The leg extension machine is simultaneously the most loved and hated piece of equipment in the gym.
Many people, from beginners all the way to advanced trainers, love it because it's simple and effective. You can see and feel it working.
However, it's also one of the most hated because of the torque that it can place on the knees when done with a bad machine or with too much weight (and/or bad form).
The actual action of knee flexion is fine...and this setup can actually help minimize the downsides of it.
How to Set Up Barbell Leg Extensions
I recommend using an adjustable incline bench set one notch above flat. If you don't have that, you can also set the feet on one end of the bench up on a block or plates to get it elevated a little.
This added height will help you keep your feet clear of the floor during the exercise.
Put a barbell pad on the bar. The bar is going to sit on the tops of your feet, which has no natural padding, so padding is important (finally, a good use for the barbell pad :). If you don't have a pad, a towel can work, too.
For weight, I recommend using bumper plates, if you have them. If you don't, you can use smaller plates and potentially lower the bench to fully flat so that you can reach your feet under the bar.
This part takes a little maneuvering, if you're training on your own. If you have a partner that can just set the bar on your feet, all of this goes away. You can get into the exact position you want first, then have them set the bar for you.
Now...sit on the end of the bench, then hook your feet under the bar and raise your toes up as high as you can. Make sure you get the bar locked in and your toes up strongly as you may find your feet loosen up and the bar rolls forward if you don't.
This whole setup gives you bonus work on the tibialis anterior (front shin muscles), which is actually excellent for helping with ankle stability and strength.
Now shift back a bit on the bench until your knees are right over the end of the bench.
The angle of the bench with it elevated is beneficial for getting a full range of motion on the exercise.
As you shift back (you'll see this in the video demo), the bar will likely tip up and down a bit. Get this under control before you start the exercise.
Now get a firm grip on the bench, lean back and let your lower legs hang down. You're in the bottom position of a leg extension.
Now extend your knees, bringing the bar up and straightening your legs.
The strength curve of this setup matches the primary goal of the leg extension, which is a strong contraction at the top.
Because the weight is on your feet, I find this really minimizes torque on the knees, especially compared to a bad leg extension machine (I've used some where I can't even do a single light rep without immediate pain).
It immediately puts the loading on the muscles rather than the joint.
The other benefit of this setup is that it essentially prevents you from using super heavy weight. You can use enough weight to get a great contraction on the quads (which is the purpose of the exercise), but the free weight setup means you can't really load it excessively.
As well, because of the bar balance involved, you can't heave your whole bodyweight around to try and lift the weight, like you can do on a machine.
So while it does introduce some instability to the exercise, it's not so much that it makes the exercise ineffective.
And if you're training at home and don't have access to a leg extension machine but are still looking for a way to isolate your quads, this is exactly what you need.
I've got 10 more Home Gym exercises for you to try out...click here to see them now!
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