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If you've been searching for an exercise machine to use in your home, you have probably come across the leg extension machine.
These machines are used to build strength in the muscles of the lower body and are great in strengthening the quadriceps, thigh muscles, hamstrings and gluteal muscles. That's because they work these mucles differently than other types of strength training exercises.
Effective Ways to Use Leg Extension Machine
It's a great machine for building muscle definition, as well as strength in your lower body. You can exercise in the privacy of your home or at any commercial gym with one of these machines.
On that note, here's a look at seven effective ways to use a leg extension machine:
1) Leg Extension
The most obvious way to use a leg extension machine is to perform leg extension exercises. Leg extensions are an excellent workout to strengthen your quads when performed correctly.
Here's how to do it:
- To concentrate on your form and the contraction of your quad muscle, keep the weight small.
- Leg extensions are intended to be an accessory or solitary workout.
- To put it another way, it enhances your complex exercises, such as squats and lunges, etc.
- Don't think you have to put a ton of weight on the machine. Keep it simple; concentrate on good technique, and feel it in your quads.
2) Seated Leg Curls
Seated leg curls, sometimes referred to as the hamstring curl, is a great leg extension exercise for developing the size and strength of your hamstrings. This exercise can not only make your lower body stronger, but it can also help you avoid injuries and perform other exercises better.
To do this move:
- Position yourself in the machine so that your legs are fully extended. Your ankles should be just over the foot pad.
- To completely curl the pad, tighten your hamstrings.
- Take a brief pause; tighten your hamstrings at the bottom, and resume your starting position.
- Repeat the above steps.
3) Standing Leg Curl
Leg curl is an isolated workout that concentrates on the back of the leg (the hamstrings and calf muscles). It's versatile and works well as a complement to almost any lower body strength training routine.
To do a standing leg curl:
- Your legs should be fully extended when you lay face down on the leg curl machine.
- Just above the heels, the roller pad should lie a few inches over your calves. Grab the machine's support handles on either side.
- As you exhale, bend your knees, and try to bring your ankles as close as you can to your buttocks. Maintain a solid hip contact with the bench.
- Inhale as you slowly and carefully bring your feet back to the starting position.
4) Single Leg curl
Your hamstring muscles, which provide your leg muscles strength and flexibility, are what the leg curl specifically targets. If performed properly, this exercise can develop the calf muscles and give you overall leg strength.
Here's how this exercise is done:
- With your feet hip width apart, your abs sucked in and braced and your toe pulled towards your nose, sit in the leg curl machine.
- Hang one leg completely down. Lock your shoulder blades back and down while keeping your head aligned with your back.
- Without arching the lower back, descend the heels as far as you can toward the glutes.
- Change the pattern, and lower the weight to its initial position. Keep your posture steady.
5) Ab Crunches
A leg extension machine is excellent for core training as well. That's because it completely works your glutes, abs and lower back. Even though you would believe it's a simple action, very few gymgoers perform this exercise correctly.
To perform ab crunches:
- Once you're seated with your feet firmly planted on the floor and on the edge of the seat, you may start doing ab crunches.
- You might have to adjust the seat and pad to fit the pad against your chest, depending on your height.
6) Single Leg Hip Thrust
Your glutes will improve with single-leg hip thrusts, and you don't even need a lot of weight to achieve it.
To perform this move:
- Start by resting your upper back against a bench, bending one knee to roughly 90 degrees and resting the foot of the working leg flat on the floor.
- By bending your knee till it forms a 90-degree angle with your hip, raise the other leg.
- Lift your hips till they're parallel to your torso by tightening the glute of the working leg.
- Continue to squeeze your glute as you hold this position for a brief period before returning to the starting position.
7) Single Leg Seated Leg Press
You can also use a bench in front of the leg extension machine to perform standard seated leg presses, if you find the vertical leg press to be difficult.
To do this move:
- Make sure the machine is set to your height so that when you are lying on the bench. A few inches should separate your feet.
- Your body should be on the chest and shoulder pads as you tense your abdominals to prevent your lower back from arching.
- Lifting your ankles will allow you to curl them toward your butt, or gluteus maximus if you're feeling fancy, while you lift the padded bar.
Takeaway
Leg extensions are an effective way to target your quadriceps, but remember: you do not want to over do it. As a general rule of thumb, 1-2 sets of 12-15 reps will do the trick, but always start light, and work your way up.
