Leg extensions get a bad wrap as they are classed as. non “functional” exercise. Personally, I like them & incorporate them as part of my clients workouts.
Leg extensions should be a part of your workout regimen as they are one of the only exercises that target the quadriceps muscles. Strong quads are necessary for walking, running, and basically any other physical activity involving your legs. Usually done with a lever machine, proper leg extensions can easily be mastered. Simply sit on the machine’s padded seat and raise the padded bar with your legs. This particular exercise works mainly the quadriceps muscles of the front of the thigh — the rectus femoris and the vastus muscles.
Doing leg extensions helps to build lower body strength and muscle definition. Leg extensions are also less taxing on the body compared to other leg workouts like deadlifts — and these are just a few of the reasons why everyone should add this particular exercise to a strength training workout.
Benefits of Leg Extensions
The leg extension targets the quadriceps, the large muscles of the front of the thigh. This is an “open chain kinetic” exercise, which is different from a “closed chain kinetic exercise,” such as a squat.1
The difference is that in the squat, the body part you’re exercising is anchored (feet on the ground), while in the leg extension, you’re moving the padded bar, which means your legs aren’t stationary as they work, and thus the chain of movement is open in the leg extension.