The leg extension offers an exercise that relies on torque to move a weight. This does not have to be a big movement. Leg extensions involve straightening your leg from a bent-knee position against a resistance while seated. But the rectus abdominal muscle, which you may recognize as the “washboard abs” also participates in the movement. The machine’s in just about every corner of fitness you can think of, from high school weight rooms to physical therapy clinics to big-box gyms — and very often, it has a line of people waiting to use it, too. First off, they’re training purely for aesthetics, not performance, and a well-rounded set of quads is critical to a good physique. During the standing leg extension, the transverse abdominis, which is the deepest layer of stomach muscle, and the obliques, the side abs, are also primary movers; they activate to help stabilize your body as you balance on one leg. Bodybuilders, however, have a specific purpose for doing the exercise. After all the movement is simple enough. Do not fully extend, or lock-out, the knee at the top of the movement because this places excessive pressure on the joint. If you’ve ever been to CrossFit, you won’t see anyone in the room doing leg extensions. The quadriceps are located on the front of the thighs and include the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis and vastus medialis muscles. The leg extension as an exercise relies on the torque involved in moving the weight, so you don’t need to load the machine up to the max to get benefit. And maxing out the machine can have serious issues. Although the leg extension is a popular strength-training exercise, it is not without its critics. Use them as part of a comprehensive lower body workout. Technically, this is an "open chain kinetic" exercise, which is different from a "closed chain kinetic exercise," such as a squat. The difference is that in the squat, the body part you're exercising is anchored (feet on the ground), while in the leg extension, you're moving the padded bar, which means your legs aren't stationary as they work, and thus the chain of movement is open in the leg extension. It’s fine to slow down during the lift phase, too. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. This may result in a stretch of the muscles at the tops of your shoulders, as well as a supportive position for your mid and upper back. I also bought into the exercise when I started out in the gym. If you’re smart and you want big quads, you’ll utilize that pump more creatively. Building your quads can also increase the force of kicking movements, which can be beneficial in sports such as soccer or martial arts. Remember, the goal is to strengthen your core which requires that you keep the pelvis in the same position it was when you established your start position. The primary target muscle hit is the quadriceps. Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The primary mover during the seated or lying leg extension exercise is a group of four muscle heads on the front of the thigh, collectively referred to as the quadriceps. You don't need to do any endurance sets with high repetitions on the leg extension machine. Many machines have an integrated weight stack for resistance, but some must be loaded with free weights. If you’ve ever been in a big-box gym before, you’ve seen plenty of guys doing classic leg exercises like squats and lunges and deadlifts. But the one that is used the most during a leg curl is the gastrocnemius, which is most superficial. Doing this exercise with any speed will use momentum rather than muscle engagement. The largest of the three is the biceps femoris. This leg muscle group is popular – It’s what most people think of when they hear “leg anatomy.” This leg muscle group consists of these four individual muscles: Rectus Femoris. It should not be Steinkamp et al (1993) examined patellofemoral joint reaction force, knee movement, and joint stress at four different angles of knee flexion on the leg press and leg extension. Be sure to follow proper form when doing leg extensions and mix up your quadriceps workout. The vastus muscles originate at the femur, where the rectus femoris is attached at the hip; the rectus femoris is also responsible for hip flexion. Exhale and lower the weight back to starting position. It also engages the muscles in … You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Prone (on your stomach) lying leg extensions are a bit more advanced, and best added into an established program. Keeping your forearms resting on the floor, drag the points of your elbows into the same direction as your feet, in other words, away from your shoulders. If you’re on a wood floor, also consider doing the exercise barefoot so that your feet don’t slip. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. The squat is a bodyweight exercise that targets your quads. The quadriceps are located on the front of the thighs and include the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis and vastus medialis muscles. As your quads get stronger, you need to make sure to strengthen your hamstrings, too; if you don’t, you could easily develop knee issues or place yourself at risk for knee injuries when playing sports. If you are looking to really dial in to building a set of legs to impress the world, your will want to use the leg extension. While the quads are extending the knee, the weight is resting just on top of the ankle joint. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. The material appearing on LIVESTRONG.COM is for educational use only. So the leg extension machine, because it isolates the quads and eliminates other muscles’ involvement, plays a critical role in rehab. Even bodybuilders who are chasing massive quads work in other exercises, using squats, deadlifts, and lunges as the backbone of their workouts. Resistance bands offer a portable alternative to leg extension machines and allow you exercise in a standing, seated or lying position. Perform 10 repetitions, then do the same with the other leg. Rather than using a leg extension machine, you can do leg extensions using ankle weights or resistance bands. The largest muscle head is the rectus femoris, which sits in the center of the front thigh. National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2017: (4): 4. Although the leg extension exercise is potentially dangerous to the knees it is still of value to bodybuilders. Fact Check: What Power Does the President Really Have Over State Governors? Medically reviewed by Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT, Medically reviewed by Mohamad Hassan, PT, DPT, Medically reviewed by Erin Pereira, DPT, OCS, Verywell Health uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. When using any machine, it's important to keep proper form. So you can benefit from not using too much weight. The vastus medialis: This is the “teardrop” on the inside. If you’ve ever had knee surgery (I have), you know that the quadriceps and rectus femoris often “fall asleep” in the days after surgery, and they need to essentially be “retrained”. © 2019 www.azcentral.com. Again, be mindful that you trunk stays stationary. Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts: Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Vastus Lateralis. They extend the knee, but they’re also essential for movement in the hips. Bodybuilders have been adding leg extensions into their workouts since Arnold Schwarznenegger was training on Venice Beach. Make sure you also do squats for lower body conditioning. Tumminello, N., Vigotsky, A. Researchers from the University of Miami (Coral Gables, Florida) tested the muscle activity of the quad muscles through different ranges of motion during leg extensions. That can be done with squats and lunges, but it’s not quite as natural, or as easy to focus on your quads. Gradually increase the weight as you gain strength, but keep the load moderate. 2019;20(1):48. doi:10.1186/s12891-019-2429-z. So the leg extension machine, because it isolates the quads and eliminates other muscles’ involvement, plays a critical role in rehab. Personal Training Quarterly. Although an effective upper thigh exercise, the leg extension only targets a small area of the leg musculature through one joint movement, knee extension. Analysis of patellofemoral arthrokinematic motion quality in open and closed kinetic chains using vibroarthrography. Technically, this is an "open chain kinetic" exercise, which is different from a "closed chain kinetic exercise," such as a squat.1 The difference is that in the squat, the body part you're exercising is anchored (feet on the ground), while in the leg extension, you're moving the padded bar, which means your legs aren't stationary as they work, and thus t… used as a substitute for professional medical advice, As you exhale, lift one lower extremity up off the floor. You can do one-leg leg extensions to work on each leg individually. Similarly, excessively bending the knee causes increased patellar compression, which can lead to knee pain and decreased functionality of the joint. Men’s Health warns that the seated leg extension puts unnecessary stress on the knees when compared to squats, citing research performed by the Mayo Clinic and Auburn University. Slowly straighten your knee to bring to the band under tension, maintaining a straight back. A trainer may send you to the leg curl or leg extension machine to work your legs. Leaf Group Ltd. Leg extensions solely develop your quads, so in the long term, if they’re the main focus of your leg workouts, your legs will gradually develop imbalances. These two machines work the opposing sides of your thighs. The group found that all three parameters were greater with leg extension exercises at 0 and 30 degrees of knee flexion – the most "functional" ranges of motion in early rehabilitation cases. Keith Tesch started his professional writing career in 2010. For a seated leg extension with ankle weights, start with 5-pound weights and progress only to 10-pound weights. Festival of Sacrifice: The Past and Present of the Islamic Holiday of Eid al-Adha. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. This content is imported from {embed-name}. This is not the machine to try for a maximum lift (1RM), which is the most weight you can lift for just one rep. Due to the risk of knee ligament strain, do not use this exercise for low-rep, high-load strength conditioning.