Different leg exercises make different parts of your thigh muscles bigger — leg extensions grow the front part, squats grow the lower outer part.

48

Pro

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

48

Community contributions welcome

48

Comparison of Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Adaptations Induced by Back Squat and Leg Extension Resistance Exercises.

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2025 Dec 12

This study found that leg extensions make the front thigh muscle (rectus femoris) grow more, while squats make the lower outer part of the thigh muscle (distal vastus lateralis) grow more — so yes, different exercises can target different parts of the same muscle group.

Contradicting (0)

0

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Comparison of Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Adaptations Induced by Back Squat and Leg Extension Resistance Exercises.

Score: 48

DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000005338

Similar Assertions

Which leg exercise you choose matters: leg extensions grow the front thigh muscle more, squats grow the lower outer thigh more and make you stronger at squats—but both help you get stronger at leg extensions.

48

0

89%

Doing leg extensions makes the front thigh muscle grow more evenly along its length than doing squats, which don’t stimulate that muscle as much.

48

0

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Doing leg extensions makes the front thigh muscle bigger along its whole length more than doing squats, especially near the knee.

48

0

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Leg extensions make the whole front of your thigh muscle grow evenly, while squats mainly make the middle part of a different thigh muscle grow.

41

0

85%

Doing leg extensions for 8 weeks makes the front thigh muscle bigger along its whole length more than doing squats, especially near the knee.

48

0

84%