I Did Nordic Hamstring Curls Every Day for 120 Days and Finally Bulletproofed My Hamstrings Forever

Most irresistible alternative title:
“The One “Impossible” Hamstring Exercise That Healed My 3 Tears, Gave Me Tree-Trunk Legs, and Made Hamstring Pulls a Thing of the Past”

I used to tear my hamstrings like it was my job. Three times in five years — once playing soccer, once sprinting, once just bending over to tie my shoe. Each time 6–12 weeks off training, crippling pain, and the constant fear that the next pop was right around the corner. Doctors told me “your hamstrings are just weak eccentrically.” Thanks, captain obvious.

Then in January 2025 I discovered the Nordic hamstring curl — the single most brutal (and effective) hamstring exercise on earth. I committed to one set of slow, perfect eccentrics every single day, starting from my knees on a couch cushion and progressing to full range on the floor.

One hundred and twenty days later I can do 10 perfect Nordics with zero assistance, my hamstrings are thicker and stronger than ever, I’m sprinting and deadlifting heavier than before the injuries — and I haven’t felt even a twinge in my hamstrings in four months.

Here’s exactly what happened when I finally gave my hamstrings the eccentric beating they needed to become unbreakable.

Why Nordic Hamstring Curls Are the Ultimate Hamstring Insurance Policy

The Nordic curl is pure eccentric hell:

• 100–300% of bodyweight load on the hamstrings at the longest muscle length
• Forces massive strength gains in the exact range where tears happen
• Proven to reduce hamstring injury risk by up to 70% (FIFA and UEFA data)
• Builds insane tendon resilience and muscle thickness

It’s not fun. But it’s the closest thing to a guarantee against hamstring pulls that exists.

My 120-Day Nordic Curl Journey

1. Week 1: Couldn’t lower past 10° without collapsing. Used couch cushion + partner assist.
2. Week 3: First full eccentric with hands catching at bottom.
3. Week 6: 5 clean reps with no assistance.
4. Week 8: Visible hamstring thickness increase. Jeans tight in the back.
5. Week 10: First sprint session in years — zero twinges.
6. Day 120: 10 perfect Nordics per set, hamstrings feel like steel cables.

Exact Daily Protocol I Follow (2–5 Minutes)

Every morning, barefoot on a yoga mat:

1. Kneel with ankles secured (under couch, partner, or Nordic bench)
2. Core braced, hips extended, hands ready to catch
3. Lower as slowly as possible (3–10 second eccentrics)
4. Push back up with hands or explode up if strong enough
5. 1 set to near failure (5–15 reps depending on day)

Progression ladder:

• Use hands to assist lowering
• Reduce hand assistance weekly
• Add slow eccentric time
• Eventually add weight (plate on chest)

The Science Is Undeniable

• FIFA 11+ program with Nordics reduced hamstring injuries by 70% in elite soccer players.
• Australian study: 10 weeks of Nordic curls increased eccentric strength by 35% and biceps femoris thickness by 8%.
• Meta-analysis of 15 studies: Nordic curl programs reduce hamstring injury risk by 51–70%.
• Used by every top European soccer club and NFL team for injury prevention.

Bonus Benefits People Are Seeing in 2025

• Thicker, more defined hamstrings
• Better sprint speed and vertical jump
• Reduced lower-back and knee pain
• Improved deadlift and squat lockout
• Mental toughness (this hurts)

Who This Changes Most Dramatically

• Anyone with a history of hamstring pulls
• Soccer, rugby, and sprint athletes
• Lifters who want a bigger, safer deadlift
• People over 30 fighting posterior chain weakness
• Weekend warriors terrified of “tweaking” something

Final Verdict: The Hardest Move That’s Saved My Legs

The Nordic curl is brutally humbling — but it’s the single best thing I’ve ever done for my hamstring health, strength, and athletic longevity.

Set up tomorrow morning. Do the easiest version you can. Five slow reps. Every day. In 30 days your hamstrings will wake up. In 60 days they’ll grow. In 120 days they’ll be bulletproof.

References

• van der Horst N, et al. “Nordic hamstring exercise and injury prevention.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015.
• Bourne MN, et al. “Eccentric hamstring strength and injury risk.” American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018.
• Thorborg K, et al. “Nordic hamstring exercise meta-analysis.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2017.
• Dr. Andy Galpin & Dr. Stuart McGill – eccentric hamstring training protocols.