How Much Weight Is Good for Reverse Leg Curls?

Weight training at its core is governed by two main considerations: how much to lift, and how many times to lift it. Determining one part of this equation requires you to also specific the other part. You cannot adequately pin down how much weight to lift for a certain exercise without also deciding how many times you’re going to lift it for each set. This is true for compound exercises and isolation exercises alike, including the reverse leg curl, which is also called the leg extension.

  1. Reverse Leg Curl

    • The reverse leg curl is an isolation exercise that only requires the movement of the knee joint through a lift phase and a control phase. The exercise targets the quadriceps muscles, which are the group of four muscle segments that make up the front portion of your thighs. The exercise requires the use of weight machine to perform, since there are no safe methods for performing a free-weight version of the exercise. You can do the reverse leg curl while standing or while seated. The form begins with your legs bent at 90 degrees. Lift the weight with your leg until it’s straight, then control the weight as you return your leg to the bent position.

    Weight Selection

    • Choosing the weight to use for the reverse leg curl depends on how much your quadriceps can handle in conjunction with how many sets and reps you plan to perform. The isolation exercise incorporates few stabilizers, especially when performing the seated version. The weight machine you use will either use weight plates or stacked weight, in specific increments. There is no one weight level that is ideal for everyone; each person will require a different amount of weight for the reverse leg curl to achieve progressive overload. You want to select a level of weight that taxes your quadriceps enough so that you come close to muscle failure on the final repetitions of each set you perform.

    Set Types

    • The weight level you choose for reverse leg curls depends upon the type of sets you do, and the number of repetitions each set contains. Choosing the right set type depends on your weight-training goals. For example, if you want to build muscle mass, you want to lift heavier weight through five to eight repetitions. If you want to develop muscular performance for endurance sports, such as distance running, use a set type that features a high number of repetitions with lighter weight.

    Considerations

    • Lifting too much weight through your reverse leg curl can cause muscle strains, joint pain and other issues. When selecting weight, pay careful attention to how much feels comfortable; you should exert enough effort to feel fatigue near the end of each set, but not to the point of complete muscle failure. If you experience spasms, shaking or failure of the quadriceps, stop immediately, rest and reduce weight for future repetitions.