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This article provides alternatives to leg extension exercises that will help you build a strong and healthy lower body in no time!
Leg extensions are one of the most popular exercises for toning up your lower body, but there are many other ways to work your thighs.
Bodyweight Leg Extensions Alternatives
To do bodyweight leg extensions, you’ll need a piece of workout equipment, such as an inflatable exercise ball or a kettlebell. Or you can use a pair of socks or a band as a support.
You can lie on the floor and place your feet on a yoga block or exercise ball. You can also place a band around a leg and hold it in place, or you can lie on a stability ball.
You can take the exercise ball and roll it into your hips while keeping your arms by your sides. In order to build more quad strength, you’ll want to make sure you are contracting your quad muscles during the exercise.
To do this, make sure your feet are in line with your glutes. Focus on bringing your knees up to your chest, with your toes parallel to the ground. You should feel your glutes activate during this exercise.
Standing leg extensions
This is a good alternative to doing leg extensions on a leg extension machine. You stand on a box or step stool and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Then you bend your knees and lift your feet off the floor. This will help strengthen your lower legs, and it can also be used as a hip extension exercise.
Monkey bars
This is an excellent alternative to doing leg extensions on a leg extension machine. You stand on a sturdy block or bench.
Then you bend your knees and lift your feet off the floor. If you want, you can also hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in each hand while doing this exercise.
Knee Standing Press
These are excellent alternatives to leg extension exercises using a traditional leg extension machine. You stand with your feet parallel to each other and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Squats
You can still perform squats without using a leg extension machine. These are better for your quads because you need to squat down.
While in a squat position, bend your knees and then lower your body until your shins are almost touching the ground.
You can also bend your knees and place your feet on the floor in a squat position. But remember to avoid putting weight on your feet because it will lower your center of balance.
To continue this exercise, stand up straight and hold a squat position with your hands on the floor. Continue to lower your body until your thighs are nearly parallel with the floor. Then slowly stand up and repeat the process.
Reverse lunges
Don’t let the name of this exercise fool you. Lunges are actually an extremely versatile exercise. The term “lunges” actually refers to the direction you bend your legs and the length of time your back is bent when you stand up.
Bent knee lunges are an excellent exercise for building strength in your quads and glutes, and they are also very versatile.
You can use the lower body machine to do lunges, you can use a chair to do them standing up, or you can use a hillside to do them side-to-side.