Leg Extensions

How to do the Leg Extensions

1. For this exercise you will need to use a leg extension machine. First choose your weight and sit on the machine with your legs under the pad (feet pointed forward) and the hands holding the side bars. This will be your starting position. Tip: You will need to adjust the pad so that it falls on top of your lower leg (just above your feet). Also, make sure that your legs form a 90-degree angle between the lower and upper leg. If the angle is less than 90-degrees then that means the knee is over the toes which in turn creates undue stress at the knee joint. If the machine is designed that way, either look for another machine or just make sure that when you start executing the exercise you stop going down once you hit the 90-degree angle.
2. Using your quadriceps, extend your legs to the maximum as you exhale. Ensure that the rest of the body remains stationary on the seat. Pause a second on the contracted position.
3. Slowly lower the weight back to the original position as you inhale, ensuring that you do not go past the 90-degree angle limit.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of times.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Equipment	machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	isolation

No machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Dumbbell Lunges Dumbbell Dumbbell Rear Lunge Dumbbell

Harder than the Leg Extensions

Reverse Band Power Squat expert · Barbell Power Jerk expert · Barbell Overhead Squat expert · Barbell

Superset the Leg Extensions with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Lying Leg Curls hamstrings Seated Leg Curl hamstrings Standing Leg Curl hamstrings Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Leg Extensions work?

The Leg Extensions primarily works the quads. Single-Leg Leg Extension, Barbell Full Squat, and Barbell Hack Squat train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Leg Extensions?

A Machine. Without a machine, Bodyweight Squat, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, and Freehand Jump Squat train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Leg Extensions suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Leg Extensions is rated beginner. Reverse Band Power Squat, Power Jerk, and Overhead Squat are the progressions from here.

Where should the Leg Extensions go in a workout?

Late — the Leg Extensions is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Lying Leg Curls and Seated Leg Curl cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Single-Leg Leg Extension Machine Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Hack Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Side Split Squat Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell