Leg Extensions. The squat and its wide variety of variations; such as high bar, front, overhead, low bar, etc, all have a place in leg mass training programs. Ha, thanks man. All I’m saying is that anyone claiming it should ALWAYS be used or ALWAYS be avoided is probably wrong about 50% of the time. Typically, this exercise is trained in higher volumes (10+ reps) for a few sets (2-4 sets). I wouldn’t recommend it as a primary quad exercise, but it certainly has its uses. Squats, whether your goal is strength, mass gaining, or endurance training, are a foundational movement for... 2. For example, if you squat 500 lbs, then 500 x 1.8 = 900 / 0.707 = 1270 lbs on the 45º leg press. In some cases, including this one, that’s full body. That would be like swapping bench press for barbell rows. There are plenty of exercises to choose from that all have their own set of pros and cons under different circumstances. A routine comprimising of leg presses, hack squats and leg extensions can get you phenomenal quads, provided proper training and nutrition are dialed in. How useless is it for building muscle? But what it can be though is a perfectly acceptable secondary exercise. 170+ home exercises to choose from, with video examples for each. It’s simple. We want to generate some degree of muscular fatigue in addition to progressive tension. Thanks for your time Trevor. Or can it even be used to replace leg extensions and spit squats in your routines? As I don’t have a leg press machine I just do extra sets of squats. Leg Presses, Lunges, Machine Hack Squats and Dumbbell Step-Ups are other good alternatives. QUESTION: I see a lot of people online making fun of the leg extension machine and calling it the most useless leg exercise there is. My wife, son and I have all had knee surgery. And I know that even insinuating this on your favorite weight training forum may get you laughed right the hell off of it. Taking all of this (and more) into account, there are plenty of times when an exercise like leg extensions makes perfect sense. To add in leg extensions there WITHOUT removing other quad exercises would require changing the layout of the routine. Should you just do more of the exercises that are going to pose the same issue, or would an isolation exercise like the leg extension machine be a better choice considering it takes the posterior chain out of the movement completely and allows 100% of the training focus to be on your quads. And yup, that “squats are great, leg press is useless” arguments are really as dumb as it gets. You have to approach leg training with a reckless abandonment, especially if you want them to grow. Progressive overload is and always will be the key here. My comment was placed under the wrong heading. 1. I’m all for functional training and started to shy away from machines but realize machines like the leg press and others have served MY body well. Of course not. Hi Jay!. Or how doing heavy chin ups 3 times per week might destroy some peoples wrists and elbows, but doing it once a week might be fine. You see, the leg extension machine is a basic isolation exercise just like every other isolation exercise. All you have to do is pick the right tool for the job. I have heard with the bar on the front there is less stress on the back, while putting more emphasis on the hamstrings. So far so good, my powerlifting buddy is the only person I’ve ever heard say the word “volume” in the weight room, but I never understood it until I read your explanations. To clarify, here’s what I’m definitely NOT saying: I’m not saying any of this. If you feel hamstrings are getting too much indirect volume from quad training, I’d reduce hamstring volume without increasing quad volume. "The only way out of hell, is through it. Now, do you need to do it? Although, I’ve seen people whose knee problems were caused (or at least partially caused) by leg extensions, and others whose knee problems were fixed with them. Here now are a few simple tips that may make leg extensions more knee-friendly…. Likewise, I also did dumbell bench press to warm up my shoulder before heavy bench and I never had any shoulder problem. 7 Squat Exercises to Build Muscular Legs. More just universally regarded as the lamest joke of an exercise of all time. Heavy leg curls, especially if you use momentum, can really mess your knees up. I also did them afterward. I thought they were one of the best triceps exercises. Doing this stretch will open and loosen up the hips to get you ready for a punishing leg day at the gym or at home. If you just want to train your quads without adding extra volume to your glutes/hamstrings OR having those muscle groups take over the lift… the leg extension becomes ideal. The quadriceps are one of the strongest muscles of the body, and run along the anterior aspect of the thigh.The quadriceps are actually a group of muscles (4), each producing knee extension; vastus lateralis (outer quad), vastus medialis (inner quad), vastus intermedius (middle quad), and the rectus femoris. As for the second question, it can go both ways. Everything you say on every subject /article/file makes perfect sense. I try to avoid extremes and fanaticism and I’m pretty sure you, Jay, try to do the same. But those three didn’t know any better, right? Squats would be your best bet. Or would sitting down and doing some leg presses and extensions (and thus significantly taking the load off of your lower back/spine) be a better choice in this case? Like I said before, for some, the leg extension machine will always be bad for your knees no matter what adjustments you make. And just like how bicep curls, tricep extensions, lateral raises and dumbbell flyes can all play a beneficial role depending on your goals, training needs/preferences and the overall design of your program, so too can leg extensions. This means you will be training quads and hamstrings with just one day off in between (with the 4 day version of this split, you’d actually be training them on back-to-back days). I’ve personally included it in mine at many different points over the years. The only way to do that would be to look over your entire diet and workout along with the full breakdown of the progress you’ve made both in the gym and in terms of body composition. How To Build Muscle And Lose Fat At The Same Time. I’m an old man now, but when I was younger, I did 2 leg exercises: The problem with squat exercises is not only does your thighs get bigger, but your butt gets bigger also. (0.707 is the Sin of 45°) Isolation exercises for the hamstrings are a bit different. Get my best diet and workout content, and never miss an update. I am 53, a professional piano mover, and our job includes carrying upright pianos to heights by two men. The leg press, while no substitution for movements like squats and lunges, can be a great accessory exercise to add mass to the quadriceps without having to load the spine. But, hear me out. Leg Extensions Tips. It’s pretty cool to see how much work I put into my body. Read everything I’ve written here and you’ll be able to answer your own question. Or if skull crushers are bad for your elbows. I only feel my quads on the back squat when I’m doing high reps. Are dumbbell kickbacks good enough to use instead? And this also assumes it doesn’t bother your knees. I am aware that shoulders and tris are hit with bench and bis with rows, legs with deads etc… but you constantly talk about 3x a week of direct training is the most optimal routine for a beginner with any goal, but the beginner routine you have listed does not follow this routine: Frequency of body parts Legs: 1.5 a week Back: 3x a week Chest 1.5x a week Shoulders 1.5x a week Tris 1.5x a week Bis 1.5x a week please explain…. However, this is where the not-so-sane people like to make an extreme jump from “leg extensions aren’t as good as squats for building muscle” to “leg extensions are completely useless and are a total waste of time for everyone under every circumstance 100% of the time.”. Your advice is the best. Once you have mastered this, you can add more loading to the leg press if needed. But just how warranted is all of the negativity that surrounds it? Gender ♂ Male ♀ Female. I used leg extensions as part of rehab instruction from a physio of Quad tendonopathy. Here’s a better idea, though. The Leg Extension is a machine that is GREAT when you want to grow your legs. A general guideline for transferring squat to 45° leg press strength is Squat Weight x 1.8 / 0.707 = Leg Press Weight. I can’t even do a standing shoulder with the bar alone. Even if it’s going to be a useful part of your lower body training, it’s going to be a very small secondary part of it. Throughout this article, we’re going to cover two major topics including. Many lifters will look to the leg press as a way to lift heavy, however, this often then leads to knee and hip pain in those who lack foundational movement patterns and strength often developed by squatting. Unfortunately, if I do that for you, I’d have to do it for the other dozens of people who ask me to do the same thing on a weekly basis. The glute muscles are responsible for hip extension, abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation of the hip. Extend both legs out until your knees are straight, then lower the pad back down. These are parts of the Weider pre-exhausting principles. You are a scholar. For the best possible results, we want to make sure we’re training muscles, not just moving weight around. The leg extension is an exercise designed to focus almost exclusively on your quads. Weight Unit. Does fit better as a Tension exercise? Rest: 60 secs. I’m looking into incorporating some leg extensions and was told to stay away from it by a few “functional workout” fanatics. That’s because for an equal number of other people, the same exercise(s) won’t cause any problems at all. Sit in a leg extension machine and with the pad against the bottom of your shin and your back flat against the back of the chair. Mine was simple meniscus repair, while my wife’s and son’s were ACL reconstruction after injuries. None of my buddies know about that, we always just figured the more the merrier when it comes to lifting. All three superficial muscles of the quadriceps responded differently to the ROM used. can you give an example of how can someone incorporate leg extensions in your muscle building routine without removing squats lunges and leg presses? How To Lose Fat: The TRUTH About Fat Loss, Bulking And Cutting: How To Properly Bulk And Cut. After reading this article, I might give the leg-extension a try and see if I feel any pain…. And yeah, you can 'do' any lift and see 0 growth. The belt squat is a great way to pattern the squat and build quadriceps and gluteal mass without having to load the back/spine. Thanks again man! Like I said before, leg extensions are no different than any other exercise. For your main quad exercise, there are many quality alternatives. The sport doctor who repaired my tedon told me that I should warm up my knees with leg extension. Strong legs are keys for strength, power, and fitness sports. 1. I love doing these right after squats. 4. Yup, probably. 3. Let’s say that your lower body day began with heavy deadlifts, and by the time you finished those your lower back was super fatigued. Pretty much whichever one you feel most comfortable with. Try adding this exercise at the end of workouts for 2-4 sets of 12-20 repetitions with a controlled tempo with moderate loads. In your routine, why do you have Romanians but not regular Deadlifts and why not Squat for both A and B workouts instead of using a leg press? IF only you were around when I picked up my first dumbbell. They are squats, leg presses, and leg extensions. You give out the best information dude, especially that article on how bro splits suck, thanks for that. Glad I know better and I’m now doing what works for MY body. This would be true for every other exercise, too. For the vastus lateralis, the activity increased towards the middle and end of the ROM (the top two-thirds of the leg extension). I followed it and did 5 sets of progressive sets before heavy squating and leg press. swap split squats for extensions… quad volume stays the same and indirect hamstring volume is reduced. The rectus femoris is one of four muscle heads that make up the quadriceps muscle group. In a couple of weeks my knees felt a lot better. And I agree about the hack squat machine… I’ve yet to find one that feels right. For some reason split squats/lunges always hurt my knees. It’s really helping me pick and choose from routines I’ve done in the past so I can make my own routine with all the elements that I think are necessary for my goals. No pain. Exactly right. I was curious on how that routine was full body. Thanks i just need clarification man. Pointing your toes outward places more emphasis on the vastus medialis (the teardrop muscle). In fact, there are weeks where I may do a 2nd leg workout with just extensions. Matter fact…..awesome website dude; you call it like you see it with absolutely no bullshittin. Had not the slightest problem with it, I think its a useful exercise provided one uses the right amount of weight. Leg Extension (Seated) T he seated leg extension is a great exercise for your quads (rectus femoris), which are the muscles located in the front part of the upper legs.. Just like how dips are bad for my shoulders, but perfectly fine for others.