Single-Leg Leg Extension
Trains the Quads.
- Equipment
- A machine
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
- Set the seat so the back of your knee sits at the machine's pivot.
- Set the ankle pad so it rests just above your foot, not on the shin.
- Sit back with your whole back against the pad and hook one leg under the pad.
- Let the other leg hang free or rest it on the frame.
- Straighten the working leg until the knee is extended, then hold briefly.
- Lower under control to the starting angle, and finish the side before swapping.
Common mistakes
- Setting the knee off the pivot. When the joint and the machine's hinge do not line up, the resistance fights the leg through part of the range and the knee absorbs the difference.
- Leaning back and shifting the hips to help. One leg makes cheating easier because the trunk can rotate; keeping the hips square is part of the set.
- Letting the stack drop back at the end of the set. The lowering half is where the machine still has tension, and it is the half most often given away.
- Taking half of your two-leg weight. Trained one at a time, the difference between sides shows up — which is most of the reason to do it this way — and the weaker side sets the number.