[quote]MaximusB wrote:
No, the squat is better in many ways. The leg extension does have its place, but for strength and hypertrophy the leg extension doesnt come close. You also impose shearing forces across the knee joint which are unnatural unlike the squat which is more of what we are comfortable doing.
You have been squatting since you were a baby, when your connective tissues were weak and soft. Yet they haven’t harmed babies since the beginning of time. Leg extensions are good for times when you want a leg workout, but have a sore back. No spinal loading but you can also work your legs to some degree. [/quote]
True that!, I usually just skip leg day if I do some heavy ass deads on back day and I’m still sore. I figure I can get away with it.
Here’s what I feel. when yorue starting out, training the leg extension can interfere with learning the groove of the squat. At least this is what i went through many years back.
Once you have your squat groove in place 9which should take a few months of initial training) adding in the leg extension is a great idea. The leg extension can never replace the squat for mass-building potential, and the squat can’t replace the leg extensiona s far as quad isolation is concerned.
there would be some ‘allowance’ for set / rep range tho, in terms of muscular development, in terms of building size. But, I suppose, for the intermediate to advanced trainer, it’s different
[quote]Michael Petrella wrote:
In the book Target Bodybuilding by Per A. Tesch MRI scans showed leg extentions work all the major musculatures of the frontal leg maximally.
The Squat does not do this. However the squat does stimulate parts of the hamstring maximally aswell.
Interesting note the book stated the sissy squat worked the quads maximally aswell.
Michael[/quote]
How do you get a Squat Rack or a Leg Extension Machine into THIS?
It sounds like the argument is that the Range of Motion of the targeted muscle is greater. That’s like saying kickbacks are better than Close-Grip Rack Lockouts for Triceps development. It’s just wrong. Maybe that’s not the argument, but if it is…it is a shitty one.
ill tell you something. if youre like me and have a hard time hitting your outer quads youre gonna NEED the leg extension to hit that area more directly.
dont get the wrong idea, you cant walk in the gym do a few sets of leg extensions and think you did a good quad workout. but they do have their place and i like to use them as my last exercise and really hit my outter quads on them.
