Changing how you point or flex your feet while doing leg curls doesn't actually change how much your hamstrings work. Your leg muscles activate the same way whether your ankles are bent up or down.

Whether your foot is pointed down or up during leg curls doesn’t change how much your hamstrings are working during the exercise.

After 10 weeks of leg curls, it doesn’t matter if your foot is pointed up or down—you’ll get the same muscle growth and strength gains either way.

When you point your toes while keeping your knee straight, your inner calf muscle works much harder than the muscles around your shin and ankle. This happens because straightening your knee naturally changes how your body activates different leg muscles during exercises.

When doing leg curls, keeping your toes pointed up lets you lift more total weight over time than pointing them down, even though both positions build muscle and strength equally. This extra volume might happen because one position is easier on your muscles or more mechanically efficient.

Doing leg curls with your foot pointed up or down leads to the same muscle growth and strength gains over 10 weeks. This means your starting leg position doesn't change how much your muscles grow or get stronger in the long run.