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.

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

Squats make the outer part of the thigh muscle near the knee bigger than leg extensions do.

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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 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 lower part of the outer thigh muscle grow more than leg extensions do, probably because squats involve more hip and knee movement together.

82%

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.

79%