Leg Extension
- Beginner
- Gym
The leg extension sits you in a machine with a pad across your shins, extending your knees against resistance until your legs are straight. It isolates the quads without recruiting the hips or hamstrings. Beginners in the gym use it for weight and reps, as either a main lift or a finisher.
- Muscles
- Quads
- Equipment
- Machine
- Logged as
- Weight and reps
How to
- Sit with the pad on your shins, back against the rest.
- Grip the handles and brace lightly.
- Extend your knees until your legs are straight.
- Lower slowly without letting the stack slam.
Form cues
- Point your toes up as you extend.
- Pause briefly at the top of each rep.
- Press your lower back into the seat pad.
Common mistakes
- Weight stack crashes down between reps. Lower each rep under control, no crashing.
- Hips lift off the seat during the lift. Stay seated and keep your hips planted.
- Knees swing with momentum instead of muscle. Slow down and drive the movement with your quads.
Wellboy is a wellness and fitness app, not a healthcare service, and it does not provide medical advice. Talk to a doctor or another healthcare professional before starting a new exercise or diet routine if you have a medical condition, an injury, are pregnant, or have symptoms.
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