Guest viewing limit reached
  • You have reached the maximum number of guest views allowed
  • Please register below to remove this limitation

Unanswered Looking for alternatives to leg extensions

u_e_s_i

u_e_s_i

Well-known member
Could you guys recommend any isolated alternatives to leg extensions?

My knees have been bothering me and I’d like to switch things up a bit
 
Leg extensions are the worst thing you can do to your knees. Squat and lung / split squat. Never leg extension again and if you have to do leg press (sigh)- put your feet up high.
 
Ptlhains said:
Leg extensions are the worst thing you can do to your knees. Squat and lung / split squat. Never leg extension again and if you have to do leg press (sigh)- put your feet up high.
Click to expand...
Leg exts cause zero pain or stress on my knees at any weight I can do at least 10 reps on. There's no exercise that's bad for everyone.

To op. I like close foot leg press low on the platform. You can also do leg ext for high reps and never go to full stretch or lockout. Just constant tension and pump them full of blood then go do squats
 
Mostly all presses are more quad dominant. But these guys have given you some solid suggestions. Low and narrow foot placement on leg presses are nasty. Also look in extreme stretching for your quads.
 
I’ve been questioning lately how much leg extensions really help tbh. I do like the feel of how they can pump up the quads but I don’t know how valuable they actually are Vs a lot of what is mentioned in here.
 
rob112 said:
I’ve been questioning lately how much leg extensions really help tbh. I do like the feel of how they can pump up the quads but I don’t know how valuable they actually are Vs a lot of what is mentioned in here.
Click to expand...
They can do a whole lot for hypertrophy, but they aren’t for everyone.
 
Smont said:
Leg exts cause zero pain or stress on my knees at any weight I can do at least 10 reps on. There's no exercise that's bad for everyone.

To op. I like close foot leg press low on the platform. You can also do leg ext for high reps and never go to full stretch or lockout. Just constant tension and pump them full of blood then go do squats
Click to expand...
Talk to me when your 50 lol and any professional and they will agree with me. Just cause u dont feel it does not mean it is not chomping at your meniscus. To each their own.
 
Ptlhains said:
Talk to me when your 50 lol and any professional and they will agree with me. Just cause u dont feel it does not mean it is not chomping at your meniscus. To each their own.
Click to expand...
Half of the things I could do ten years ago with the weights I used and without any pain, I just cringe at nowadays... you have a very solid point my man
 
Ptlhains said:
Talk to me when your 50 lol and any professional and they will agree with me. Just cause u dont feel it does not mean it is not chomping at your meniscus. To each their own.
Click to expand...
I know plenty of guys older then that still do them with no problems. Ive been doing them for 20 years myself
 
Resolve10 said:
I know plenty of professionals who would take things in a case by case basis...



I’m not an old guy myself but in my anecdotal experience I know plenty “older” trainees with no issues.

Bothers some people, but not all.

I’d add I don’t do them personally, but I prefer torture via lunges, step ups, etc.
Click to expand...
Spot on. Some ppl it kills. Some ppl no problems. No shoe fit everyone.
 
rob112 said:
Well I respect your opinion as you seem to have a lot knowledge in training. I’ll keep them in
Click to expand...
If you do them try to do them last. For hypertrophy training I learned from mountaindog and after implementing I am a big believer in doing isolation hamstring work before my compound leg lifts, then once I have gone through maybe two compounds for legs maybe throw in some leg Extensions with maybe a drop set and some partials. The hamstring work takes the stress off the knees, and by the time you are 3-4 exercises into your workout, the leg extensions don’t bother my knees as much and I can really hammer them without pain at my joints. I think a lot of people go wrong doing leg extensions as a warmup, or before effectively training the hamstrings. Since moving things around I have wayyy less knee pain that I ever used to.
 
For the past month, leg extensions have been hurting my knees. I played with the back pad and moved it back one notch and it helped so much. I think the way the machine was set up when I had the pain caused the issue. I think my knees were going to far back and now, they don't extend behind me. Try to play around with the positioning of the machine.
 
Smont said:
Leg exts cause zero pain or stress on my knees at any weight I can do at least 10 reps on. There's no exercise that's bad for everyone.

To op. I like close foot leg press low on the platform. You can also do leg ext for high reps and never go to full stretch or lockout. Just constant tension and pump them full of blood then go do squats
Click to expand...

All true here.
Extensions are done wrong, that’s the main issue with them. If you have meniscus tears like I do, heavy ones aren’t advised.
But the biggest issue is ROM. Hyperextending and then on the other end going to almost parallel are trash for your knees.
I don’t come close to locking out and if my rep range is 15 or more, I have zero problems with them. They are a pumping movement
 
EMPIREMIND said:
If you do them try to do them last. For hypertrophy training I learned from mountaindog and after implementing I am a big believer in doing isolation hamstring work before my compound leg lifts, then once I have gone through maybe two compounds for legs maybe throw in some leg Extensions with maybe a drop set and some partials. The hamstring work takes the stress off the knees, and by the time you are 3-4 exercises into your workout, the leg extensions don’t bother my knees as much and I can really hammer them without pain at my joints. I think a lot of people go wrong doing leg extensions as a warmup, or before effectively training the hamstrings. Since moving things around I have wayyy less knee pain that I ever used to.
Click to expand...

That actually makes a ton of sense ma man. Thanks for dropping some knowledge on me
 
Matthersby said:
All true here.
Extensions are done wrong, that’s the main issue with them. If you have meniscus tears like I do, heavy ones aren’t advised.
But the biggest issue is ROM. Hyperextending and then on the other end going to almost parallel are trash for your knees.
I don’t come close to locking out and if my rep range is 15 or more, I have zero problems with them. They are a pumping movement
Click to expand...

This is the ticket. I forget why scientifically but a max ROM of like 150 degrees (just never to full extension) is recommended. And also like someone else noted its best to keep them light for reps of 12-20+. Studies have show they activate the rectus femoris far more than squats or any other quad movement for that matter, so they definitely do help with isolating that bad boy.
 
jswain34 said:
This is the ticket. I forget why scientifically but a max ROM of like 150 degrees (just never to full extension) is recommended. And also like someone else noted its best to keep them light for reps of 12-20+. Studies have show they activate the rectus femoris far more than squats or any other quad movement for that matter, so they definitely do help with isolating that bad boy.
Click to expand...
Yep
 
Smont said:
Leg exts cause zero pain or stress on my knees at any weight I can do at least 10 reps on. There's no exercise that's bad for everyone.

To op. I like close foot leg press low on the platform. You can also do leg ext for high reps and never go to full stretch or lockout. Just constant tension and pump them full of blood then go do squats
Click to expand...
Was thinking similar, whatever legs exercise is out there for quads (Google) but the key being never lockout.

See young blokes at the gym always doing massive weights on the leg press machine and locking out, I can watch for a rep or two but then need to look away.

Just need to see some YouTube videos on what can happen when you put your knees and tendons under a weight that they were never designed to handle to never lockout again.
 
AntM1564 said:
For the past month, leg extensions have been hurting my knees. I played with the back pad and moved it back one notch and it helped so much. I think the way the machine was set up when I had the pain caused the issue. I think my knees were going to far back and now, they don't extend behind me. Try to play around with the positioning of the machine.
Click to expand...
This is great point. Something basic like this can make a world of difference. Also you will find that based on how you set up in the machine you can target the quad muscles differently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top