s only job is a firm hold that does not change during the rep. The working partner’s whole body is leaning against it, and the pull on the ankles is strongest near the bottom of the lowering, just before the hands go down. That is when a weak anchor gets lifted or lets the heels come up.

Stance. Kneel close behind the working partner’s feet with your knees apart and your hips low. Lean forward so your shoulders sit over your hands. Your body weight should press down through your arms, so your weight does most of the holding.
Where the hands go. Press down just above the ankle bones, across the lower calves, with the whole palm. Keep your arms fairly straight so you can lean into them.
What not to do. Do not kneel on the ankles, do not dig your fingers into the tendon at the back of the heel and do not pull the working partner back up. Pulling or lifting turns the exercise into something else and can throw them off balance.
Keep it the same. The most common anchor fault is loosening as the working partner nears the floor, often because the anchor is watching the lowering. Keep your eyes on your hands.
Hold through the return. The push back up is when the working partner relaxes, and a hold released too early lets the heels flip up.

If the working partner is much heavier than the anchor and the anchor’s knees start to lift near the bottom, stop and try the other way round, or hook the heels under a heavy, padded fixed object instead. A lighter anchor can still do the exercise well when they are the one working.

General rules for putting force on a partner’s body, such as agreed words and padding, are in Stretching, Resisting and Anchoring a Partner.

What the Partner Changes

Compared with a fixed object, a partner gives a hold that can be adjusted: the anchor can move a little to get the pressure exactly over the lower calves and can feel when the working partner’s heels start to lift. The cost is that the hold is only as steady as the person giving it, so the anchor has to pay full attention for every rep.

Making It Fair

There is no contest here, but the two people can be very different in hamstring strength. The answer is range. A newer working partner lowers only as far as they can control and then catches themselves with the hands, even if that is only a short way forward. A stronger partner controls more of the way down. Both are doing the exercise properly.

If even a short controlled range is too much, start with Partner Hip-Hinge Nordic Curl, where the hips bend slightly back during the lowering, which shortens the lever and takes some of the load off the hamstrings.

Staying Safe

Start small and build over weeks. The Nordic curl is a hard exercise, and the soreness it causes in the first sessions can be severe, even for people who are strong in other lifts. A few reps with a small range is the right first session. The Nordic Hamstring Curl guide gives the full progression.
Never drop. The working partner controls the lowering and catches with the hands, with the elbows soft, every time. A sudden drop is a fall onto the hands and face.
Pad the knees for every rep.
Stop at any sharp pain in the back of the thigh or the knee. Soreness the next day is normal; a sudden sharp pain during the rep is not.

Common Mistakes

An anchor who is not braced. Leaning back, holding with the arms alone or watching the lowering all let the heels come up.
Bending at the hips to go further. The working partner may let the hips fold to reach the floor more slowly. That takes the work off the hamstrings. A shorter range with straight hips is better training.
Swapping too slowly. If the working partner goes straight into anchoring after a hard set, their own hold may be weaker. Take a short breather before swapping.

Partner Hip-Hinge Nordic Curl is the easier version, with a slight hip hinge during the lowering.
Romanian Deadlift trains the same hamstrings through a hip hinge with a weight, a good way to build up to the Nordic curl.
Glute Ham Raise is a machine-based exercise for the same muscles, if you train in a gym with the equipment.
Partner-Held Back Extension and Partner Sit-up with Feet Hold use the same anchoring skill on other exercises.

FAQ

How many reps should we do?

Start with a small number, such as two or three sets of three to five reps each, lowering as slowly as you can control. Each person does their sets, then anchors for the other. Add range before adding reps.

What if the anchor keeps getting lifted?

Check the stance first: knees apart, hips low, shoulders over the hands and body weight pressing down. If the working partner is simply too heavy for the anchor, swap roles or anchor the heels under a heavy, padded fixed object.

Why are my hamstrings so sore after the first session?

The Nordic curl loads the hamstrings while they lengthen, which causes more soreness than most exercises, especially at first. The soreness eases as you repeat the exercise over the following weeks. Keep the first sessions short.

Can the anchor help me back up?

No. The anchor only holds. Push back up with your hands, as much as you need.