A single-leg knee-extension that straightens one leg at the knee to load the quadriceps. It isolates the working thigh to train the quadriceps unilaterally.
How to do the Single Leg Extensions#
- Sit upright with the working knee bent about 90° and your torso braced.
- Keep your thigh still and tighten your core to prevent the hips from shifting.
- Extend the knee by straightening the leg until it is nearly straight, avoiding a hard lockout.
- Lower the leg slowly and under control back to the starting bend.
- Complete the prescribed reps, then switch to the other leg.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Quads
- Secondary: Abs, Hip flexors
Common mistakes#
- Using momentum to swing the lower leg instead of controlled extension.
- Locking the knee at the top of the movement.
- Allowing the hips or thigh to lift or shift during the rep.
- Dropping the leg quickly on the eccentric phase.
