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

[OuchThatHurts]

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

That's your vastus medialis. Having a large medialis genetically is a gift. I don't. I have a large vastus lateralis. Phil's legs were just enormous.

 

[flex22]

I apologize if this was mentioned already. But I’ve seen multiple people both pros and Doctors mention not putting the settin on the very last whole so when your at the bottom of the rep/move your knee is in such an “over-extended” or “hyper-extended” stretched position. And at least for me Personally I made the change and set the bottom position in the second hole so my leg position in the relaxed/bottom position is 90 degree angle then I go up squeeze at top and then lower slowly

 

[juggy38]

If I recall, in Blood & Guts, he did them first.

Dorian would do leg extensions with the whole stack and the fucking machine would jump off the ground. I’ll try to find the video.

But later in an interview he stated….”one day I was thinking, I’m
Going to tear a quad doing this, so I started doing them later in the workout”

 

[alfresco]

I apologize if this was mentioned already. But I’ve seen multiple people both pros and Doctors mention not putting the settin on the very last whole so when your at the bottom of the rep/move your knee is in such an “over-extended” or “hyper-extended” stretched position. And at least for me Personally I made the change and set the bottom position in the second hole so my leg position in the relaxed/bottom position is 90 degree angle then I go up squeeze at top and then lower slowly

Interesting.

And your observations, feelings and results are?

 

[lookslikesausage]

Dorian would do leg extensions with the whole stack and the fucking machine would jump off the ground. I’ll try to find the video.

But later in an interview he stated….”one day I was thinking, I’m
Going to tear a quad doing this, so I started doing them later in the workout”

Interesting. I'd think he'd be more at risk tearing a quad doing Hacks or Squats on the Smith (which he used throughout his career after he gave up Barbell Squats). Come to think of it, I've never heard of anyone tearing a quad doing Leg Extensions. It's always been Hacks, Barbell Squats, or Leg Press. And also another interesting note, I've more often than not seen powerlifters tear their quads squatting but not Olympic Weightlifters (who use a much deeper ROM and use heeled shoes).

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Interesting. I'd think he'd be more at risk tearing a quad doing Hacks or Squats on the Smith (which he used throughout his career after he gave up Barbell Squats). Come to think of it, I've never heard of anyone tearing a quad doing Leg Extensions. It's always been Hacks, Barbell Squats, or Leg Press. And also another interesting note, I've more often than not seen powerlifters tear their quads squatting but not Olympic Weightlifters (who use a much deeper ROM and use heeled shoes).

If you tear a quad doing thigh extensions, you're too stupid for any of this. Become a writer.

 

[Pericles]

Interesting. I'd think he'd be more at risk tearing a quad doing Hacks or Squats on the Smith (which he used throughout his career after he gave up Barbell Squats). Come to think of it, I've never heard of anyone tearing a quad doing Leg Extensions. It's always been Hacks, Barbell Squats, or Leg Press. And also another interesting note, I've more often than not seen powerlifters tear their quads squatting but not Olympic Weightlifters (who use a much deeper ROM and use heeled shoes).

This is bc the quad isn't loaded as much with extensions. You will never simulate the load of a rfe split squat or a oly front squat with a leg ext.

 

[Pericles]

Interesting. I'd think he'd be more at risk tearing a quad doing Hacks or Squats on the Smith (which he used throughout his career after he gave up Barbell Squats). Come to think of it, I've never heard of anyone tearing a quad doing Leg Extensions. It's always been Hacks, Barbell Squats, or Leg Press. And also another interesting note, I've more often than not seen powerlifters tear their quads squatting but not Olympic Weightlifters (who use a much deeper ROM and use heeled shoes).

That's bc oly lifts have extreme levels of mobility and most powerlifters have absolute dogshit for mobility

 

[lookslikesausage]

If you tear a quad doing thigh extensions, you're too stupid for any of this. Become a writer.

In the post before my original one, it's quoting Dorian and he's saying he had concern that he'd tear a quad doing Leg Extensions with the whole stack. Should he have become a writer? LOL

 

[Doctordave42]

You always hear that leg extensions put more strain on the knee joint than other exercises like squats, leg presses, and lunges. But do they really?

Leg extensions done with lighter to moderate weight can be well tolerated if there is no instability in the knee. The challenge is keeping the resistance reasonable and focusing on a slow tempo. The danger comes when the lifter gets enthusiastic and increases weight and breaks form as the biomechanics of the exercise puts a direct shear force on the femoro-tibial joint. Totally different from the articular weight bearing stress forces of a squat or leg press.
At 55, I still use them to maintain excellent shape and separation in the quads, just four second negative and 3 second positive with a 1-2 second hold while the toes are pointing outward at 30 degrees to recruit the VMO.