Leg Extension vs Lunge
Maximizing Your Leg Workout Plan
Contents
Lunge works multiple joints at once, Leg Extension isolates — difficulty 2 of 5 vs 1. See which fits your Leg day.
Customize Your Leg Workout: Explore the Benefits of Leg Extension and Lunge for Better Comparison.
Planfit Users' Choice about Leg Extension vs Lunge : Which is Better?
Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Leg Extension more often — 49,848 sessions compared to 2,988 for Lunge.
Popularity is not the whole answer. Leg Extension and Lunge differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.
How Leg Extension and Lunge Differ
| What differs | Leg Extension | Lunge |
|---|---|---|
| Muscles worked | quads | quads, hamstrings, and glutes |
| Equipment | a machine | bodyweight only |
| One side at a time | No | Yes |
| Difficulty | 1 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Sessions logged by Planfit users | 49,848 sessions | 2,988 sessions |
How to Leg Extension
Leg Extension muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Please lift until your knees are fully extended.
- 2. Please contract from the front of your thigh close to your knee up to the upper thigh near the hip joint.
- 3. Slowly lower down until the angle of your knees is 90 degrees while resisting the weight.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please do not give any momentum as it may injure your knees.
- 2. Please be careful not to fully bend or straighten your knees.
- 3. Please be careful not to let your hips and back separate.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Leg Extension, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Leg Extension Guide page of our blog!
How to Lunge
Lunge muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Step forward with one foot and raise the heel of the opposite foot.
- 2. Lower yourself until the angle of both knees is 90 degrees.
- 3. Keep your chest open and your back straight as you return to the starting position.
- 4. Repeat the same with the opposite leg.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to lean your upper body forward.
- 2. When bending your knees, please be careful that the knee of the foot you step forward with does not go beyond the foot.
- 3. Please ensure that your center of gravity does not lean too far forward.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Lunge, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Lunge Guide page of our blog!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for Leg, Leg Extension or Lunge?
Planfit users log Leg Extension more often — 49,848 sessions against 2,988 for Lunge. Both train Leg, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.
Do Leg Extension and Lunge work the same muscles?
Not quite. Leg Extension loads quads, and Lunge loads quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
What equipment do Leg Extension and Lunge need?
Leg Extension needs a machine, and Lunge needs bodyweight only.
Which is easier to start with?
Leg Extension is the easier place to start. Move to Lunge once your form holds up.
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