As I’ve mentioned in earlier articles, I’ve been incorporating extra machines into my weight coaching. A number of months in the past, I wrote about how I’m utilizing leg extensions together with squats to construct meaty quads.
These days I’ve been availing myself of one other lower-body-building equipment: the leg press machine.
The leg press machine has the popularity of being one thing you employ while you don’t have the cojones to do barbell squats.
However it doesn’t must be an both/or dynamic. The leg press machine is a good complement to squats and has its personal distinctive advantages.
In the present day we’ll have a look at what these benefits are and the right way to do leg presses correctly and successfully.
The Muscle groups Labored by the Leg Press
Let’s first break down which muscular tissues are placing within the work while you’re urgent that sled:
- Quadriceps: The star of the present. They’re doing a lot of the heavy lifting right here.
- Glutes: Your butt’s getting a exercise too, particularly when you’re going deep.
- Adductors: These internal thigh muscular tissues are becoming a member of the social gathering.
- Hamstrings: They’re type of the backup dancers right here — current, however not within the highlight.
The Advantages of the Leg Press
Develops the quads. Chasing these teardrop quadriceps? Need a extra highly effective squat? Whether or not you’re after aesthetics, power, or each (porque no los dos?), the leg press is your ticket to Quad Metropolis.
Because you’re sitting down and supported whereas doing a leg press, it provides stability to the raise. Versus squatting, you don’t have to fret about conserving your again and core tight. You may simply give attention to hammering your quads as arduous as attainable, so you will get the wonderful mechanical pressure that stimulates hypertrophy.
Develops your glutes. In addition to working your quads, the leg press actually hits your glutes arduous. My buttisimo is on fireplace on the finish of a heavy set of leg presses. When you may not suppose an excessive amount of about your rear, it pays to have well-developed glutes. Glutes are key muscular tissues utilized in many athletic actions, corresponding to working, leaping, squatting, and lifting, and creating them can result in larger velocity, energy, and agility. Additionally they play a task in posture and core stability and, in flip, the prevention of decrease again ache and knee accidents. Plus, when you’ve received a Hank Hill butt and wish to improve the aesthetic proportions of your physique by including a bit extra meat to your caboose, the leg press might help with that, too.
Offers your again a break. Typically your again wants a trip from heavy squats and deadlifts. The leg press helps you to hit your legs arduous with out fatiguing your again and core. Your whole torso will get to relax on the backrest and seat. And because you’re not balancing a barbell in your again or in your palms, your higher physique will get to chill and chill out too.
The leg press means that you can improve the quantity in your legs with much less total fatigue which makes it an awesome supplemental train to squats and deadlifts.
Nice for damage restoration. I’ve been battling a niggling ache in my proper knee for a couple of years now. Some actions make it damage greater than others. The leg press is a leg train that I can carry out pain-free.
Not solely does the leg press machine not exacerbate my knee concern, I’ve seen that since incorporating it into my exercises, my knee ache has really gotten higher.
If the squat has been bothering your knees or shoulders, contemplate giving the leg press a attempt. Its stability could mean you can proceed to work your legs when you recuperate from an damage.
Leg Press Like a Professional
As demonstrated by Mr. Know Your Lifts
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the right way to press like a professional.
Set the backrest pad to the bottom attainable angle. On most leg press machines, you’ll be able to alter the backrest pad. You need to set it on the lowest angle attainable. Right here’s why:
- Maximizes vary of movement. A decrease pad angle helps you to transfer by means of a larger vary of movement. Extra vary equals extra muscle engagement, and extra engagement equals extra features.
- Prevents decrease again rounding. If the pad is angled too excessive, it’s an open invitation to your decrease again to spherical out on the backside of the motion, which isn’t good to your decrease again. Rounding your decrease again additionally takes among the pressure off the quads, which prevents you from getting essentially the most out of the leg press.
Foot placement is essential. Need to work your butt extra? Place your ft increased on the foot platform. Centered on working your quads? Place your ft decrease.
Width-wise, positioning your ft shoulder-width aside is often the candy spot. A wider stance will put a bit extra emphasis in your adductors.
Level your toes barely out. It doesn’t do something to “bias” a sure a part of your quad; it simply helps cut back pressure in your knees and means that you can go deeper.
Good, managed descent. Don’t simply enable gravity to decrease the platform. Management the descent. You need to really feel these quads lengthening as you decrease the platform. It’s higher to go lighter and resist the burden on the adverse.
Go deep! As deep as you comfortably can. You need to get as massive of a stretch as attainable.
In case your butt is coming off the seat and your decrease again is rounding regardless of decreasing the backrest to the bottom angle, putting a yoga pad behind your decrease again can remove this concern. How thick your padding must be will range from individual to individual, relying in your flexibility. Experiment to search out what works for you.
Get a grip. If you’re pushing your ft up, grip these handles arduous and pull up on them to maintain your glutes glued to the seat. Don’t use your palms to assist press your legs up.
No have to lock your knees totally out. Whereas it’s typically secure to lock your knees out totally on the high of the motion, I want to maintain a slight bend on the high. It retains some pressure in your quads throughout your entire raise.
Should you do determine to lock your knees out, achieve this in a managed method. Don’t explode into lockout, as which will trigger your knees to hyperextend and places you liable to damage.
Program the Leg Press
I take advantage of the leg press as a supplemental raise on my decrease physique days.
I’ll begin the decrease physique day without work with squats since that’s the principle attraction.
I’ll then do 3 units of leg presses at 8-12 reps. After that, I’ll do the opposite workout routines scheduled for my decrease physique day.
Keep in mind, the leg press is only one instrument in your leg-day arsenal. Combine it up with squats, leg extensions, and different decrease physique workout routines for a well-rounded routine that’ll have you ever squatting extra and sporting Tom Platz-like quads.