• All new members please introduce your self here and welcome to the board:
    http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=259
Buy Needles And Syringes With No Prescription
M4B Store Banner
intex
Riptropin Store banner
Generation X Bodybuilding Forum
Buy Needles And Syringes With No Prescription
Buy Needles And Syringes With No Prescription
Mysupps Store Banner
IP Gear Store Banner
PM-Ace-Labs
Ganabol Store Banner
Spend $100 and get bonus needles free at sterile syringes
Professional Muscle Store open now
sunrise2
PHARMAHGH1
kinglab
ganabol2
Professional Muscle Store open now
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
azteca
granabolic1
napsgear-210x65
advertise1
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
ashp210
UGFREAK-banner-PM
esquel
YMSGIF210x65-Banner
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store
over 5000 supplements on sale at professional muscle store

Are leg extensions actually worse for the knees than squats, lunges and leg presses! 🤔

Are leg extension worse for the knees than squats, lunges and leg press?


  • Total voters
    24
I always start with leg extension to warm up the knees
 
I also always start my leg training with leg curl and then leg ex - do not use heavy loads here, just a controlled pace with tightening the muscle at the top of the repetition

the second option - I train my legs twice a week (quad focus and hams focus) during the hams day I do leg ex. on the basis of fst-7 7x30 rep after 60sec. breaks between sets just to pump up the quads with blood
 
I think each have their merit. I personally would take a sissy squat rig or any sissy squat motion (awesome one was posted to YouTube by Scott Stevenson years ago on a smith machine) over leg extensions. However, once your lower back is good and locked up lol, leg extensions are a great way to eliminate any other weak links and extend sets to brutal levels.

I could definitely see how heavy extensions without a solid warmup could spell disaster, but I would say the same for any heavy extension movement, like a skull crusher.
You make a good point by comparing the extension movement—“skull crushers to “leg extensions.” Skull crushers will put a lot of mass on the triceps but most can’t continue doing heavy weights and low reps with this exercise without wrecking their elbows.
The same rule applies to leg extensions—people will add a lot of mass on their quads with this exercise but most can’t continue doing heavy weights with low reps without wrecking their knees.
 
There are a lot of variables to this and it's not just heavy weight is bad for you on leg extensions. I have done over 8 plates (or the full weight rack) for well over 50 reps on leg extensions and used to really push the movement hard with no knees problems. Like most movements your execution plays a big part. Although I would state generally speaking it is a movement most shouldn't be pushing the weight too high on. It should be about form, control, tut and moderate weight taken to failure. I wouldn't recommend low rep sets for leg extensions unless you were performing very slow reps. Most of the time I am getting 15+ reps for the movement.

Leg extensions are one of my favourite leg movements and a primary reason why I have improved my quads over the years. I have developed knee issues from squatting and leg pressing before but again it's largely due to poundages and form and not the movement itself. So my answer to the question is yes and no. The movement can definitely cause people knee problems (very common) so you have to perform the movement a certain way and that could be slightly different for everyone.

I would recommend them to most even if it's just used with lighter weight to get a great pump before/after certain compound movements. I generally end most of my quad workouts with leg extensions but sometimes I also use them early on as well.
 
If you have tight rectus femoris and hip flexors pulling you into APT, do you think the leg extension would make it worse?
 
I also think the machine plays a role, and your personal structure as well. I personally have a pretty significant outward trajectory of my femurs when standing. I’m not sure what the term for this would be, but almost like guys have varying degrees of carry angle to their arms.

By this I mean my ankles and knees aren’t directly under my hips, I’d love to believe this is due to massive adductors lol, but more likely just my hip structure. But due to this, sometimes wedging into a normal leg extension bugged my knees.

On the other hand, the hammer strength leg extension that is unilateral and with each leg turned out a bit was much better. That machine allows your ankles to converge a bit towards the bottom and come apart a bit at the lockout position. I think, for me at least, is a much more natural movement pattern than forcing my legs perfectly parallel or lateral force against my knees.
 
Leg extensions are knee wreckers, if you go heavy. I when done with lighter loads and higher reps though they are amazing at warming up the quads and knees for a leg workout. There literally is zero reason to go heavy on these as you can overload the quads much more with hacks, as they are the definition of diminishing returns
 
If you can do them controlled without momentum and most importantly line up the bend in your knee where the machine pivots on the lower leg arm, then they're great! All other thigh exercises don't lend themselves as easily to the mind-muscle connection (squats and presses). And the pumps are killer on extensions. Hammer Strength makes a good one. Many top guys use leg ext before compound movements but I personally find them a great finisher. Our gym has some pads I can roll up to put under the backs of my knees to line them up nice. I miss our old machine.
 
Leg extensions are knee wreckers, if you go heavy. I when done with lighter loads and higher reps though they are amazing at warming up the quads and knees for a leg workout. There literally is zero reason to go heavy on these as you can overload the quads much more with hacks, as they are the definition of diminishing returns
I have to do them last when I’m warmed up or they really hurt. Dorian did them last I figured I was doing ok.
 
Never have issues with the v squat , smith squat, leg extensions, horizontal leg press or linear hack squat. However, heavy regular leg presses and barbell squats cause me knee pain and sciatica pain every time. Even when going deep on squats for rep ranges of 10-12. Another option is one legged leg extensions as you can control the movement with with more focus on one leg. You won't be able to lift as much either avoiding possible strain on the regular leg ext. With one legged movements, it's important to go straight through without resting in between each. Super intense
 
Never have issues with the v squat , smith squat, leg extensions, horizontal leg press or linear hack squat. However, heavy regular leg presses and barbell squats cause me knee pain and sciatica pain every time. Even when going deep on squats for rep ranges of 10-12. Another option is one legged leg extensions as you can control the movement with with more focus on one leg. You won't be able to lift as much either avoiding possible strain on the regular leg ext. With one legged movements, it's important to go straight through without resting in between each. Super intense
On that notion of one legged movements, I’ve gotten so much out of Bulgarian split squats in recent years. The quad and glute burn is brutal!!! The video of Meadows and Evan Centopani doing the continual drop set on them made me really give them a shot. Great movement.
 
On that notion of one legged movements, I’ve gotten so much out of Bulgarian split squats in recent years. The quad and glute burn is brutal!!! The video of Meadows and Evan Centopani doing the continual drop set on them made me really give them a shot. Great movement.
Very true ! Bss are brutal. I use to do these and or, walking weighted lunges every leg day but due to a small micro tear in my quad, haven’t been able to do them. Weird lil injury , and never set me back much. Recovered fast but lunges have not felt good on the injured side. But you’re right, these will develop great legs
 
The quad is never fully contracted in the leg extension. Kas talked about his in his recent debate about bands with isratel
 
From what I understand leg extension are open chain and your limb can move freely like a dumbbell and articulate in desired path or groove. Squats or lunges with foot on floor are closed chain and force your joint in the set path by foot position and body. Each has benefit but open chain allows the joint to move in its safest arc of motion compared to being forced into a set path. Also the greater the joint's flexion the more the joint compacts. The greater the knee bends the more the patella presses into the femur.
Your knee is more than just a hinge joint. Lookup Connor Harris for an explanation. . It rotates as well
 
quit doing extensions once i trained under Phil Hernon.
and due to my bone structure front squats reign supreme for my quad development.
squats r good but end up making my glutes grow as much or more than quads.
front squats seemed to take my butt out of the move more.
 
quit doing extensions once i trained under Phil Hernon.
and due to my bone structure front squats reign supreme for my quad development.
squats r good but end up making my glutes grow as much or more than quads.
front squats seemed to take my butt out of the move more.
I would strongly suggest trying out a safety squat/yoke bar. I too am a fan of front squats just for that very reason but man I tell you the SSB takes the balance and shoulder Bs out of the movement but still puts the weight out in front of you.
 
I would strongly suggest trying out a safety squat/yoke bar. I too am a fan of front squats just for that very reason but man I tell you the SSB takes the balance and shoulder Bs out of the movement but still puts the weight out in front of you.
thanks man. cuz holy hell i hate the bar on my delts
 
quit doing extensions once i trained under Phil Hernon.
and due to my bone structure front squats reign supreme for my quad development.
squats r good but end up making my glutes grow as much or more than quads.
front squats seemed to take my butt out of the move more.
I was friends with him and we did extensions.
 
I was friends with him and we did extensions.
for me it was all squats. i have an abnorblly big... whatever the musle is that hangs over my knee lol
my tear drop was nuts... so no extensions for me
 

Staff online

  • rAJJIN
    Moderator / FOUNDING Member
  • LATS
    Moderator / FOUNDING Member / NPC Judge

Forum statistics

Total page views
558,109,052
Threads
135,768
Messages
2,768,854
Members
160,344
Latest member
Punisher13420
NapsGear
HGH Power Store email banner
your-raws
Prowrist straps store banner
infinity
FLASHING-BOTTOM-BANNER-210x131
raws
Savage Labs Store email
Syntherol Site Enhancing Oil Synthol
aqpharma
yourmuscleshop210x131
hulabs
ezgif-com-resize-2-1
MA Research Chem store banner
MA Supps Store Banner
volartek
Keytech banner
musclechem
Godbullraw-bottom-banner
Injection Instructions for beginners
Knight Labs store email banner
3
ashp131
YMS-210x131-V02
Back
Top