Exercise Comparison
Ball Leg Curl vs Dumbbell Clean
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Dumbbell Clean
Instructions
Ball Leg Curl
Begin on the floor laying on your back with your feet on top of the ball.
Position the ball so that when your legs are extended your ankles are on top of the ball. This will be your starting position.
Raise your hips off of the ground, keeping your weight on the shoulder blades and your feet.
Flex the knees, pulling the ball as close to you as you can, contracting the hamstrings.
After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Clean
Begin standing with a dumbbell in each hand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Lower the weights to the floor by flexing at the hips and knees, pushing your hips back until the dumbbells reach the floor. This will be your starting position.
To initiate the movement, violently jump upward by extending the hips, knees, and ankles to acclerate the weights upward. Maintaining a neutral grip on the dumbbells, keep the arms straight until full extension is reached.
After full extension, rebend the hips and knees to receive the weight in a squat position. Allow the arms to bend, guiding the dumbbells to your shoulders.
Upon receiving the weight in the squat position, extend the hips and knees to finish in a standing position with the weights on your shoulders.
Verdict
Both exercises target the hamstrings. Ball Leg Curl is a beginner exercise using exercise ball, while Dumbbell Clean is intermediate and uses dumbbell. Choose Ball Leg Curl if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Dumbbell Clean for a greater challenge. Dumbbell Clean is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Ball Leg Curl isolates the target muscle for focused development.