Exercise Comparison
Ball Leg Curl vs Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Ball Leg Curl
Only in Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift
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.
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift
To begin, set the bar on the smith machine to a height that is around the middle of your thighs. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, grasp the bar using a pronated (palms forward) grip that is shoulder width apart. You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
Lift the bar up by fully extending your arms while keeping your back straight. Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the waist while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Exhale as you perform this movement
Start bringing your torso up straight again as soon as you feel the hamstrings stretch by extending your hips and waist until you are back at the starting position. Inhale as you perform this movement.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the hamstrings. Ball Leg Curl is a beginner exercise using exercise ball, while Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift is beginner and uses machine. Choose Ball Leg Curl if you have access to exercise ball, or Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift if you prefer machine. Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Ball Leg Curl isolates the target muscle for focused development.