# leg extensions before squats/ leg press???



## gold95 (May 23, 2009)

*leg extensions before squats/ leg press???*​
yes 4745.63%no5654.37%


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## gold95 (May 23, 2009)

i was just wondering if you guys prefare to do leg extensions before or after squats or leg presses?


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

only if I was doing a pre-exhaust on my legs... otherwise I would do squats and/or leg presses first then ext...


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## ryoken (Jan 8, 2009)

squats first always for me then leg extensions etc


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## frowningbudda (Dec 16, 2008)

Only as a warm up.

If its a working set I usually wack it in at the end


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## anabolic ant (Jun 5, 2008)

yes i now pre-exhaust my legs totally...with leg extensions first,full sets n reps...then heavy leg press and then front squat even more pre...then normal squats,this is all in aid of getting my knees warm n ready...cos i got bad knees,and before all this i warm up on the bike and stretch for 5-10mins!!!!

when my knees were cool...i just warmed up,stretched and then went stright for the traditional oly bar squats...brilliant they are!!!


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## lshannon41 (Jul 28, 2009)

It depends, I like to vary my training, so sometimes I will, but I'm going more for strength on squats at the moment.


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## FATBOY (Mar 4, 2008)

i always do the first as a warm up and a pre exaust


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## Dezw (May 13, 2009)

I only ever do squats for legs now, and they have never been bigger/stronger.


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

I'd rather spray on deep heat to warm them up than extensions.

Some lunges or bodyweight squats for me before I go heavy.


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## austen_18 (May 21, 2008)

at the moment i am doing heavy squats first then leg extensions.. at the moment i always do my main excercises first... but when i change my programme around theirs a possibilty i will do my main excercises last


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## Jason Griffiths (Jun 25, 2009)

I guess it depends what you are trying to achieve, but IMO squats alone are sufficient to building nice quads.


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## Chalet Fresh (Aug 18, 2009)

anabolic ant said:


> yes i now pre-exhaust my legs totally...with leg extensions first,full sets n reps...then heavy leg press and then front squat even more pre...then normal squats,this is all in aid of getting my knees warm n ready...cos i got bad knees,and before all this i warm up on the bike and stretch for 5-10mins!!!!
> 
> when my knees were cool...i just warmed up,stretched and then went stright for the traditional oly bar squats...brilliant they are!!!


Probably best to leave out leg extensions altogether if you have bads knees, worst exercise ever for them.


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

Just as a warm-up. Knees shot and even light leg presses or squats are agony without warming up first with low weight, high rep extensions.


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## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

Squats then Leg extension.

Even warming up, I just do very light squats and stretching in that case.


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## wes (May 28, 2006)

martin brown said:


> I'd rather spray on deep heat to warm them up than extensions.
> 
> Some lunges or bodyweight squats for me before I go heavy.


That explains why there was a few lads in my gym stinking of deep heat last week. I was wondering why four of them together had it on.

They started of with chest though.

and it wasn't nice gasping for air after a heavy set when all I got was the fumes of deep heat.

As for the legs I start off with squats after a good warm up then do the rest of my sets


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## ElfinTan (May 23, 2008)

I like to mix things up. Sometimes at the beginning...sometimes at the end and sometimes thrown in inbetween. I particularly like them at the end...2 heavy sets then a triple drop with statics just to really fry the feckers off!


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## Rebus (May 22, 2006)

I find i can squat/leg press more if i do extensions first for some strange reason and i don't hold back on them either.:cool:


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

i usually do a set or 2 of light weight extensions for 15-20 reps to warm up and get a little blood in muscle.

i have used them to pre exhaust before as well.


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## Propper Joss (Aug 22, 2009)

I do Leg press, leg extensions, then squats. If I begin on squats then I find my lower back fatigues much earlier than my quads.

I also add a few light sets of leg extensions and lumbar extensions after a heavy power lifting session, as it seems my DOMS are less bad the next day.

Try it out and see how you like it. There are well researched advocates of all the afore mentioned training approaches.


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## Propper Joss (Aug 22, 2009)

Chalet Fresh said:


> Probably best to leave out leg extensions altogether if you have bads knees, worst exercise ever for them.


Really depends on the equipment you are using to do the leg extensions on/with I think. Ergonomic adjustabillity is insufficient on most leg extension machines, but correctly done on the right machine they should offer a therapeutic effect for knees, as this movement allows full range of motion extension and contraction of the quads.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

well i usualy do squats but as i have got my squat up to 270kg x 7 rep for a pb my joints are fkd! i have started taking glucosamine and msm and training hams 1st curles stiff deads then extns and squats only get like 180-200k on squats this way. good pump saw nxt day. so yes for now when joints are better ill go back to good old heavy squats! yea buddy! till they fk up again lol


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## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

270kg x7 id love to see that  you ever do videos chodeboy?

and on question

sometimes i do leg extensions first, like Tan i just mix thing up each time. i normally start with leg press though. im going gym in a bit to do legs actually, ill be doing

leg press

ham curl

leg extension

standing ham curl

squats

then calfs


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

BigDom86 said:


> 270kg x7 id love to see that  *you ever do videos chodeboy?*
> 
> and on question
> 
> ...


no as i usualy train on my own i have one of me doing 240x11 i think. its on my mrs phone ill try get that up on er at some point.

MASSIVEMONSTER has seen me do my 270kx7 i use knee raps and a belt and just make it to para, no atg with that much w8 lol my best deadlift is only 230x5! lol need that to come up a bit will finish diet do my pct and when back on gear start a training log on er, will post vids and what not.


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## weeman (Sep 6, 2007)

i do extensions first to get the blood well in and ease my knees in,i dont go too heavy on them anymore,then move onto either hacksquat or leg press,tho last week tried front squats for first time in a long time,always like to finish of with nice super slow stretchy set on the extensions as well.


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

big_jim_87 said:


> no as i usualy train on my own i have one of me doing 240x11 i think. its on my mrs phone ill try get that up on er at some point.
> 
> MASSIVEMONSTER has seen me do my 270kx7 i use knee raps and a belt and just make it to para, no atg with that much w8 lol my best deadlift is only 230x5! lol need that to come up a bit will finish diet do my pct and when back on gear start a training log on er, will post vids and what not.


Thats awesome mate at your weight wouldnt you do very well in a powerlifting meet with that. ever thought about giving it ago cos that would put your 1 rep max at over 300kg


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

i always do squats/frnt squats then extensions


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## GSleigh (Jan 22, 2008)

Recently me and my training buddy have been doing it that way around and its been feeling great to be honest. Really hitting em as hard as possible


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## rodrigo (Jun 29, 2009)

we do them last mostly:thumb: and if it changes its usually because someone is hoggin the rack:cursing:


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## BLUTOS (Mar 5, 2005)

Yep to warm up


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## Samurai_mart (Sep 22, 2009)

What I find best for me is to do about 3 sets of 25 reps on the leg extension with a pretty light weight.

This is just to get the blood flowing and get the joints working nicely.

Then I go in to squats or leg presses.

Later on in the leg workout I do my actual working sets of leg extensions.

But as they say, what works for one person may not actually work for another.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

hilly2008 said:


> Thats awesome mate at your weight wouldnt you do very well in a powerlifting meet with that. ever thought about giving it ago cos that would put your 1 rep max at over 300kg


yea have thought about it in the past, still am tbh. deads and bench are shyt tho and pec has a little rip. cant flat bench atm. massivemonster started a thred ages ago about a mate that would total 700+ raw at U90k i would want to train for strength for a wile 1st and wouldnt even know wher to start. lol


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## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

it depends what gym im training in. but recently been doing heavy high rep leg extensions first, before squatting or leg pressing etc


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## fitnessfreak (Jun 15, 2009)

I am currently trying to really build my legs and like to start out on the leg press (start with this because it is the machine I hate the most!), then I hit the leg extension machine then grab some dumbells and do split squats.


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## adonis (Mar 26, 2009)

I pre exhaust with them. If i dont then my ass grows to much from squats. Pre exhaust lets my quads work more efficiently during the squats, getting more stimulation and more growth where i want it :thumbup1:

After 4 heavy sets of leg extensions i managed to squat 140kg for 15 reps so it doesn't reduce my strength too much!


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## mrmasive (Dec 30, 2005)

I don't bother with leg extensions because my tear drop is huge in comparison to the size of my quads :confused1:

If the knees take a little more warming up that the usual few light sets i'll add in a few sets of lying leg curls :thumb:


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## mrmasive (Dec 30, 2005)

adonis said:


> I pre exhaust with them. If i dont then my ass grows to much from squats. Pre exhaust lets my quads work more efficiently during the squats, getting more stimulation and more growth where i want it :thumbup1:
> 
> After 4 heavy sets of leg extensions i managed to squat 140kg for 15 reps so it doesn't reduce my strength too much!


I thought thats by doing a "pre exhaust" isolation exercise like leg extensions meant that when you go onto squat, for example, other muscle groups like the hams & glutes "kick in" to assist the pre-exhausted quads :confused1:


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## Jux (Jul 23, 2008)

Beginning of the workout for warmup, after squats to get the pump and fascia stretch.


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## Mikazagreat (Apr 10, 2009)

i always fight with my training partner about that, and i belive it's a **** idea to do leg extension for a warmup, i don't belive u should warm up with isolation movment.

u need all the power u have for the squat, so don't exhaust your leg with it before squatting.

I used to do extension before squat for few weeks, and i had sick back cramps with squats everytime, i belive this is due to some kinda of imbalance between the quads and hamstring during the exercise since the quad is extremly pumped and the hams are not doin that much, so i do squat, narrow leg press, hack squats, then go for the extension and the leg curls.


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## Jake H (Oct 31, 2008)

i do them after as i want all my power for squats


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2009)

Damn my answer made it even lol


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## BIG GRANT (Jan 12, 2008)

i do a couple of light sets first then onto squats or hacks, then leg extensions fst-7 last


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## jamolfc23 (Oct 20, 2009)

ha mine made it 35 in favour of the leg extensions first


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

i always do extensions before leg press since changing to this way my legs have developed better....


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## egyption t (May 21, 2009)

i`d like 2 do heavy leg extensions in da begining of my workout,2 warm up my knee connective tissues,then heavy squats..and i do high reps leg ext. again in the end of my workout, 2 push more blood into the area,...


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## Murray (Jul 2, 2010)

Hell no!!!! If I can't squat as my first exercise, I don't squat in that session! I find they drain my energy so much they need to be done first, or I don't have enough in the tank to do any decent working sets


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## Kezz (Sep 3, 2007)

i always pre exhaust with high rep leg ext... you dont need to use anywhere near as much weight on your heavy movements then.. this can only be good news for your joints and spine especially for an old timer like me with a history of heavy weight abuse and the injuries to prove it!!


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## deeppurple (Mar 13, 2010)

i always finish the routine off with some leg extensions.

i dont see no point in doing it before squats, as you'll just drain yourself.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

deeppurple said:


> i always finish the routine off with some leg extensions.
> 
> i dont see no point in doing it before squats, as you'll just drain yourself.


its realy if you dnt wana hit the big weights! lol i do this every now and then best to mix it up but your in to strength training so squat 1st! i wouldnt bother with extns at all in your game squats and leg press is all id bother with


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## deeppurple (Mar 13, 2010)

big_jim_87 said:


> its realy if you dnt wana hit the big weights! lol i do this every now and then best to mix it up but your in to strength training so squat 1st! i wouldnt bother with extns at all in your game squats and leg press is all id bother with


agreed mate. in fact all you need really to do is squat, but leg extensions loosen me up after having some heavy weight on my back if you get me. i always do 4 sets for finish, one at half stack, one at 3/4 then 2 on full stack. its loveeeelyyyy

x


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2010)

I only do as a warm up before squats - but do not class them as working sets- i do however vary my program and every 4th or 5th week totally reverse all programs so i will be doing extentions as working sets before squats - after curls ,sld, calfs needless to say squats at the end of the workout are killers - and alot lighter.

I find this is excellent for varation within a program and you concentrate on small muscle groups first that only usually get trained last- adds to better balance.


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

I do to pre exhaust but apart from that, i do the big lifts first every time after warming up....


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## Kezz (Sep 3, 2007)

you dont need big weights to get big legs


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

Kezz said:


> you dont need big weights to get big legs


usualy id lol at this but i get good results from higher rep work on squats


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## pea head (May 28, 2008)

I start off on the stair climber 5 mins

Leg Extensions 20 rep min

Leg press...work up to a weight where im getting 12 out...then final set drop weight and do an 100 rep final set.

Then 3 sets squats...game over.....done this now for last 2 yr or so....not had a single leg injury or niggle since.

However this is what works for ME....but yeah....enjoy it this way.


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## Kezz (Sep 3, 2007)

big_jim_87 said:


> usualy id lol at this but i get good results from higher rep work on squats


 i used to go really heavy on squat 6.5 plates aside, my legs didnt really look good, they went big but crap looking if you know what i mean.

I dropped weight to 3 plates aside and did 20 rep sets and high reps on leg press, up to 50 and my legs totally transformed, its good to mix up your training and of course heavy weight plays a part but its not the be all and end all as i used to think it was!!


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2010)

> really heavy on squat 6.5 plates aside,


don't you mean average weight Kezz ????

**** what a bar bender 6.5 a side would be ;o)


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## Galtonator (Jul 21, 2004)

On a side not do most people use leg extensions as a warm up? or do they do cardio as well?


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## pea head (May 28, 2008)

Galtonator said:


> On a side not do most people use leg extensions as a warm up? or do they do cardio as well?


I the past i have done couple sets before and few at the end,i tend to mix it up a lot.

When there is times i dont do 100rep set on leg press i will compensate by squatting up to around 8 rep set then a final of 50....i have to work up to that over a 3 week period or my tren cardio lungs would collapse......so first week would be 30,next 40 then week after 50.

When i have done that i wont do that again for about another 5 weeks then repeat for shock factor.

I grew up in a gym with a pic of Platz in the squat rack...so i try all sorts of weird sh1t :lol:


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

Squats first because it releases a huge amount of testosterone in your body, thus making anything you do after, more effective.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

Kezz said:


> i used to go really heavy on squat 6.5 plates aside, my legs didnt really look good, they went big but crap looking if you know what i mean.
> 
> I dropped weight to 3 plates aside and did 20 rep sets and high reps on leg press, up to 50 and my legs totally transformed, its good to mix up your training and of course heavy weight plays a part but its not the be all and end all as i used to think it was!!


yep same er buddy i was doing 270k squats best was 7reps now i do a lot more extensions 1st and higher rep squats or hacker squats on the smith and legs look so diff! i do phases tho ill do heavy squats from time to time and high reps also like i said best to mix it about


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## Murray (Jul 2, 2010)

Murray said:


> Hell no!!!! If I can't squat as my first exercise, I don't squat in that session! I find they drain my energy so much they need to be done first, or I don't have enough in the tank to do any decent working sets


So despite saying this a week ago, guess what i did today!?! All squat racks taken, so went for the leg press 4 X 10 at 250kg, then a rack was free, didn't squat last week, and didn't really want to go two weeks without squatting (if for no other reason that when i do it next week it would take me about five days to recover!) so went over and did 2 X 10 at 120kg. Suffice to say it was NOT fun, and i will endeavor to squat first!!!


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