Exercise Comparison
Ball Leg Curl vs Hurdle Hops
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Hurdle Hops
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.
Hurdle Hops
Set up a row of hurdles or other small barriers, placing them a few feet apart.
Stand in front of the first hurdle with your feet shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position.
Begin by jumping with both feet over the first hurdle, swinging both arms as you jump.
Absorb the impact of landing by bending the knees, rebounding out of the first leap by jumping over the next hurdle. Continue until you have jumped over all of the hurdles.
Verdict
Both exercises target the hamstrings. Ball Leg Curl is a beginner exercise using exercise ball, while Hurdle Hops is beginner and uses other. Choose Ball Leg Curl if you have access to exercise ball, or Hurdle Hops if you prefer other. Hurdle Hops is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Ball Leg Curl isolates the target muscle for focused development.