The leg exercises you're doing have a glaring hole. Sets: 3. Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells. But if not, don’t. It’s simple. If you’re able to leg press 500 pounds, your going to do 400 pounds for 12 reps. *BONUS* The Leg Extension is a machine that is GREAT when you want to grow your legs. I don’t have any cables, so I can’t do any pushdowns. The barbell hack squat is an exercise that I typically find too awkward to recommend under any circumstance, really. Under the right circumstances and when used correctly, it can play a beneficial role in many people’s programs. 7. by Christina Simonetti. How To Create A Weight Training Workout Routine. The problem is I always feel my hams in that rep range and not my quads. Truly isolating the hamstring can be tricky, as most deadlift variations are still dependent on the lower back and glutes to an extent. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting. Pretty much whichever one you feel most comfortable with. “Hardcore” enough to get you a ton of internet cool-points among your inner circle of clueless bros? You think hating on leg extensions is bad? Are dumbbell kickbacks any good? 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? Oh, and that article on volume was superb on how you clarified volume with specific frequencies. It also … It depends on the needs of the person and the overall design of the routine. Use controlled reps. Exactly right. As an accessory exercise, try performing 3-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions with a light to moderate load with a slow, focused tempo. I also did them afterward. I opted for the leg press, which I hate and the hack squat machine which I loathed. What’s wrong with them? The Bulgarian split squat targets your glutes and hips. How bad is it for your knees? Another option is to replace one of those hamstring-heavy quad exercises with leg extensions (e.g. 2-day, 3-day, 4-day, and 5-day home workouts. 2. To clarify, here’s what I’m definitely NOT saying: I’m not saying any of this. The gluteal muscles (otherwise known as the glutes) are comprised of three individual muscles; gluteus maximus, gluteus minimis, and gluteus medius. Likewise, they also have their limitations and … Leg Extensions. Or if skull crushers are bad for your elbows. Awesome article! Yup, I agree… and the surgeon’s recommendations are surprisingly good (doctors + diet/exercise = usually horrible advice). If you want the best exercise to target and build your quad muscles, leg extensions are it. But the fact that it’s generally inferior to squats, split squats, lunges, leg presses, etc. Body weight options, dumbbell options, and resistance band options. Our leg extension standards are based on 156,000 lifts by Strength Level users. 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. It’s pretty cool to see how much work I put into my body. Squats, whether your goal is strength, mass gaining, or endurance training, are a foundational movement for... 2. In some cases, including this one, that’s full body. ANSWER: It’s hard to think of a weight training exercise that gets crapped on and laughed at as much as leg extensions do. The hamstrings run along the posterior aspect of the thigh and are responsible for hip and knee extension. I used leg extensions as part of rehab instruction from a physio of Quad tendonopathy. Topics: Legs workouts mass building strength training. I also have a squat cage for safety. The rectus femoris is one of four muscle heads that make up the quadriceps muscle group. If so, I've written the ultimate guide to getting the results you want without a gym. How can anyone say ext’s are useless when most of the champions have used them in some way? For set three your going to do another set of 12 with 80% of your max. However, this is NEVER true for everyone. Well, unless of course it happens to hurt your knees…. The normal position for leg extensions — toes pointing straight up — emphasizes the rectus femoris, for greater front-quad sweep. 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. If a one-armed leg extension is your only option, and you notice that the pad is bent forward, he suggests padding your outside leg with a knee wrap or sweat towel to even out your positioning. Matter fact…..awesome website dude; you call it like you see it with absolutely no bullshittin. 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. If you two are interested in ACL/PCL loading then have a quick look at Brinckmann et al (2002) it basically shows the relationship between knee flexion angle/ distance below thetibial plateau and which structure is loaded ACL/PCL or nether, I had to stop doing Barbell Squats because my shoulders are F**ked! Fat-free mass explained 58% of the variability in rowing performance and the inclusion of bilateral leg extension power improved the power of prediction by 5%. But if not, or if it happens to hurt your knees, then avoid it and/or just eliminate it from your toolbox altogether. swap split squats for extensions… quad volume stays the same and indirect hamstring volume is reduced. Yup, probably. Even though squats are my primary exercise, I have been doing leg extensions for months now so that I can built mass on my quads. That the leg extension should become a primary focus of your lower body training. Romanian / Stiff Leg Deadlift PECS for life! High Rep Leg Workout Most of my leg workouts start with leg extensions, and these should be super light. But just how warranted is all of the negativity that surrounds it? As mentioned, Leg Extensions aren’t a great exercise for mass gain but can be effective with pre and post-exhaustion techniques. Heavy leg curls, especially if you use momentum, can really mess your knees up. Unilateral lower body exercises like lunges, split squats, and all their variations are excellent muscle building movements. What our surgeon said after each and every surgery was that if we were intent on doing leg extensions, in order to preserve knee integrity, it should always be a secondary exercise, always at lower weights/higher rep ranges, and the starting point should be somewhere around 45 degrees. Leg extensions are just one exercise out of literally hundreds that fit this description. Supersets are great for building quad mass. There are plenty of exercises to choose from that all have their own set of pros and cons under different circumstances. Join the BarBend Newsletter for workouts, diets, breaking news and more. He had me do high reps ofleg extensions instead. Here now are a few simple tips that may make leg extensions more knee-friendly…. Thanks for your time Trevor. I’ve had a hip problem that has gotten worse so I can only do extensions and curls for thighs. A routine comprimising of leg presses, hack squats and leg extensions can get you phenomenal quads, provided proper training and nutrition are dialed in. Thanks dude. 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.. Is any of this true? Many people in this situation may find it helpful to limit the amount of posterior chain usage (hams, glutes, lower back) during that “push” workout. Having said that, you still need to remember that we’re only talking about a quad isolation exercise here. And that, my friends, is total bullshit. He told me that starting with the legs at a 90 degree angle (lower leg perpendicular to the floor) put incredible stress on the joint, especially at higher weights. My question is: in the beginner full body routine you listed the only muscle group that gets 3x a week frequency is the back. Of course not. Romanian Deadlift vs Stiff Leg Deadlift Comparison Guide, Hypertrophy Training Sets and Reps Guidelines, The Top 10 Weightlifting Women to Watch in 2021, Strongman Hafthor Björnsson Teaches You How to Deadlift, CrossFit Games Champ Mat Fraser, Josh Bridges, and Sevan Matossian Launch New Podcast, HYROX Champs Challenge Top CrossFitters (and More) to $10,000 Race, Olympia Head Judge Steve Weinberger Says Why Big Ramy Won 2020 Mr. Olympia Title, The Best Barbells For Training, Weightlifting, Powerlifting, and More, The 12 Best Creatine Supplements on the Market, The 12 Best Pre-Workout Supplements on the Market in 2021. 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. And yeah, you can 'do' any lift and see 0 growth. I wouldn’t recommend it as a primary quad exercise, but it certainly has its uses. I am 53, a professional piano mover, and our job includes carrying upright pianos to heights by two men. Leg extensions are good as it specifically hits your quads. The results suggest that rowing involves almost every muscle in the body and that bilateral leg extension power is … Get up out of the leg press apparatus and walk around. No pain. Or if straight barbell curls are bad for your elbows. I did skullcrushers for awhile, and now the long head of my triceps is more developed than the lateral head. In addition to your body itself, sometimes it’s your programming of the exercise and the way you’re doing it that causes the problems. I started working out at the beginning of July weighing 155 pounds, and i know weigh 167 lbs. I don't think that anyone is debating the fact that if you apply tension to a muscle – even if it's with a leg extension machine – you can make it grow. I had not any knee problem ever since. 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 a purpose presents itself and it fits in line with your goals and needs (and you can do it safely), then feel free to put this tool to use. That is hard on the knees at times, and it has reduced my ability to develop a big squat. Acquiring strong legs takes arduous training, consistent effort, and an understanding of the various muscle groups and movements that should be prioritized within a mass training program. But, it still IS a useful option nonetheless. Of course not. Alright, tricep kickbacks probably take first prize there, but the poor leg extension machine isn’t too far behind. 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? Split squats and lunges, while both great exercises, would not be the ideal tool for that job. That you won’t be able to build awesome legs without it. I wanted bigger legs, WITHOUT the bigger butt. It’s not something I love, but it’s a potentially useful triceps isolation exercise especially if your options for others are limited. Plenty of guys want big quads, which is why this machine gets major traffic. No universal answer. Is it ok to replace the split squats/lunges with one leg presses in the leg press machine? 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. I know this goes against most of what you’ve seen or heard before. The position of your legs in the exercise place a lot of torque on the connective tissue in the knee joints. couldn’t you just swap seated leg curls in lower body A with leg extensions? These are great movements to perform with tempos, slow eccentrics, and higher volume training if your goall is mass building. Squats It’s a weird individual thing, I guess. Guess I was one of the many duped! No negative effects whatsoever. for building muscle doesn’t make it a useless waste of time by any means. For example…. There is no other exercise that would add defintion to my quad. My cousin has been telling me for weeks that leg extensions are “super bad for your knees”, I’m definitely showing him this. The same goes for people claiming the leg extension machine is completely useless for building muscle. Your job, or rather the job of your abdominal muscles, is to not let that movement happen; this is how core muscle strength is built. Throughout this article, we’re going to cover two major topics including. Progressive overload is and always will be the key here. Front lumbar or the back resting on the traps? How: Hold one kettlebell with both hands … Let’s say that, like me, you’re very posterior chain dominant with your lower body compound exercises. I have heard with the bar on the front there is less stress on the back, while putting more emphasis on the hamstrings. But those three didn’t know any better, right? That’s just not true at all, as there are plenty of situations where it can definitely serve a beneficial purpose. 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. I already told you this but again, we need more objective, common sense and less fanatic and extreme opinions about everything. 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. Bodybuilding.com Signature 100% Whey Protein Whey protein is the most important weapon in your muscle-building arsenal. I just can’t understand why people are so fanatic, with everything. Let’s find out…. If all you care about is strength and “functional” performance, that’s a whole other story. I’m not saying you should use it or avoid it. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, split squat/lunge variations, leg presses and more should get the majority of your time, effort and focus. Squats have 0 moment arm at full extension. Thanks coach! Simple as that. Don’t be. They are squats, leg presses, and leg extensions. Squats actually made the problem flare up as primarily over use injury from snowboarding. And I know that even insinuating this on your favorite weight training forum may get you laughed right the hell off of it. And I agree about the hack squat machine… I’ve yet to find one that feels right. Do three sets of 15 reps. Leg Curls. 1. Although an effective upper thigh exercise, the leg extension only targets a small area of the leg musculature through one joint movement, knee extension. If you have a question or comment about this article, or just want to give me your feedback on it, feel free to contact me directly by using the contact form here. Everything you say on every subject /article/file makes perfect sense. “Nope, not really known for causing elbow issues. Leg extension is the only lift wherein there is a moment arm at full extension. These are parts of the Weider pre-exhausting principles. The fact that I just said the leg extension machine can serve a beneficial role in your muscle building routine is the kind of thing a lot of stupid people will see and immediately interpret the wrong way. First and foremost, we want to get stronger over time. Now, in 2015, I took his advice again and did 2×100 reps of extensions today. Unilateral training has been shown to increase muscle activation and hypertrophy, making these great movements to integrate after main bilateral strength work and/or use as your primary lower body exercise of the day. In a case where a doctor has specifically told you to avoid a certain exercise, I’d listen to your doctor. I love squatting, so having knee problems eats me. For your main quad exercise, there are many quality alternatives. How useless is it for building muscle? For the vastus lateralis, the activity increased towards the middle and end of the ROM (the top two-thirds of the leg extension). All you have to do is pick the right tool for the job. Leg Extensions Tips. However, just like all of these other exercise, that role should be a minor one. 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. #8 Kettlebell Pistol Squat. Also I got a roommate who is full of “you shouldn’t jog after you lift, you’re not supposed to lift like this, this workout sucks, etc.” I always tell him there’s no one answer, it all depends on you and your goals. Come on people, nothing is absolute. For the best possible results, we want to make sure we’re training muscles, not just moving weight around. 4. I use barbell/dumbells at home. I thought they were one of the best triceps exercises. 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. Just no time for it. Or if dips are bad for your shoulders. also since hams/glutes get hit significally from lower body compound push exercises why do you recommend same number of reps/sets for hams and quads? I guess this is just our nature. Once you have mastered this, you can add more loading to the leg press if needed. It shouldn’t be your primary quad exercise. This would be true for every other exercise, too. To add mass to my legs, should i lift heavy with few reps or lighter with 12-15 reps? I was curious on how that routine was full body. All three superficial muscles of the quadriceps responded differently to the ROM used. 3. More just universally regarded as the lamest joke of an exercise of all time.” You are talking about Kickbacks? That role goes to exercises like squats, or split squats/lunges, or even leg presses. It’s more of an “anti-being-totally-anti-leg-extensions-100%-of-the-time” article. Soft Tissue Masses: Diagnosis and Surgery For Benign and Cancerous Tumors But, hear me out. Had not the slightest problem with it, I think its a useful exercise provided one uses the right amount of weight. Is this a good time to put a bar on your back and bang out some squats and split squats to get your quad work in? Leg Presses, Lunges, Machine Hack Squats and Dumbbell Step-Ups are other good alternatives. This is important. My question is can the Barbell Hack Squat (not the machine) be used as a primary quad compound movement? I’ve heard some of these supposed experts dismiss leg presses and only considering squats and squats variations as quad building exercises. It’s bad for some people’s knees, but just fine for others. If it does, then it shouldn’t be a part of your program. 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. That it’ll even play a major role in making that happen. Growing some tree trunk thighs and powerful hamstrings take hard work and an unwavering commitment to put up with the challenging workouts and sometimes inevitable soreness. This is a great way to warm up those quads and get your blood pumping. Speaking of squats, where do you prefer the barbell? No… For the rectus femoris, there was no difference in activation at any part of … Pointing your toes inward places more emphasis on the vastus lateralis, which builds more outer-quad sweep. BarBend is an independent website. 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…. Second, you’re pushing, pulling and doing a lower body dominant movement 3 times per week. The calves are responsible for ankle plantarflexion (toes into the floor)t. 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