Some of these lifts involve the hamstrings and glutes more than the leg extension, but the primary muscle group used is the quadriceps. Since it isn’t a compound exercise and focuses on the quads, you don’t have to worry about burnout preventing you from doing this exercise. Michael is a fitness expert and professional home/garage gym builder. To do the weighted Bulgarian split squat, you’re going to stand in front of a bench or other raised platform, and place your back foot on it. This alternative for the leg extension can be done at home, providing you have a chair, … Now, with your feet very close together, carefully step your heels up on to the plate, so that just your toes are on the floor. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. But for multiple reasons, the standing leg extension is the better option. Take this 4 question quiz and find out a full set of customized equipment for your home gym under 1 minute! With your rear foot stable on the platform, you squat down with the front leg and then rise up. If you incorporate just a couple of these leg extension alternatives into your future leg days, I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results! TOP 9 Leg Press Alternatives & Exercises You Can Do at Home, The Best Non-GHD Glute Ham Raise Alternatives to Ensure You Crush Leg Day, Leg Press vs Leg Extension – Where to Place Them in Your Workout, Cyber Monday & Black Friday Fitness Equipment Deals 2021. All that’s needed is a bench and a couple of dumbbells for this one. Its important not to put your knees under risk while doing leg exercises. Plus it can give you some explosive power in the legs as you will need to generate enough force to push yourself up onto the bench. We asked fitness professionals to suggest a few of their favorite alternatives for lunges next time you hit the weight room for legs day. Sign up below for free instant access to a pdf report from vertical jump expert Jacob Hiller on how you may be able to increase your vertical jump by up to 2-6 inches in just 45 minutes! To do the cyclist squat, first, place a weight plate on the floor, and pick up your barbell, holding it over your shoulders. Assuming you are healthy, any of these can be substituted into your training program with similar set and rep numbers to help you develop muscular size and strength in you lower body. The weighted Bulgarian split squat is a tough leg extension alternative that will help you build quads of steel. The cyclist squat is named such since it is a killer quad exercise that will develop the muscles much like extended sessions of cycling would. Bulgarian Split Squats ; 11. This means that it is a more well-rounded exercise which could – and maybe should – become a mainstay in your leg day workouts. ... My assumption is people avoid leg extensions all together, or simply don't go to full extension. Then slowly raise yourself back up for one rep. What makes the front squat a valid alternative to the leg extension though, is how by regular sets of the squat you will surely develop big quads over time. Not only do these alternatives work your hamstrings, but they also give benefits to your glutes, lats, and core muscles. How To do. Of course, it goes without saying that this exercise isn’t entirely beginner-friendly. The side lunge is another simple exercise like the front and reverse lunge which will work several muscles in the legs. Push through your heel as you step your other leg up and lift the knee. The bodyweight version can, of course, be done anywhere, whereas the weighted variation will require a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is also key because strength, power, endurance and joint-protection are all overlap, so a variety of … This makes it ideal for home workouts and even makes it possible to use on the road if you’re staying in a hotel room. Like regular lunges, they can be done with no resistance or with dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell on your back. This convenience is most important for any … In order to maximize the benefits of this exercise, try and use a dumbbell weight as heavy as you can manage. Placing your feet underneath you more will force the quadriceps muscles to do more of the work. Mixing them up is the best choice, as it covers all the muscle groups that the leg extension covers, giving you comprehensive development through the leg. Cross one foot over the other … Goblet squats are still an unknown exercise in large pockets of the fitness community, but they have gained popularity in recent years. Kneel down on all fours with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees. The front squat requires you to hold your barbell in front of you, as opposed to on the backs of your shoulders. This is a simple, but powerful exercise, as you can see in the video below. Stability Ball Hamstring Curls; 7. The high-impact force may hurt your joints. To correctly do the side lunge exercise, you’ll want to crouch down, like you see the guy in the video, and slowly lunge to one side as if you were marking someone in slow motion during a game of soccer. However, unlike the leg extension, the Bulgarian split squat is a compound exercise. Many of these exercises are just as effective at working out the big muscle groups in the legs as the leg extension, so you can do the same challenging leg day workout as you would with the machine. A difficult isolation exercise, this one shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re looking for an alternative leg extension exercise. Higher heights force you to activate more of your hamstrings and glutes. If your gym has one, the hack squat machine can be a great alternative to leg extensions. Leg Extension Alternatives. So, it can be difficult to come up with the leg extension alternatives. This list is assuming you are using the leg extension machine for supplementary quad work and you are looking for substitutes other than traditional squats and deadlifts. This is one of the best exercises for people with severe knee pain. Single Leg Hip Extensions. Again, foot placement here is important as changing the distance you step will tweak the muscles that are targeted. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter for all the latest home gym reviews. ... As you can see, there are several alternatives to a leg curl machine that does not require you to go to the gym. The front squat is better as opposed to the back squat when it comes to building up the quads. This machine requires you to lift your lower legs by extending your knees against weighted resistance from a seated position. Finally, and perhaps the best reason for doing leg extensions, or alternatives, is the effect it can have on your quad muscles. Sliding Leg Curls ; 13. If you have doubts about this one, first try to complete a bodyweight squat with the plate following the same instructions, and honestly, this can be an effective exercise in itself too. Sumo Squat to Stand; 5. This is also a great exercise to do when you have a spare minute at home or in a hotel room – minus the barbell if you don’t have one lying around. You don't need expensive gym equipment to strengthen your back extensors. Why leg curl alternative workouts? Best Leg Extension Machines 2021 with Reviews – Is it Really Worth it? 1. Unfortunately, this movement is not a very natural movement, and it’s also known to be quite hard on the knees. Some exercises even work your core, which is important for good posture and balance. Your elbows should be pointed down and just slightly out. You can even combine the cyclist squat method with the front squat, and raise your feet onto a weight plate for some great results. The reverse lunge is a bodyweight movement that targets the glutes. Here’s What I Built Under $1000! What’s more, the front squat encourages a narrower stance, which naturally turns the quads on and activates them more than a wider stance. If you’ve got an upper-body workout next up on the agenda though, make sure you check out these fantastic cable crossover machine alternatives. Due to the isolation of the leg extension, you will be working the patellar ligament of the knee, which is great for maintaining knee strength and keeping it healthy. No worries, we got you covered! He also loves putting mayo AND ketchup on the pizza for some reason! Well, leg curl is the most commonly known workout for the hamstring, and people seem to have trouble finding other exercises for their legs online. Your feet are placed close together and your heels are raised. Kneeling down on the floor, slowly bend backwards with arms stretched out in front of you until you feel the tension in your quads. Lunges . Unlike a lot of other exercises, this one will have you moving around, which at least for me keeps it entertaining. Leg Extension Alternative Exercises. I live overseas (China, to be exact) in a very small community that doesn't have a decent gym. All of them will work your quad muscles and most of them have added benefits of activating other muscle groups during the movement. A hack squat machine – Photo By: brett jordan. What would you miss out on if you skipped the exercise altogether and didn’t find a replacement? This way, you can not only place more emphasis on the quads giving them more opportunity to grow through hypertrophy, but you can also give your core and arms a solid workout. Leg Extensions Without a Machine. These exercises can also be used as warmups for leg extensions performed on a weight machine, and they could help you to avoid any severe knee injuries. Adding or removing resistance from the sissy squat is not so easy. Place your chair, bench or other raised platform on the floor, and get into a pushup position so that your feet can rest atop the platform. These exercises are great “closers” to end your leg workout on. Leg extension … Dumbbell Lying Leg Curls; 9. ), TOP 15 Best Power Racks & Squat Racks for Home Garage Gym Reviewed 2021, TOP 15 Best Ab Workout Machines for Your Home Gym Reviewed 2021, TOP 10 Best Plyometric Boxes (Plyo Jump Boxes) Reviewed in 2021. The site is made by Ola and Markus in Sweden, with a lot of help from our friends and colleagues in Italy, Finland, USA, Colombia, Philippines, France and contributors from all over the world. If you have joint pain, do broad jumps with care. They are great substitutes for the leg extension machine because they can use similar set and rep schemes while still primarily working your quads. Being a bodyweight exercise, these are great to do at home or in a hotel. Side lunges are good for the quad muscles since you will use them almost exclusively as you move to one side, meaning they will be in constant use. There are a range of leg extension alternatives that you can rely on if the leg extension itself isn’t an option. Whether you don’t have access to a machine or if you would just like a more functional exercise, any of the movements below can serve as a good replacement. You can see what the exercise looks like in the video. This alternative for the leg extension also happens to be one of the best out there for building huge quads and doing most of what the leg extension does for those muscles. You can also perform this leg extension alternative as a bodyweight movement too, should you not have access to weights. The setup for this exercise is relatively straightforward. That Depends on Your Goals! Even though you can perform bodyweight leg extensions while seated or standing, the most effective way to perform the exercise is by adopting a raised plank position. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn an affiliate commission. There are also a number of other reasons why the leg extension should be an exercise you look to substitute if you need to. 6 Leg Extension Alternatives Focused on Improving and Maintaining Muscle Function. Building a Home Gym on a Budget? TOP 13 Best Brooks Running Shoes Reviewed 2021 (Run in Comfort), TOP 17 Best Kettlebells Reviewed + Buying & Workout Guide for 2021, Reebok Nano X vs Nike React Metcon 5 AMP Review (Which Is Best? Step ups are one of the best exercises to mimic the emphasis on the quads that a leg extension machine does. You will be lying in a reclined position, with the weight on your back and your feet on a platform. The bodyweight step-up can be done by placing a bench in front of you, stepping one leg up onto it, then pushing up into the air with your other leg. The quads are underworked in a lot of exercises in favor of the glutes and hamstrings, so the leg extension is a fantastic way of strengthening your quads and making sure you develop your leg muscles evenly. Throw the barbell into the mix, and you’ve got a real quad burner. Other Exercise Names: One-Legged Squat, Barbell Split-Squat. Bent Leg Reverse Hyperextensions; 8. Copyright 2014-2019 by Postema Performance. Romanian Deadlifts ; 10. It … As the name suggests, this exercise is just a lunge but rather than stepping forward, you step backward. Step-ups are another great alternative but do need a chair or bench at a specific height. Yes, the classic sissy squat is a leg extension where the hips are extended. Walking to the side in a crouched position will have you feeling the strain on your quads like nothing else, so this one is great for developing willpower as well as huge quads. That makes it a great movement to do at the end of your workout. If you are looking to specifically hit the quadriceps muscles, a low to moderate height may be best. Learn more. For this lift, you will need some sort of platform to place your back foot on during the movement. While this particular exercise isn’t as quad-intensive as the leg extension, it can still give them a great workout, while also targeting the glutes and hamstrings. Best alternative to leg extensions. It’s important though not to equate best with perfect. I challenge you to try this exercise and tell me it isn’t as hard, if not harder than using the leg extension machine. If you've proved the ability to dominate a static split squat and earned the right to progress, try the rear foot elevated split squat. For example, you can check out what we believe to be the best all-in-one home gyms 2021. This exercise requires slightly more flexibility, so make sure you don’t injure yourself by going too quickly or taking on too much too soon. These can also be done with dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell. As you can see, you simply step up onto the surface with one leg and then return to the lowered position. There is also another way to perform this exercise with zero equipment. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). The video below shows what good hack squat technique looks like. It can be anything from a short box all the way up to a weight bench. Any of the exercises above can make great leg extension alternatives. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. They will work similar muscles while forcing you to use others, such as your core, for stabilization. In order to get the most quad engagement from this exercise, make sure you use a lower bench or support platform. This leg extension alternative without a machine is really ideal for a quick quad-centric workout. Just curious as to a favourite substitute for leg extensions (if any)? However, the control it takes to hold the squat at the bottom then push back up will prove challenging. (Topic#5715) Anonymous 10-12-05 08:16 AM - Post# 151064 . Perform a squat as you normally would, and be prepared to feel some serious burn in your quads when you get to the bottom of the squat. Lunges are a great leg extension alternative because they are … Most of the bodybuilders are not aware of leg extension alternatives they can easily carry out at home. Main Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Gluteus Max, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius, Low Back. Looking to isolate your quads without the leg extension machine? Another benefit of the leg extension exercise is how it can be used as a leg day finisher. The exercise may appear easy, and they are indeed more beginner-friendly than the forward lunge. You can see what a goblet squat looks like in this video. Alternating Reverse Lunges; 4. While these come in many different shapes and sizes, the basic layout is the same. Make sure you bend your knees at the bottom of the movement and push through your heels to get back to a standing position. This is due to the fact that you have to keep your torso upright, and at the bottom of the squat, you will feel the burn in your quad muscles. This leg extension alternative without a machine is perfect for building strong quads muscles, and a highly effective replacement as a result. The setup of this really isolates your quads better than almost any other exercise on this list. The cyclist squat is a weighted squat, but with raised feet, so that you can better focus the brunt of the exercise on your quads. You can either alternate legs or perform all of your reps with one leg and then rotate. Then, slowly lower yourself down until your back knee almost touches the ground and your front leg is bent at 90 degrees, before returning to a standing position. Holding it at the level of your collar bone, squat down, maintaining your narrow stance to get the most out of your quads. The leg extension will work on the muscles within your legs only and nowhere else. Bulgarian split squats share some similarities to reverse lunge, except the back foot is left in a fixed position rather than stepping back on each rep. 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