# Leg extensions and curls after or before squats



## Dai Jones (Dec 1, 2009)

i have always done these after squats to exhaust the muscle but got told to do them first as they are better at warming up ya legs ready for doing squats, who does what?


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## soob the dug (Apr 12, 2011)

after for me dude


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## Chelsea (Sep 19, 2009)

To be honest mate i do a set of leg extensions before squats to warm up the muscle after 5 mins on the bike then i do 3 working sets heavy after squats, leg press and lunges.

There is no set way, Dorian used to do his extensions first to pre-exhaust the quads before leg press or hack-squat, others do it the other way around.

See what works for you and stick with it


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## ed220 (Mar 7, 2010)

Well i dont do leg extensions that often and at the moment i do leg curls after squats as i want to focus on them. However if you have stronger quads than hams, which a lot of people do, then maybe its best to do work hamstrings first.


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## Dai Jones (Dec 1, 2009)

Chelsea said:


> To be honest mate i do a set of leg extensions before squats to warm up the muscle after 5 mins on the bike then i do 3 working sets heavy after squats, leg press and lunges.
> 
> There is no set way, Dorian used to do his extensions first to pre-exhaust the quads before leg press or hack-squat, others do it the other way around.
> 
> See what works for you and stick with it


yeh never tried it before so will see what works


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## guvnor82 (Oct 23, 2011)

Always start with squats like to have full energy on them


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## Dai Jones (Dec 1, 2009)

guvnor82 said:


> Always start with squats like to have full energy on them


thats what i've always thought


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## F.M.J (Mar 23, 2009)

Squats then > everything else.

I often get a much stronger pump doing squats first then leg press/extensions/curls and I always leave calves last.


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## Sub-Zero (May 2, 2011)

I do a few warm up sets of high reps before squats to warm up the muscle and knees. Then towards the end I do a few heavy sets.


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## Gary29 (Aug 21, 2011)

I do squats first also, nice little 5 min jog to get my body warm, then do a couple of 20 rep sets of very lightweight squats to get stretched out, then start my working sets, building the weight up as I go. I then usually hit my calfs to give my hams and quads a breather, then crack on with curls and exts.


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## AK-26 (May 29, 2011)

i do warmup extensions and curls before, followed up with a few working sets of curls then move onto squats.


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## guvnor82 (Oct 23, 2011)

Dai Jones said:


> thats what i've always thought


WAY i see it is if legs a fcuked i ent gonna cripple myself doing leg extensions .

now if i got 180kg on me back and my legs go it ent gonna be pretty


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## Marshan (Aug 27, 2010)

Always done them after as well.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

pre exhausting with iso movements is a good technique


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## shane278 (Aug 25, 2008)

I'd do them after squats, I couldn't imagine doing anything before squats, I just wouldn't be able to squat properly afterwards.

I'd always suggest doing a compound exercise first and get the most bang from your buck.


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## Pictor (Jan 10, 2011)

I always do squats first followed by leg press, leg extensions, then superset ham curls and calf press...


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## guvnor82 (Oct 23, 2011)

Big Ste said:


> I always do squats first followed by leg press, leg extensions, then superset ham curls and calf press...


SNAP


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## Mighty.Panda (Oct 5, 2011)

If you can't manage a rep on the machine theres no big deal, if you can't manage a rep on the end of a squat set though you're a little screwed... Would surely make more sense to do squats first.


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## Gym-pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I always do them first .

Yes it pre exhausts and reduces the weight on squats and press but so whats its still maximum effort

The huge advantage for me is less weight on my back and knees which can ache like mad .

If your young enough not to have such worries then fair enough but Im 42 and need to preserve my joints so I can continue the BB lifestyle for the next 20 yrs minimum !


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## Dai Jones (Dec 1, 2009)

So hit legs friday and did leg curls and extesions first and now I know why some of use do them after squats  legs were too pumped and I couldn't even do a single rep on my max so now I know


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## chrisch (Mar 11, 2011)

Squat first then extensions and curls and then hack squat to completely finish me of. Tried ext and curls first but just doesn't work for me.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

stone14 said:


> pre exhausting with iso movements is a good technique


I agree, pre-exhaust is great if you have never tried it, give it a go.


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## Mr ziggle (Aug 9, 2011)

Good to change it about.

Prefer some light leg curls and glute activations before squats to make sure everything is switched on and firing right before a squat. A wee bit of blood in the hammies gives a bit of support for deep squatting.


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## Dai Jones (Dec 1, 2009)

Mr ziggle said:


> Good to change it about.
> 
> Prefer some light leg curls and glute activations before squats to make sure everything is switched on and firing right before a squat. A wee bit of blood in the hammies gives a bit of support for deep squatting.


yeh it is good to change, and have to take back some of what I said this morning I am now feeling doms in my legs which I haven't felt in a while


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