Using One Leg for Leg Extension and Leg Curl Machines

     Both leg extensions machines and leg curl machines are great ways to gain muscle in your legs without risking injury to yourself with squats. The leg extensions work your quads (the front of your legs) while the leg curls work out your hamstrings (the back of your legs). However, most leg extension and leg curl machines that I've seen do not allow you lift the weights separately with each leg. It is usually one long pad or padded bar. It is very possible that while using two legs, you may be extending or curling with more power in one leg than in the other.

     For example, this Sunday I did my leg workout. When it came time to use the leg extension machine, I started by doing 8 repetitions with my right leg, keeping my left leg straight down and not extending. After I was done with my 8 reps on my right leg, I started doing 8 reps with my left while letting my right leg hang and rest. I did this for 4 sets. I then followed the same formula for the leg curls. Doing this during your leg workout will ensure that both legs keep equal strengths and one will not become bigger or stronger than the other.

Here we can see that this woman is only using one leg to perform the leg extension exercise on the leg extension machine. This is the action that I have described in this post and the method I have found to keep my legs symmetrical and strong. (credit: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj755v-mSbp15-aeG5aAmUTMykVs-hFVrsmpSQeMZRMuF0JMJJAP8klo33RF6Xc6Je5fFu_TfgYRmsAStTDpsUpd74vGFo3sC5CfNVzXQDDfOUK3m8BdrkT9OYGRy-Wg2cUMSVKFhyrjhE/s1600/168.jpg)

Take Care,
Jaime