Leg extensions. Worth it or worthless

I personally think they’re worthless. About 3 years ago a good trainer buddy of mine and another trainer were talking leg workouts. They both know I pretty much train specifically geared towards skiing. One trainer competes in strong man competitions and trains for strength training. The other is more of a sports specific trainer and trains for a wide variety of sports. They both feel that unless coming off an injury and need to encourage mobility etc that overall the leg extension is worthless to a degree. Since I have stopped doing them I have noticed better gains in strength and mass in my legs and hips. That is probably due to the fact that I now do more squat reps as well as hack squat reps and other complex movements.
So what’s your take?

Useless unless specific rehab/recovery requires them. There is no stabilizing component ala skiing related motion, and while you can train an eccentric and to a degree, isometric contraction with leg extensions, the plane is very different from that of skiing specific motion.

Not a fan. Not a natural movement.

There are so many complex movements you can do, I don't really see why people do isolation exercises for large muscles, except for body building I guess. There are SO* many better exercises than leg extensions if your goal is to be fit for sports. Most people are already quad dominant from sitting so much at a desk, so yeah, focus on hips, glutes, and hammies instead of quads using compound movements.

I agree with them that I could see using leg extensions with light weight just to get the quads firing after an injury or surgery before one moves toward more complex exercises. Seems like straight leg raises would work just as well as leg extensions for that purpose, but I guess I could envision a situation where one would want to do both.

Edit: looks like we all posted at the same time

*Edit 2: Figured if I was gonna say there were a bunch of better stuff I might as well mention what they were. Here are some movements for those interested or stuck in a rut with the same old stuff:

Two Legged Stuff
back squat (low bar or high bar)
front squat
banded squat (or chain squat) -- band anchored to the floor pulls the bar down, really like these for skiing
pause squat -- pause at bottom of front or back squat, as mentioned by LVS
box squats -- sit down on box and stand up, kinda similar to pause squat
overhead squat
snatch balance or drop snatch (really gets the quads)
deadlift
romanian deadlift
stiff-legged deadlift (get those hamstring like crazy)
all variations of snatch (if you have the mobility)
all variations of clean and jerk (if you have the mobility)

single-leg stuff
pistol
high-box step up -- box should be high and try to roll up onto your toes of the lower foot but not push off with it, feels kinda similar to a pistol
bulgarian split squat, also known as the rear-foot elevated split squat, RFESS,
lunges
jumping/scissor lunges
single-leg romanian DL

Pause at the bottom of your squat and count to 3 if you want to give the old quads a real work out.

Squats, ftw.

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Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier

Pause at the bottom of your squat and count to 3 if you want to give the old quads a real work out.

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That as well as pulsing for a count of 5 about mid way up in a squat will torch the quads.

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Originally Posted by 2FUNKY

I personally think they’re worthless. About 3 years ago a good trainer buddy of mine and another trainer were talking leg workouts. They both know I pretty much train specifically geared towards skiing. One trainer competes in strong man competitions and trains for strength training. The other is more of a sports specific trainer and trains for a wide variety of sports. They both feel that unless coming off an injury and need to encourage mobility etc that overall the leg extension is worthless to a degree. Since I have stopped doing them I have noticed better gains in strength and mass in my legs and hips. That is probably due to the fact that I now do more squat reps as well as hack squat reps and other complex movements.
So what’s your take?

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leg extensions have been verboten for Knee-hab from every doc I've ever had. Haven't done them in damn near 30yrs.

Work the glutes and hammy's, ride a bike if you want big quads.

Are air squats helpful/impactful? Say you do 100+
I get leery loading big weight over weak knee. Viewed leg extension track movement safe to some extent. Timely topic as we gear up

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Originally Posted by CascadeLuke

Are air squats helpful/impactful? Say you do 100+
I get leery loading big weight over weak knee. Viewed leg extension track movement safe to some extent. Timely topic as we gear up

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I have junk knees too.

Start light, work up very slowly. Keep the rep range low. More sets are better than more reps. Focus on quality over quantity. Don't chase depth beyond slightly below parallel. Wear shoes with good footbeds and a hard sole.

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Originally Posted by Mofro261

leg extensions have been verboten for Knee-hab from every doc I've ever had. Haven't done them in damn near 30yrs.

Work the glutes and hammy's, ride a bike if you want big quads.

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But I’ve gots the big quads.

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Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier

I have junk knees too.

Start light, work up very slowly. Keep the rep range low. More sets are better than more reps. Focus on quality over quantity. Don't chase depth beyond slightly below parallel. Wear shoes with good footbeds and a hard sole.

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This. Quality knee sleeves are a god send for squats. Look at Rehband. Absolutely love mine. I also do squats with no shoes on but I am looking into squat specific shoes.

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Originally Posted by 2FUNKY

I also do squats with no shoes on but I am looking into squat specific shoes.

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Personally, I think they're a godsend if you have limited ankle or hip mobility like me. Knees and low back (SI joint) feel so much better since I switched to squatting with elevated heel shoes. YMMV.

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Originally Posted by auvgeek

Personally, I think they're a godsend if you have limited ankle or hip mobility like me. Knees and low back (SI joint) feel so much better since I switched to squatting with elevated heel shoes. YMMV.

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I have excellent mobility in all areas but am still very intrigued by them.

If you have bad knees, you definitely need to do strength training. Working up to your 1 - 1.5 x bodyweight on the bar for 3-5 sets of 5 quality reps is a worthy goal. Then if you have that goofy move where you hit a mogul weird and get bucked you have the strength to stay in a safe position vs. completely overwhelming your muscles and putting tension on the joint and the surrounding fragile tendons/ligaments.

Ooo. Today is Leg Day for me. Front and Back Squats, regular and romanian deadlifts. Banded crab walks, and reverse hammy curls. Then hammer my core on my MECA wedge.

I think leg extensions are decent for warming up and strengthening the tendons around the knee. For skiing though, I dont think they do much besides some minor injury protection. Same with those hip abduct/adductor machines. Compound movements help so much more with athleticism.


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Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier

If you have bad knees, you definitely need to do strength training. Working up to your 1 - 1.5 x bodyweight on the bar for 3-5 sets of 5 quality reps is a worthy goal. Then if you have that goofy move where you hit a mogul weird and get bucked you have the strength to stay in a safe position vs. completely overwhelming your muscles and putting tension on the joint and the surrounding fragile tendons/ligaments.

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My lowest rep is 8. I used to go down to 5 but have better results with 8 and it puts less stress on my knees and back since my weight is just a little less than when I was 5 repping.

This sounds like a more weight-lifting crowd, but leg blasters. That is all.

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^^^^Leg Blasters

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Originally Posted by auvgeek

Most people are already quad dominant from sitting so much at a desk, so yeah, focus on hips, glutes, and hammies instead of quads using compound movements.

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This is the key.



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Leg blasters are done on days that I don’t lift.

A good reminder that somebody’s warming up with your max and your hard day is somebody’s recovery workout.

What do you guys think about small plyometric hops or even jumping rope, to get muscles ready for skiing difficult snow. Like when skiing breakable crusts, and you have to lift up and over the crust every.single.turn, to not get hung up underneath it.


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Short people are better at skiing so I vote worthless. Unless your legs are different lengths but then it's a leg extension not leg extensions. Short dentists probably are better served by talking therapy IMO.

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Originally Posted by Betelgeuse

What do you guys think about small plyometric hops or even jumping rope, to get muscles ready for skiing difficult snow. Like when skiing breakable crusts, and you have to lift up and over the crust every.single.turn, to not get hung up underneath it.

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A proper training regime should include all aspects of the force-velocity curve. I doubt jumping rope helps with breakable crust, but YMMV.

Also: IME technique plays a larger part than fitness in difficult snow -- you gots to ski lots (on the same pair of skis) to learn how your skis will react to different snow and be able to counter it.

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Originally Posted by Betelgeuse

What do you guys think about small plyometric hops or even jumping rope, to get muscles ready for skiing difficult snow. Like when skiing breakable crusts, and you have to lift up and over the crust every.single.turn, to not get hung up underneath it.


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I just ski protest, problem solved. Oh, what auvgeek said too.

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Originally Posted by Betelgeuse

What do you guys think about small plyometric hops or even jumping rope, to get muscles ready for skiing difficult snow. Like when skiing breakable crusts, and you have to lift up and over the crust every.single.turn, to not get hung up underneath it.


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Plyos should come after base fitness with aerobic, strength and mobility is sound.

Then, they should be periodized.

Real question: do you ski with plyos? I mean, do you jump?

I ask because plyos happened to train fast twitch muscle fiber. Now, do you really use the fast-twitch would you ski. World Cup racers do. Competitive snowboarder too. But, do you really use that. I tend to think they're a little bit over shoot and misdirection for training for the average skier.

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Originally Posted by Betelgeuse

Ooo. Today is Leg Day for me. Front and Back Squats, regular and romanian deadlifts.

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Seems like a bit much.

As to the OP--Come on, this was a troll, right?

BGs and Rx ski dat crap with ease too. I was just wondering if exercise could make those difficult ski conditions more fun, I love making difficult stuff easier and more fun.

AUVgeek nailed the answer for me, Technique and predictable skis. So now I dont waste my time.


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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Seems like a bit much.

As to the OP--Come on, this was a troll, right?

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Nah. Just a good hearted discussion. Figured so close to ski season a leg strengthening topic would be good.

I used to squat, almost 400 lbs then my knees started to hurt so I started leg presses, about 700 lbs.
Then my knees hurt again.
I tried electro muscle stimulation, and it works well.

I am as strong as when I was lifting heavy, but no joint stress at all.

Once a year I get on the leg press, to verify that I'm not getting weaker, and I still do 12 reps at 14 plates or about 700 pounds

I do esm for 6 weeks, twice a year, before ski and mountain bike season, then very short sessions, once a week during season for maintenance

I find that, even with skiing 100 days a year, I did get where throughout the season if I don't do the maintenance.

The sessions are pretty hard core, you see muscle contractions far stronger than anything else I've done. Definitely can't watch TV or read while you're doing it.

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Originally Posted by charles martel

Now, do you really use the fast-twitch would you ski. World Cup racers do. Competitive snowboarder too. But, do you really use that. I tend to think they're a little bit over shoot and misdirection for training for the average skier.

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Average?? You say AVERAGE!!?? Unfuckingbelievable... do you have any idea who you are talking to?? This is MUTHA FUCKIN TGR for fuck sake!

.... think I hit my quota for the day, need a beer now

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Originally Posted by charles martel

Plyos should come after base fitness with aerobic, strength and mobility is sound.

Then, they should be periodized.

Real question: do you ski with plyos? I mean, do you jump?

I ask because plyos happened to train fast twitch muscle fiber. Now, do you really use the fast-twitch would you ski. World Cup racers do. Competitive snowboarder too. But, do you really use that. I tend to think they're a little bit over shoot and misdirection for training for the average skier.

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I dont ever pay attention to that, and my technique definitely isnt the best. I could be using fast twitch, when I shouldnt be..

I just meant for those little upwards motions you use to get up and over difficult 3D snow. Not bigger box jumps and stuff.

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Seems like a bit much.

As to the OP--Come on, this was a troll, right?

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Today is a light weight day. I try to get in that amount for a light day, just less sets on each exercise, and cover all parts of the muscles. On heavy days I stick to 3 main movements, back squat, deadlift, and leg press or something else.

I dont train for skiing, which does negatively affect my skiing unfortunately. But I put up with it.

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Originally Posted by eskido

Average?? You say AVERAGE!!?? Unfuckingbelievable... do you have any idea who you are talking to?? This is MUTHA FUCKIN TGR for fuck sake!

.... think I hit my quota for the day, need a beer now

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I do know who I am talking to.

Chill, dude.

If you need plyos, by all means. But, you do understand they should be part of a periodized regimen. And, they are not for everyone. You know that, right?

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Are plyos better for skiers who go hamm?


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Originally Posted by Betelgeuse

I dont ever pay attention to that, and my technique definitely isnt the best. I could be using fast twitch, when I shouldnt be..

I just meant for those little upwards motions you use to get up and over difficult 3D snow. Not bigger box jumps and stuff.



Today is a light weight day. I try to get in that amount for a light day, just less sets on each exercise, and cover all parts of the muscles. On heavy days I stick to 3 main movements, back squat, deadlift, and leg press or something else.

I dont train for skiing, which does negatively affect my skiing unfortunately. But I put up with it.

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I get it. Did not mean to insult you, at all. Sorry.

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+1 to what Auvgeek said.

We are all SO quad dominant (develops strength imbalances structurally around knee and hips) that we really need to focus on the posterior muscles (hamstrings, glutes) which will ultimately put less strain on the joints, not more. Leg extensions are almost solely for bodybuilding aesthetics (higher reps for hypertrophy and 'pump'). I'd even argue that any doctor/athletic therapist that actually knows training and rehab would stay away from leg extensions and focus on other exercises for time better spent. The only time I could see leg extensions being useful for rehab is if the patient had some neurological damage and they were teaching the patient to get some feel or activation.

I know I eat, shit, and sleep plyos, cuz I’m fuckin amazing

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Originally Posted by charles martel

I get it. Did not mean to insult you, at all. Sorry.

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Youre fine, you didnt insult me. I didnt even think you meant skiing fast, I thought you meant certain styles and movements.

What you are saying makes sense, but I think I do fall into the category that does use fast twitch while skiing. Im not the greatest skier, but like to ski that particular way.


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Originally Posted by Betelgeuse

Are plyos better skiers who go hamm?


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If you mean the beer refreshing, then yes.

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Originally Posted by Mofro261

If you mean the beer refreshing, then yes.

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Thanks, that’s exactly what I meant

Attachment 246995

I go Hamm’s every night

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