Setup
Sit in the leg extension machine with your back flat against the pad and adjust the ankle pad so it rests just above your feet. Grip the handles at your sides and position your knees to align with the machine's pivot point.
How to do it
- Extend your legs upward by contracting your quads until your knees are nearly straight.
- Squeeze your thighs hard at the top position for one second.
- Lower the weight with control, taking twice as long to return as you took to lift.
- Keep your back pressed against the pad throughout the entire movement.
- Stop just short of full knee lockout to maintain constant tension on the quads.
Watch out for
- ✗Using momentum or swinging the weight up instead of controlled muscular contraction.
- ✗Locking out the knees completely at the top, which shifts tension away from the quads.
- ✗Allowing the hips to rise off the seat, which reduces quad engagement and strains the lower back.