Leg Extension

Muscles Leg Extension Works

Muscles used

• Quadsfront of the thighs from above the knees toward the hips

Main muscleSit in the machine and straighten your knees to lift the pad forward. The main muscle driving this movement is your quads. Your quads contract to extend your knees and lift your lower legs.

Supporting musclesThis is an isolation exercise, so no other large muscle group should be doing much of the work.

How it should feelAs you extend your legs, the fronts of your thighs should tighten and feel full. Near the top, your quads should feel the strongest.

Signs you're offIf your hips lift off the seat or your toes swing around, quad tension is leaking. If you snap your knees into lockout, your knee joints may take too much stress.

Remember thisKeep your hips on the seat and lift the pad by squeezing the fronts of your thighs.

Setting Up for Leg Extension

Setup orderAdjust the distance between the backrest and the seat → Align the ankle pad with the front of the ankle

• Backrest and seat

  Set it like thisWhen sitting, keep your back against the backrest and adjust the backrest distance or seat position so that your knees naturally rest on the edge of the seat.

  How to checkMake sure your knees aren't pushed too deep into the seat or stick out too far from it.

• Ankle pad

  Set it like thisAdjust the position of the ankle pad so that it is right in front of the ankle.

  How to checkThe pad should be placed right in front of the ankle, not on the top of the foot or the middle of the shin.

Watch out forAvoid starting with knees not aligned with the edge of the seat, or the Ankle pad positioned in the middle of the shins.

Stance for Leg Extension

Foot widthSit with your hips against the seat, and place the ankle pad in front of your ankles.

Where your weight goesKeep your hips and back against the seat, and keep your ankles behind the pad.

Upper body positionSit so your knees line up with the moving axis of the machine.

Why it mattersIf your knee position is off, your knees may feel uncomfortable as you extend your legs.

How to Grip for Leg Extension

Grip typeHold the handles on both sides of the seat with both hands.

Grip widthHold the same position on both handles, so one hand is not farther forward or back than the other.

How hard to gripPlace the handles in the middle of your palms and wrap your thumbs around them.

The Key Point for Leg Extension

Press your buttocks against the seat, lift your shins forward, and tighten the front of your thighs.

Think of it like thisA feeling of tightening the front of the thighs

Before the fixLean your body back or quickly spring your leg up.

After the fixI feel strength in the front of my thighs, and my torso doesn't shake.