Leg Extensions

Quads

Equipment: Machine

New to this

Your first leg extensions

What weight should I start with on the leg extensions?

Start at 30 to 40 lb. This one isolates a single joint, so the number will be well below anything you use on squats or the leg press.

You have got it right if you can pause at the top for a count without your hips lifting off the seat.

What usually goes wrong on the leg extensions?

Set the seat back so your knees line up with the pivot point of the machine, and set the ankle pad to sit just above your shoe, on the lower shin.

Straighten your legs until they are level with the floor and hold for a beat, then lower slowly and stop just before the weight touches down.

Most common mistake: swinging the weight up with a kick and letting it crash back. Slow the lowering to a 3-count and the exercise starts working immediately.

If the extension machine is taken

The Bulgarian split squat trains the quads with the whole leg working, and it is much harder. The dumbbell squat is the compound alternative if you would rather train the pattern than the single muscle.

How to do it

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.
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.
Slowly lower the weight back to the original position as you inhale, ensuring that you do not go past the 90-degree angle limit.
Repeat for the recommended amount of times.