Leg Extensions as Primary Quad Builder -- Disability

I have a severe mobility disability which inhibits me from doing squats , lunges etc ive tried it all, however, leg extensions don’t hurt especially when I don’t go to 90degrees and don’t lock out, however I see alot of flack for leg extension but a guy on my position is either that or just train upper body as I don’t have access to a commercial gym for variety as I have a home gym.

So I know bwhitwell on here only did leg extensions for quads but if I pair leg extensions with leg curls and stiff leg deadlift with glute bridges, can I develop muscular legs as theoretically im hitting everything leg wise?

I’m just desperate at the moment and I cant afford a pt or surgery etc so trying to work with what I got before I accept myself as being an upper body guy with bad legs who used to squat.

Just need reassuring that im all good as there’s shit loads of negativity around

Obviously, any leg work is better than no leg work.

Can you do leg presses? You have good control of range of motion.

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Anyone that poo-poohs leg extensions for quad work is a fool. You’re good man, quad extensions are one of the best - if not THE best builder for quads.

Are you able to do sissy squats, by chance? I would argue those likely produce more quad activation than regular squats, leg press, hack squat, etc.

I cant do leg presses due to working out at home im afraid, wish i could but when i used to do legs 3x week, squats, leg presses, rdl etc was my jam! I loved it, then this happened.

do leg extensions

Sorted then haha. Any set backs in regards to quad development?

If you have resistance bands and or a cable system their are ways of doing exercises from home that feel roughly like a leg press (that is if you do one leg at a time after you’ve hit your quads with extensions etc).

My idea is this, would it work?

Leg extension 6x30/25/20/15/15/10 (gradually increasing weight)

Banded leg Curls 6x30/25/20/15/15/10

Stiff leg deadlift - 3x10

Glute bridge - 3x50/30/15

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If you really don’t have a choice, what does it matter? I’m not trying to be combative or denigrate at all; just saying doing what you can is always better than nothing.

What you have looks fine if that’s all you can do. Exhaustion tends to work.

Is this a legit disability or do you have a “right now” mobility issue that we could be working toward correcting? If it’s the latter, I’d probably just think about progressively moving myself through pain-free ROMs. It doesn’t have to be a genius PT plan - just get a little better, without pain, over time; the same way you’d progress a lift.

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Hi buddy, sorry for the late response, its a legit disability, theres alot of dogma against leg extensions which ive not experienced in my time with the exercise which is why i wanted to ask here instead from grounded minds

Thank-you buddy that reassures me, im sure this is how sly stallone trains his quads and hes rambo so must be good :wink: on a serious note, leg extensions from research works more quads compared to squats via emg studies if you agree?

The rectus femorus is not effectively worked on leg presses and squats. The leg extension better works the rectus femorus because it is lengthened in the stretched position and contracted in the extended position.

But the leg extension and leg curl fall far short in thigh development to the squat. That’s just the reality of the situation for everyone.

Yes and no. EMG results are not as accurate as one would hope, but they quantifiably show more stimulus with leg press than most - if not all - leg exercises. There stimulus would likely look different from one person to the next, as well as loaded weight, so it’s usually too many variables to actually rely on - but it does sound good.

If you think leg extensions work better for quad growth, chances are that they do.

I have had to modify my leg workout since total hip replacement and back fusions. Used pain to dictate what leg work I could complete. 65 years old and still training 6-7 days a week. I pulled out the old Arthur Jones trick. Pre exhaust with leg extensions before squats or leg press. Since squats and leg press cause a great deal of pain during and after I found doing a slow controlled leg extensions in high rep range supersetted with a exercise ball on the wall squat will light the quads up!
Usually sets of 25 with no rest between sets. One large superset.
Using the ball against your back puts you in a perfect squat position. For what it is worth