Ring Single Leg Curl With Towel

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie on your back on a smooth, hard floor with one heel centered on a folded towel.
2. Bend the non-working leg and pull the knee toward your chest or hold it vertically to isolate the working side.
3. Place your arms flat on the floor by your sides with palms down for stability.
4. Lift your hips off the ground into a single-leg bridge position, creating a straight line from your shoulders to your working knee.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly slide your heel away from your glutes until your leg is fully extended, keeping your hips hovering just above the floor.
2. Exhale and pull your heel back toward your glutes by forcefully contracting your hamstrings.
3. Drive your hips back up into the bridge position as the heel returns to the start.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second tempo on the way out and a powerful 1-second pull on the way in.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips level and squared to the ceiling; do not let the working hip drop or tilt.
• Maintain a strong core brace to prevent your lower back from arching excessively.
• Ensure the movement is driven by the hamstring, not by swinging the non-working leg for momentum.
• Keep your toes pointed toward the ceiling to maximize tension in the posterior chain.

Pro tips

• Dig your heel hard into the floor throughout the entire movement to increase friction and muscle fiber recruitment.
• Focus on a slow, 'resisting' eccentric phase to build maximum structural integrity in the hamstring tendons.

Make it harder

• Cross your arms over your chest to remove the floor support and challenge your rotational core stability.
• Add a 3-second isometric hold at the point of full leg extension before pulling back.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the ring single leg curl with towel work?

The ring single leg curl with towel primarily targets the abs, glutes, and hamstrings, and also works the obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the ring single leg curl with towel?

The ring single leg curl with towel requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the ring single leg curl with towel good for beginners?

The ring single leg curl with towel is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternating Hamstring Curl Overhead ClapIntermediate · abs, glutes, and hamstrings
• Back Leg Lift JackBeginner · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and obliques
• Balance BoardIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps