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Nordic curls

3 sets of 3-5 slow lowers, 2 min rest. Partial range or band-assisted if full Nordics are too hard.

Strength
General strength
10 min
High intensity
Moderate injury risk
Floor space

How to do it

Kneel on a cushion with your ankles held down by a partner or under a heavy sofa. Keeping your body straight from knees to head, lower yourself toward the floor as slowly as you can, catch yourself with your hands, and push back up. Do 3-5 reps, 3 sets, with 2 minutes rest. Easier version: lower only as far as you can control, or loop a band from something high around your chest to take some of your weight. If that's still too hard, build up with hamstring curls (heel-hook prehab) first. Strong hamstrings make heel hooks safer.

Run it now

The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.

Nordic curls

0:00 / 10:05

Ready

10:05

3 rounds

3 sets of 3-5 slow lowers, 2 min rest. Partial range or band-assisted if full Nordics are too hard.

3
rounds
2:00
rest
10:05
total

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Who it's for

Anyone who heel hooks hard, which on modern steep sets is everyone. Hamstring strains from heel hooks are common and slow to heal, and eccentric hamstring work is one of the better-evidenced ways to reduce that risk.

Common mistakes

  • Breaking at the hips. Straight line from knees to head the whole way down. Folding at the hips takes the hamstring out of it entirely and makes it look easier than it was.
  • Free-falling and catching. If you drop the last half and catch yourself, you trained the first half only. Slow all the way, hands ready.
  • Jumping to full Nordics. If you can't control the top third, do hamstring curls for a few weeks first. There's no prize for the harder version.
  • Doing them the day before a big session. These make you properly sore the first few times. Put them after a climbing day, not before.

How to progress

Hamstring curls, then band-assisted Nordics, then partial-range Nordics, then full. Add range before reps, and reps before sets. Three sets of five full reps is plenty for climbing; there's no reason to chase more.

When it fits

The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.

  • Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.

  • Strength Stronger fingers and pulling, with weight you control.

  • Power Explosive moves, momentum and coordination.

  • Power Endurance Keep your power through one hard move after another.

  • Endurance Climb longer before you pump out, by moving efficiently.

  • Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.

  • Deload Train less, let your fingers recover, keep moving.