How I Got My First Nordic Curl In 2024 – Free Program
Last updated on August 28th, 2024 at 06:14 pm
Today I got my first Nordic Curl… Well, technically it was on 3/3/24. But you get the idea. I’ve dabbled in Nordic Curls for awhile now, done GHDs, and I’ve always done my deadlifts and leg curls. But something about that damn Nordic Curl was just TOUGH. I can deadlift over 600 pounds but I can’t do a freaking Nordic Curl?
I even talked to my buddy Darnell, who was a UCLA track athlete. He said no one was doing Nordic Curls by themselves. They all needed help with a push off, a band, something. So they saw the benefit in Nordic Curls, but struggled to train them efficiently enough to get stronger and blast out reps. Hey! Me TOO!!!
And I bet you are here for the exact same reason. You’ve heard about the benefits of Nordic Curls… from knee rehab and pain reduction, to better sprinting, stronger deadlifts, or even just bigger and juicier legs. And you said…
“I WANT ME SOME OF THAT!”
Unfortunately, you ran into the same issues. Doing Nordic Curls are difficult, so how the hell am I supposed to reap the benefits without being able to do my first Nordic Curl?
Well I’m here to tell you, that at 6ft and 260lbs, I managed to do my first Nordic Curl in just a few months of following this program. In that same time frame I’ve reduced my knee pain, improved my leg curl strength, and beefed up my hamstring size.
And I made ZERO other changes to my daily schedule, continued coaching sports, doing my workouts, working normal, eating normal, you name it.
It took me about 5 months, and I progressed from NO Curl to Nordic Curl.
And I’m sharing this program with you today.
Disclaimer
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The Program – How I Got My First Nordic Curl
We are going to take a high frequency and low intensity approach, paired with a linear progression model to get our first Nordic Curl.
High Frequency means that we are going to do TWO sets of Nordic Curls, every single day. Yes, every single day.
Low Intensity means that if we could do 10 reps, we are only going to do 5 or 6. Staying away from failure ensures that we can do them daily, and that we do not impact the rest of our daily routine and workouts.
A Linear Progression Model, means that we are starting at where we are comfortable now, and every week doing a little more, until we reach our goal.
When you put these three together, we have a plan that will take us from where we are today to where we want to be in the future. OUR FIRST NORDIC CURL!
Why Would We Do This?
A normal workout routine might have you doing 3 sets of Nordic Curls every week as part of a lower body workout. Over the course of 10 weeks, you would have done 30 sets.
With our high frequency approach, that same 10 week program would have us doing over 100 sets of Nordic Curls!!!
Well over 3x the amount of sets means more reps, means more practice with technique, means more opportunities to build strength, muscle, and more. This takes advantage of a term called “greasing the groove”. High level Kettlebell enthusiasts use it, as well as Olympic Lifters and others looking to get in a lot of practice in a short amount of time.
This fast tracks us towards our first Nordic Curl by improving your strength and neural efficiency with the exercise, every single day. Telling your body that this is important… Something it should focus on, develop, and perfect.
Will this approach work for everything?
No, not likely. Big body movements like heavy squats and deadlifts will likely take a toll on the body when done that often. Loading the spine, the low back, and just the full body fatigue generated from these exercises wouldn’t be fun day after day. Keep it to simpler exercises, like pull-ups, push-ups, Nordic Curls, and other body weight type stuff. Leave the high frequency heavy stuff for professional athletes.
How Do We Do This With Nordic Curls?
Before we move further, I’m going to mention that I used the Freak Athlete Nordic Hyper GHD to get my first Nordic Curl. I’ve tried to do this with other solutions before and it never worked. Setting up bands, using cables, rigging DIY Nordic benches, it all ended in frustration.
Having to rig up something like this takes time, and when we want to do this daily, an extra 5 to 10 minutes to get everything set up makes for a likely solution that you just don’t do it. I know this first hand. With the Freak Athlete Nordic Hyper GHD this process takes about 5 minutes TOTAL. Simply wheel it out, adjust the pin, do your first set, wait a bit, do your second set, and put it back in vertical storage mode.
Can you get your first Nordic Curl without the Freak Athlete Nordic Hyper GHD? Yeah, definitely. There are always ways to creatively problem solve in a home gym. Do I think it will be as easy, as seamless to progress and continue making this a regular part of your routine? No, not at all.
The Freak Athlete Nordic Hyper GHD has incline regressions built in. So you can adjust from 45 degrees down to flat (or even decline) Nordic Curls. These are there so we can start at whatever level we are comfortable at and progress towards our first Nordic Curl without having to rig up a system of bands that looks like a circus show.
If you already have a Freak Athlete Nordic Hyper GHD, then jump down to the next section. If you don’t, you can buy one with this link. I do get a small commission if you use the link/code, so I appreciate the support.
I 100% did this program, with this machine, and got the results I’m sharing. And I never would have gotten here without it. Trust me, I tried multiple times over the last couple years and made zero progress.
So I feel comfortable being a little “sales pitchy” here. If you decide not to buy it and still run this program, no worries. We can still be friends, and you can still chase down your goal of your first Nordic Curl.
But! You are going to have to figure out a modification to how you accomplish this because some of the functionality is crucial to making this program work.
Want more info on the Freak Athlete Nordic Hyper GHD before you buy?
Where To Start
Begin by doing a single Nordic Curl at 45 degrees. Then one at 40 degrees. Then 35 degrees. And so on. Go as far down that incline regression as possible, until you can’t do a single Nordic Curl. When I started I failed at 20 degrees, so 25 degrees was my last successful regression.
Weekly Progressions
As mentioned, my last successful Nordic Curl was at 25 degrees. I went backwards two full adjustments and began my daily work doing sets of roughly 5 reps at 35 degrees. So two sets, every single day, for 5 reps each, at 35 degrees.
Each week I would simply add a rep until I felt like 8 reps was easy for both sets. Then I would drop the Nordic Hyper GHD down 5 degrees and start over at 5 reps for two sets again.
This process began in November, and was finally successful in early March with my first Nordic Curl (flat of course). I’ve probably done over 150 sets of Nordic Curls in that time frame. If I had put them into my normal workout routine, I might have clocked 50 at best!
How My Program Went
Here is how I started and progressed towards my first Nordic Curl, as an example. You’ll notice it wasn’t entirely linear, but I let my body tell me what to do.
- Week 1: 1 set @ 35 Degrees for 5 Reps
- Week 2: 2 Sets @ 35 Degrees for 5 Reps
- Week 3: 2 Sets @ 35 Degrees for 6 Reps
- Week 4: 2 Sets @ 35 Degrees for 7 Reps
- Week 5: 1 Set @ 35 Degrees for 8 Reps & 1 Set @ 30 Degrees for 5 Reps
- Week 6: 2 Sets @ 30 Degrees for 5 Reps
- Week 7: 2 Sets @ 30 Degrees for 6 Reps
- Week 8: 1 Set @ 30 Degrees for 8 Reps & 1 Set @ 25 Degrees for 3 Reps
- …
- Week 20: 1 Rep @ 05 Degrees, 1 Rep @ 30 Degrees, 1 Rep @ 20 Degrees, 1 Rep @ 10 Degrees, 1 Rep @ Flat!!!!!
Notice that I started slow. PLEASE do this. Don’t throw yourself into a tailspin by going too hard too fast. Always ALWAYS err on the side of too easy. Go back 5 degrees on the regression, start with one set instead of two, and take your time. There is no award for the fastest Nordic Curl progression.
Your first Nordic Curl is coming. Don’t rush it.
What To Do When Life Gets In The Way
I said every single day. In reality it was probably 4 to 5 days a week, with some breaks.
I caught a small cold at one point in December and took several weeks off. I had a funeral to attend on a Friday. Some days I missed some sleep, or felt beat up from chasing my basketball team of 6 year old girls around.
So in the course of 4 months of working on this, I definitely wasn’t 100% strict.
Progress in life is rarely linear. Take the good days and the bad, and just keep consistent with it. It’ll pay off. It is more important to miss a day so you can get the next three, or remove a rep so you can get another set, than it is to be 100% perfect with the plan to get your first Nordic Curl.
Here are the ONLY hard and fast rules.
- Aim for 3 to 5 times a week
- ALWAYS leave several reps in the tank
- Don’t modify your normal workouts
- Progress every week in some fashion
- Trust your body
Use the program as a guide, but pay attention to your body.
Nordic Curl Tips and Tricks From Benji @ Freak Athlete
I wanted to add one section here that might help with your first Nordic Curl. This can be the difference between getting that rep and not. So I reached out to Benji at Freak Athlete, the man knocking out decline Nordic Curls, for some advice on how to get your First Nordic Curl.
From Benji…
The Nordic Curl is an intense and effective movement with amazing carry over to knee health, athletic ability, and general posterior chain strength. How do you get started? If you haven’t trained Nordics before, start slow. You need volume to progress, and to handle that volume in the first place, you need to scale back intensity. During the first 2-3 weeks, I would recommend just fighting the eccentric on the way down. Teach your body to handle the movement. Remember, it’s not just your hamstrings working, it’s the knee tendons too.
After a few weeks, you can begin to ramp up intensity and volume just like in Joe’s program. If you’ve just been fighting the eccentric (lowering), portion, it’s time to introduce the concentric, or the way up. Unlike the eccentric, the concentric starts with your glutes (if you’re doing it right). When you sprint, your glutes propel you forward (concentric) and the hamstrings kick your legs backward (eccentric). This is why the Nordic Curl is so effective for sprinting faster.
Pro tip: to fully engage your glutes in the concentric portion of the Nordic Curl, use the following steps:
- Come to a complete resting position at the bottom
- Extend your upper back up (pull your shoulder blades)
- This starts the movement and signals your body to…
- Contract the glutes.
- This will get you out of the bottom where your hamstrings take over
If you are having trouble firing your glutes, use momentum from your arms to exaggerate step 2 until you learn the movement pattern.
By mastering both the eccentric and concentric of the Nordic Curl, you will be on your way to becoming a Freak Athlete and getting your first Nordic Curl!
Benji Stark-Elster – Freak Athlete Founder & CEO
When Am I Ready For My First Nordic Curl?
The week I hit my first Nordic Curl, I was doing 10 degrees for sets of 5 for 2 sets. On a whim I went for a flat Nordic Curl on a Sunday, and I got it. I likely would have spent another couple weeks progressing to 5 degrees daily, and then going for it. But it worked.
Again, I don’t get some award for getting it early, so just take your time and make progress.
What Do I Do After I Get My First Nordic Curl?
Unless if for some reason you plan to quit doing Nordic Curls once you get your first Nordic Curl, the big win here is to continue training. Continue including Nordic Curls in your weekly program, so you can continue to reap the rewards of this excellent movement.
Now that I’ve officially hit my first Nordic Curl, what am I doing? I plan to keep this ball rolling and work towards a Decline Nordic Curl! I mean, the entire reason I started was to get better. So why stop now? I’ll use the same approach. I’m currently doing regular sets as mentioned at the 10 degree angle. So I’ll simply build up until I’m doing Flat Nordic Curls for my daily sets. Then I’ll give the decline function a try. Who knows, maybe soon I’ll be busting out reps like Benji from Freak Athlete?
You could decide at this point to transition them to be part of your normal weekly workout, included during leg days or after Deadlifts. Or you could decide to keep the program running, making these part of a morning routine every day. The choice is up to you and your goals.
The only thing left for you to do, is give the program a shot and get your First Nordic Curl!
Tag Us
Got a question? Hit us up and we’ll help you navigate the First Nordic Curl program and chase down that first Nordic Curl! You can contact me directly with any questions, comments, feedback, or more.
If you run the program and get your first Nordic Curl, tag us on your favorite social media platform.
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Joe Gray
My name is Joe Gray - aka Gray Matter Lifting - and I've been lifting at home since 2013. In that time I've built a badass gym, deadlifted over 600lbs, helped grow r/Homegym to over 1 Million subscribers, created the Garage Gym Competition and written a ton of posts here on this site. I love the Garage Gym Community... If you do too, I hope you stick around.
