Alternatives for leg extension/curls

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summerkissed
summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
edited October 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm starting a new program but I live miles away from a commercial gym! In my shed I have a power rack with pulleys, Olympic bar, adjustable bench and kettle bells.....what can I do as an alternative?
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Replies

  • armylife
    armylife Posts: 196 Member
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    Romanian deadlifts, straight leg deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, front squats, deadlifts, and squats are all good choices.
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    Already do those! More after an isolation for quads and hamstrings
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    I do a program that asks for leg extensions and hamstring curls but I don't have either machines so looking for a replacement
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    summerkissed wrote: »
    Already do those! More after an isolation for quads and hamstrings

    Then you're probably fine.

    Or pick a new program that uses equipment you have, if it still bothers you
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    Frog squats- just remember to hit parallel to hit the quads
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN88JAT9MDE

    Stability ball hamstring curl-if two legs are too easy, do one legged version
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk8dpH4ZPos

    Dumbell hamstring curl- it may be a challenge to set the dumbell, so you may need assistance
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOyyle1-CwQ


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Frog squats- just remember to hit parallel to hit the quads
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN88JAT9MDE

    Stability ball hamstring curl-if two legs are too easy, do one legged version
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk8dpH4ZPos

    Dumbell hamstring curl- it may be a challenge to set the dumbell, so you may need assistance
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOyyle1-CwQ


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    ^^
    The hamstring curl in that picture? Do that!!! It's hard to balance the ball at first, but OMG does it work!
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    DavPul wrote: »
    summerkissed wrote: »
    Already do those! More after an isolation for quads and hamstrings

    Then you're probably fine.

    Or pick a new program that uses equipment you have, if it still bothers you

    I have been leaving them out but just feel like I need something to isolate and really finish that muscle off.....I love being sore the next day lol
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
    edited October 2015
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Frog squats- just remember to hit parallel to hit the quads
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN88JAT9MDE

    Stability ball hamstring curl-if two legs are too easy, do one legged version
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk8dpH4ZPos

    Dumbell hamstring curl- it may be a challenge to set the dumbell, so you may need assistance
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOyyle1-CwQ


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Hmmmmm the ball curl I have done before (before my dog decided the fit ball was a huge ball for her to do rolly pollys over and popped it) will get a new fit ball this week! Yeah I've seen someone drop the dumbbell at the top of that move lol.....ouch!!! Was thinking of rigging up my cable system to do something similar without the risk lol
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    summerkissed wrote: »
    Already do those! More after an isolation for quads and hamstrings

    If you do some kind of Squat and a conventional Deadlift you hit those as a whole. The Straight-Leg Deadlift actually has a very high hamstring recruitment even more than the conventional deadlift. The SLDL will give you the glute and ham activation you want. Any kind of lunge or step-up will also work the quads. It truly sounds like you have everything you need. :)
    I have been leaving them out but just feel like I need something to isolate and really finish that muscle off.....I love being sore the next day lol

    I'm not saying this to be a *kitten*, but if you're sore after every workout you're doing something wrong.
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    summerkissed wrote: »
    Already do those! More after an isolation for quads and hamstrings

    If you do some kind of Squat and a conventional Deadlift you hit those as a whole. The Straight-Leg Deadlift actually has a very high hamstring recruitment even more than the conventional deadlift. The SLDL will give you the glute and ham activation you want. Any kind of lunge or step-up will also work the quads. It truly sounds like you have everything you need. :)
    I have been leaving them out but just feel like I need something to isolate and really finish that muscle off.....I love being sore the next day lol

    I'm not saying this to be a *kitten*, but if you're sore after every workout you're doing something wrong.

    Yes not enough progression lol if I can't feel the muscle I've worked the day before then I need to go a little more weight or for another rep lol
  • ltworide
    ltworide Posts: 342 Member
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    For the ball leg curl you could use some paper towel or rag/on a wooden/tile floor instead of the ball, similar to using the gliders.
    https://www.t-nation.com/training/hamstring-hell-sliding-leg-curls

    You could also do some self or partner assisted natural/Nordic assisted Hamstring curls:
    tps://www.t-nation.com/training/hamstring-hell-sliding-leg-curls
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    ltworide wrote: »
    For the ball leg curl you could use some paper towel or rag/on a wooden/tile floor instead of the ball, similar to using the gliders.
    https://www.t-nation.com/training/hamstring-hell-sliding-leg-curls

    You could also do some self or partner assisted natural/Nordic assisted Hamstring curls:
    tps://www.t-nation.com/training/hamstring-hell-sliding-leg-curls

    Love it! Thanks
  • ljk0615
    ljk0615 Posts: 160 Member
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    You could do sissy squats balancing yourself by lightly touching a doorknob or something. If you do those to failure your quads will buuuuuuurn.
  • DomOfEbbAndFlowmotion
    DomOfEbbAndFlowmotion Posts: 3 Member
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    If you've got a kettlebell, mat, and about 45 minutes this will do the trick:
    https://youtu.be/XnNH7AtC87I
    For a quick fix, I've never had better leg development than from Front Squats, Stiff Leg Deadlifts, and Bodyweight Calf Raises. Set it up a a round robin through 3 to 5 sets and your legs should be fried.
  • V_Keto_V
    V_Keto_V Posts: 342 Member
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    Hyper extensions (use bench with power rack to make a platform), good mornings, barbell hack squats, front squats
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    summerkissed wrote: »
    Yes not enough progression lol if I can't feel the muscle I've worked the day before then I need to go a little more weight or for another rep lol

    OH, you just want to feel DOMS. Just take a few extra days off and you'll be sore. Problem solved, LOL
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    summerkissed wrote: »
    Yes not enough progression lol if I can't feel the muscle I've worked the day before then I need to go a little more weight or for another rep lol

    OH, you just want to feel DOMS. Just take a few extra days off and you'll be sore. Problem solved, LOL

    Yeah OP are you talking about wanting to feel sore? If that's the case, the soreness / DOMS as the sign of a good workout is incredibly misleading. DOMS for the first few workouts of something new is good because it's a sign that you've discovered something you need to work on. But as you progress the soreness you should feel would be marginal to none. It truly is not a good sign of progression at all. If anything, if you're feeling DOMS after several weeks / months; it's more of a sign that you're doing something wrong. There's a difference between knowing you've trained a muscle group and you can feel that fatigue and being flat-out sore.
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    summerkissed wrote: »
    Yes not enough progression lol if I can't feel the muscle I've worked the day before then I need to go a little more weight or for another rep lol

    OH, you just want to feel DOMS. Just take a few extra days off and you'll be sore. Problem solved, LOL

    Yeah OP are you talking about wanting to feel sore? If that's the case, the soreness / DOMS as the sign of a good workout is incredibly misleading. DOMS for the first few workouts of something new is good because it's a sign that you've discovered something you need to work on. But as you progress the soreness you should feel would be marginal to none. It truly is not a good sign of progression at all. If anything, if you're feeling DOMS after several weeks / months; it's more of a sign that you're doing something wrong. There's a difference between knowing you've trained a muscle group and you can feel that fatigue and being flat-out sore.

    The jury on DOMS is still out though, it depends on who you talk too or which study you read as to the point of view you take! And I've done a lot of reading. For me personally my best features are back and shoulders the parts of my body I can get doms in after every workout....my legs are the part lacking and also the part I struggle to get doms in after the first week. Doms are small tears in the muscle (the pain we feel) as they repair they get stronger (hence muscle growth) it also uses more energy (hence faster metabolism) but again there's many studies and many different theories on this.....but I like this one lol
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I gotta try these frog squats. Not only do my quads still need more work to look the way I want, but also I can just imagine Husband's face. :D post workout fun time. yes. I will try them tonight.

    If yr muscles are overly sore after a workout I suggest potassium, magnesium, and an epsom salt soak, ideally before your muscles get cold.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
    edited October 2015
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    summerkissed wrote: »
    Doms are small tears in the muscle (the pain we feel) as they repair they get stronger (hence muscle growth) it also uses more energy (hence faster metabolism)

    Strength development only requires progressive overload. If the progression is gradual, DOMS can be minimal.. but the long-term strength gains can be the same as with a faster progression and more DOMS. It's like walking a marathon vs. running it - the distance traveled is the same.. the only difference is the speed (and the injury risk). Makes sense?

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