Legs
Leg Extension
What it works
Mainly: Quads.
Setup
Knee joint lined up with the machine pivot, pad on the lower shin rather than across the ankle bone.
How it goes
Straighten your legs smoothly, pause briefly at the top, lower more slowly than you lifted.
Two things people get wrong
- Swinging the weight up with momentum and letting it drop back.
- Loading so heavy you have to grip the handles and lift your hips off the seat.
If the kit’s busy
Slow bodyweight step-ups, or a lighter set with a longer pause.
Also written as: Single-Leg Extension
In these programmes
These are setup and execution cues, not coaching. If something hurts, stop — and if you're training around an injury or a health condition, get a professional's eyes on it first.