You can do leg extensions at home with just your body weight. It’s a variation called the reverse Nordics (pictured above). They’re hard, though, so I recommend getting good at squatting first. Squats will bulk up your quads just as effectively as leg extensions, and you’ll build the strength you need for reverse Nordics.
Leg extensions are a simple isolation exercise for your quads. What makes them special is that there’s no movement at the hips, allowing you to work the fourth head of your quads (the rectus femoris). That’s why bodybuilders do both squats (for their quads, adductors, glutes, and postural muscles) and leg extensions (to work all four heads of the quads).
Leg Extensions are Easy to Replace
The best alternatives to leg extensions are squats, kind of. Squats work your quads about as well as leg extensions do, and they have the added benefit of working your glutes and postural muscles. The downside is that they’re more fatiguing and aren’t quite as good for your rectus femoris (study).
If you want less fatiguing leg extension alternatives, consider lighter squat variations like goblet squats and split squats. Even front squats and back squats are easy on your spine when compared to deadlift variations (like conventional deadlifts).
If you’re training at home with dumbbells, you can replace leg extensions with dumbbell goblet squats, split squats, or front squats.
If you have a barbell, you can replace them with barbell front squats, back squats, or split squats.
If you’re using your body weight, you can do bodyweight split squats, jump squats, or pistol squats.
If you’re training at a full gym, you can do leg presses, hack squats, or smith-machine squats.
The problem is that if you’re doing a Leg Day or Lower-Body Day, leg extensions are usually programmed after your squats. You’re supposed to do both.
Bodyweight leg extensions are called reverse Nordics. They work your quads through the same range of motion, have a great strength curve, and are challenging enough that you can wring many years of growth out of them.
Beginners don’t need leg extensions. It’s okay to start with just squats. You can add in bodyweight leg extensions when you’re ready for them, starting with easy variations and working your way harder. Let’s talk about how to do that.
Reverse Nordics (Bodyweight)
Reverse Nordics are a surprisingly good exercise. They work your quads through a deep range of motion, challenging them under a deep stretch, thus stimulating quite a lot of muscle growth (full explanation). They’re also great for developing postural strength. They’re at least as good as regular leg extensions.
The only problem is that they’re more complicated. You’ll probably prefer having a mat under your knees. You might want some sort of pad under your ankles. And you might need to hold onto a resistance band or rope for assistance.
Dumbbell Leg Extension Alternatives
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
The dumbbell squat is the best dumbbell leg extension alternative. It’s simple to learn, easy to master, and it works your quads through a deep range of motion. It has the extra benefit of working your postural muscles, making it arguably even better than leg extensions. I’ve written more about its many benefits here.
However, there will come a day when you grow too strong for goblet squats. When that day comes, you can hold two dumbbells (a dumbbell front squat) or train your legs one by one (the dumbbell split squat).
Double-Dumbbell Front Squats
When you grow too strong for goblet squats, grab a second dumbbell. Rest both of those dumbbells on your shoulders.
Dumbbell Split Squat
The dumbbell split squat is another way to get more stimulation out of less weight. You can hold a dumbbell in each hand and train your legs one by one. If that ever gets too easy, you can raise your back foot up on a bench, doing “Bulgarian” split squats.
Barbell Leg Extension Alternatives
Barbell Back Squat
The barbell back squat is the best barbell leg extension alternative. I recommend using a classic “high-bar” squatting style, where you rest the barbell on top of your traps, sit down into the squat, and go as deep as you can. That way, you put more emphasis on your quads and less on your hips and spinal erectors, making it more similar to a leg extension.
Barbell Front Squat
Front squats are my favourite squat variation. They allow most people to train their quads through a deep range of motion, similar to a leg extension. However, they demand a tremendous amount of postural strength, especially in your upper back. That’s a good thing. You’ll build a stronger posture. But it means they’re quite a bit more difficult and tiring than leg extensions.
Alright, that’s it for now. To quickly summarize, start by replacing leg extensions with your favourite squat variation. If you need more volume, you can do more sets or add a second variation (e.g. 4 sets of goblet squats + 2 sets of dumbbell split squats). Then, when you’re ready for more, you can add in reverse Nordics. Be patient. They take practice.
Shane Duquette is the co-founder of Outlift, Bony to Beastly, and Bony to Bombshell. He's a certified conditioning coach with a degree in design from York University in Toronto, Canada. He's personally gained 70 pounds and has over a decade of experience helping over 10,000 skinny people bulk up.
Marco Walker-Ng is the co-founder and strength coach of Outlift, Bony to Beastly, and Bony to Bombshell, and is a certified trainer (PTS) with a Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences (BHSc) from the University of Ottawa. His specialty is helping people build muscle to improve their strength and general health, with clients including college, professional, and Olympic athletes.
