If you want to get stronger at squats, doing squats is way better than doing leg extensions — but if you want to get stronger at leg extensions, both exercises work about the same.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Community contributions welcome

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

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2025 Dec 12

Contradicting (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

If you want to get stronger at squats, doing squats is way better than doing leg extensions—but if you want to get stronger at leg extensions, both exercises work about the same.

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Squats make the outer thigh muscle bigger near the knee more than leg extensions do, but both exercises build it similarly higher up on the thigh.

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If you want to get stronger at squats, doing squats makes you way stronger than doing leg extensions.

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

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If you want to get stronger at leg extensions, doing squats works just as well as doing leg extensions.

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