Is the Nordic Curl The Perfect Lower Body Exercise For You?

BOXROX recently published a piece asking if the Nordic curl is the perfect lower-body exercise for you. The article notes that the move is renowned for building strong hamstrings, helping injury prevention, and developing eccentric strength, but also warns it isn’t for everyone due to its difficulty. It’s a solid read for anyone building a balanced bodyweight plan, even if you mainly train upper body.

Why it matters for push-ups

Push-ups are primarily an upper-body movement, but a strong posterior chain improves posture, knee and hip stability, and endurance when you accumulate fatigue. Strong hamstrings contribute to hip stability during the push-up plank position and can help control the body as you lower and push up, especially in tempo or high-rep sets. Eccentric hamstring work also supports overall athletic balance, which translates to more stable push-ups and reduced risk of compensations. For athletes who train mostly the upper body, adding lower-body strength with controlled, low-risk movements can improve overall movement efficiency and balance.

PUSHapp take

Our take: Nordic curls are a valuable tool in a well-rounded program, but they are not mandatory for everyone who does push-ups. If you want to include them, use a progressive approach and safer variations to build technique and tolerance: start with assisted or supported versions, reduce range, or use towel-assisted anchors. Pair lower-body work with careful hip-hinge work and glute activation, so you don’t overemphasize the knee-dominant pattern. For PUSHapp users, track how hamstring strength correlates with push-up endurance, and adjust volume to avoid interfering with push-up focus.

Try this

• Supported Nordic curl with a bench or partner: 2–4 reps, tempo 3 seconds down, 1–2 seconds up, 2–3 sets.
• Eccentric hamstring work with sliders or towels: 4–6 reps, slow descent, light load.
• Use as a finisher or on a dedicated lower-body day, away from intense push-up sessions.
• If new to hamstring work, substitute hip-hinge bridges or Nordic knee flexion slides before a full curl.

Original source: BOXROX

2 min read.

Source: BOXROX. PUSHapp commentary is original and based on the public RSS summary.