Which exercises wake up different leg muscles best?
Electromyographic Comparison of Five Lower-Limb Muscles between Single- and Multi-Joint Exercises among Trained Men.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study checks which leg exercises make specific muscles work harder using a machine that listens to muscles.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 534 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study checks which leg exercises make specific muscles work harder using a machine that listens to muscles.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 534 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Publication
Authors
Stien N, Saeterbakken AH, Andersen V
Related Content
Claims (6)
Doing leg extensions might grow your front thigh muscle more than leg presses, even though both workouts work the other big thigh muscles just as hard.
If you're a guy who lifts weights, your front thigh muscle works way harder during leg extensions than during leg presses — probably because the movement challenges how that muscle crosses two joints at once.
For guys who lift weights, doing leg presses or kickbacks works the butt muscle just about the same — neither one gives you a bigger advantage in muscle activation.
For guys who lift weights, the inner thigh muscle works just as hard during leg presses and knee extensions — these two exercises use that muscle in a similar way.
For guys who lift weights, the leg press works the main quad muscle harder than the knee extension machine, based on electrical activity in the muscle.