10 Leg Extension Alternatives That Will Crush Your Quads

Why it’s great: The Bulgarian split squat hammers  your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. They can be performed with just your bodyweight or with free weights for an added challenge.

How to do it: 

1. Stand in front of the bench, facing away from it. You can use any sturdy object in place of a bench if you don’t happen to have one where you’re exercising.
2. Place one foot on the bench behind you. You want to be far enough away from the bench that your front knee makes a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the movement.
3. Keeping a tall chest, bend your front knee and lower yourself into a squat. You will feel a big stretch in the quad of your back leg. 
4. Lightly tap your back knee on the floor, if possible, then drive through your front heel and extend your hip to return to a standing position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch sides and repeat.

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Why it’s great: Split squats check all the boxes: They improve your mobility and muscular endurance while simultaneously increasing muscular strength and size, specifically targeting the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles.

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step forward with one foot to assume a split stance.
2. Lower until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. The knee of your front foot should be above your ankle. 
3. Slowly rise, maintaining  your split stance. Keep your upper body centered and your back straight throughout the full range of motion.
4. Perform as many repetitions as needed for your first side.
5. Repeat for your other side.

Why it’s great: Everyone knows the merits of regular lunges, but reverse lunges are an unsung hero in the gym. They provide great activation to the core, glutes, and hamstrings, while reducing the stress on your front knee.

How to do it: 

1. From a standing position, step backward into your lunge. Your front foot should remain planted while your back foot should only touch down with your toes.
2. Lower yourself into a lunge, making 90-degree angles with both knees. Your head, torso, and back knee should form a straight line at the bottom of the movement. 
3. Lightly touch your back knee to the floor, then return to the starting position by pushing through your front heel, driving your hips forward, and bringing your back foot forward to be side-by-side with your front foot again. Keep your torso upright from start to finish.
4. You may repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch sides, or you may alternate sides. Repeat as needed.

Why it’s great: The classic forward lunge is one of the best exercises to incorporate into your leg day workout. It’s easy to perform and provides great activation to the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and hip adductors.

How to do it: 

1. The forward lunge may be performed as a bodyweight exercise or with free weights. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Step forward with your right foot and bend the knee to create a 90-degree angle with both knees. The knee of your left leg should hover above the floor or lightly tap it. Your right knee should be stacked directly above your ankle. 
3. Push from your front foot to return to the starting position.
4. Repeat the movement stepping with the left foot instead.
5. Repeat as needed.

Why it’s great: Walking lunges are excellent because they mimic movements you will most likely use in your everyday life. As with other lunge variations, you’ll hit the core, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

How to do it: 

1. From a standing position, take a big step forward and bring yourself down into a lunge, lowering the back knee towards the floor. 
2. Shift your weight into your front foot and step forward with the other leg to continue lunging across the room.
3. Repeat for desired distance or number of reps.

Why it’s great: Step-ups are a low intensity, beginner-friendly way to improve lower body strength, namely the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hip extensors. Not only are step-ups easy to perform, they also pose less risk of injury compared to other lower body movements, as they place less strain on your hips, knee joints, and lower back.

How to do it: 

1. Stand in front of an 8 inch box, or similarly sized step-up platform.
2. Lean your torso forward as you place your whole foot onto the box. 
3. Supporting your bodyweight with the front leg, drive your opposite knee up into the air until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Maintain a strong core as you perform the movement.
4. Slowly return your driving leg to the starting position.
5. Switch your starting foot and repeat all movements.
6. Repeat as needed, alternating legs for each rep.

Why it’s great: A narrow-stance squat squat variation performed with feet shoulder-width apart or even narrower, hitting the quadriceps, glutes, and adductors predominantly. As with most squat variations, the movement may be performed with bodyweight only, or using a suitcase grip and dumbbells, a goblet grip with a kettlebell, or with a barbell on your back.

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or narrower.
2. Inhale and, breaking from the hips, squat until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Your knees should not pass in front of your toes at any time. Maintain a tall chest, flat back, and strong core from start to finish.
3. From the bottom of the squat, drive from your heels and exhale to return to a standing position.
4. Repeat as needed.

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Why it’s great: Elevated heel squats are a squat variation in which the lifter’s heels are raised through use of a squat wedge, although lifters without this special piece of equipment could substitute a standard weight plate for the same result. By raising the heel, you focus on the quadriceps much more versus the standard squat while simultaneously reducing the demands on the posterior chain.

How to do it: 

1. Place a squat wedge or weight plate on the floor. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your heels elevated by the wedge or plate.
2. Inhale and, breaking from the hips, squat until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Your knees should not pass in front of your toes at any time. Maintain a tall chest, flat back, and strong core from start to finish.
3. From the bottom of the squat, drive from your heels and exhale to return to a standing position.
4. Repeat as needed.

Why it’s great: Lateral lunges and Cossack squats are similar, as both involve you shifting your weight from side to side. The goblet Cossack squat is a lower-body wrecker, hitting your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hip abductors while also activating the core, abs, and lower back.

How to do it: 

1. Start with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Take a big step to the side with your left leg, bending your left knee and pushing hips back. Lower yourself into the lunge until your left knee is at a 90-degree angle.
3. If you are performing a lateral lunge, you are finished and may proceed to Step 4. If you want to perform a Cossack squat, rotate your right foot onto your heel and point your toes up to the ceiling. Keep your left heel planted to the floor and your torso tall.
4. Push from your left foot to return to the starting position. Complete all steps for your other side.
5. Repeat as needed.

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Why it’s great: The sissy squat might sound like it’s for wussies, but only the toughest stand a chance at completing even a single rep with excellent form. This movement absolutely wreaks havoc on your quadriceps while simultaneously engaging your core, calves, hip flexors and adductors, and glutes.

How to do it: 

1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your heels raised using squat wedges or a weight plate. Your toes will remain on the floor pointing forward.
2. Bend your knees slightly and engage your core. You should form a straight line from your neck to your knees.
3. Lower your body into a squat, pausing for three seconds at the bottom of the movement.
4. Push with your legs to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat as needed.