The leg press is a popular piece of gym equipment that can help build key muscles in your legs. There are two leg press machines commonly found in gyms and home gyms: the standard horizontal leg press and the 45-degree leg press, with a seat that reclines at an angle while your legs press upward in a diagonal direction.
These machines help to build the gluteus (buttocks), hamstrings, and quadriceps of the thigh. Even if it appears to be a straightforward practice, understanding how to use it correctly is crucial.
Maintaining proper form is essential to maximizing the advantages of strength training and avoiding injuries. The leg press is used as part of a leg strengthening routine or a machine circuit workout How to Do the Leg Press.
We’ve researched and reviewed the best home gyms. If you’re in the market for a home gym, explore which option may be best for you How to Do the Leg Press.
Leg Press Benefits
You may improve your quadriceps and gain some of the advantages of a barbell squat using the leg press machine.Additionally, it strengthens the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and calves.
One benefit of the leg press machine is that you can emphasize different muscles by varying your leg press foot position. It builds strength in these muscles, and you can use it to overcome imbalances, such as overly developed hamstrings, compared to quadriceps How to Do the Leg Press.
Leg presses are similar to barbell squats, but they don’t require as much core work, thus they’re not as full-body exercises.This can be beneficial if you add the leg press to your routine as an accessory to squats. Doing so will allow you to continue adding volume to your quadriceps and other leg press muscles worked without causing the additional fatigue that loading a barbell on your spine creates How to Do the Leg Press.
Further strengthening your quadriceps can boost your squat performance by increasing strength in the muscles needed to progress. Including the leg press could be beneficial if you discover that your barbell squat strength has plateaued.
If you are new to lifting large weights, using a seated leg press machine may also help you become more stable and balanced. Some people are not ready to use a barbell for squatting until they are accustomed to lifting heavy weights with their legs in a way that increases balance and stability of the core and legs in a safe manner, such as with the leg press.
7 Weighted Squats to Add to Your Gym Routine
Step-by-Step Instructions
When you sit down at a seated leg press machine, your body should be in a particular position. Sit on the machine with your back and head resting comfortably against the padded support. Place your feet on the footplate about hip-width apart while ensuring that your heels are flat How to Do the Leg Press.
Rather than being elevated, your butt should be flat against the seat. At the knees, your legs should be in a roughly 90-degree angle. If your feet are too high on the plate, it will stress your glutes; too low puts unnecessary pressure on your knees. Your knees should be in line with your feet and neither be bowed inward nor outward.How to Do the Leg Press
When you press, take care to keep this alignment. Your head and spine will remain supported and in alignment if you hold onto the assist handles.
- Brace your abdominal muscles and push the platform away with your heels and forefoot. Your heels should remain flat on the footplate How to Do the Leg Press. The front of your foot or toes should never be used exclusively to move the pad forward How to Do the Leg Press.
- While exhaling, extend your legs and keep your head and back flat against the seat pad. Extend with slow control rather than with an explosive movement.
- Pause at the top of the movement. Do not lock out your knees, and ensure that they are not bowing out or in.How to Do the Leg Press
- As you inhale, progressively bend your knees to bring the footplate back to the beginning position. Maintain a flat back and feet at all times.
- If you have never done leg presses, start modestly with three sets of 10 leg presses. You can advance from there as you build strength How to Do the Leg Press.
Leg Press Common Mistakes
To get the most out of your leg press practice, it is imperative that you maintain good technique. Avoid these mistakes to make sure you are performing the leg press safely.
Too Much Weight
One of the most significant factors is ensuring you’re not trying to lift more weight than you should. If you can’t control your movements, you must reduce the weight. Lifting weights is only as crucial as using proper form.
Exercise should be hard, but it also needs to be done under total control. Avoid rushing through the workout or letting your legs give up at the finish.
Buttocks Not Flat Against Seat
If your buttocks are raised off the seat, your legs are at too sharp of an angle. You will need to move the seat back until your knees and buttocks are comfortably positioned. You can recognize poor positioning when you feel cramped, and/or your knees seem to be directly in front of your eyes How to Do the Leg Press.
Placing Hands on Knees
Placing hands on the knees is a common mistake that will break your form. Grip the assist handles instead.
Short Range of Motion
Always follow through the entire range of motion without lifting your hips. If needed, adjust the seat and/or lower your weights. This entails settling deeply into the pose with your knees open and your butt beneath your hips.
Raising Head
Concentrate on where your head is located. It should rest gently against the seatback and be stable. You are employing too much weight if you are jerking your head forward.
Breathing
Remember to keep breathing during the effort phase and to avoid holding your breath. If you focusing on exhaling on exertion and inhaling on release, your breathing will eventually become automatic.
Leg Press Modifications and Variations
You can adjust the leg press to make it more accessible as a beginner and to use it to progress.
Need a Modification?
You need to adjust this very individual exercise to fit your body. As machines can vary, you may want to ask a trainer to show you how to adjust it safely before starting.
Beginners should use lighter weights and develop good form. Concentrate on slow and deliberate movements rather than how many reps or the amount of weight you’re lifting. Ask a trainer to review your form and get personalized advice if you notice any unwarranted stress or pain.How to Do the Leg Press
10 Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer
Up for a Challenge?
Foot positioning can be used to work muscles in different ways. Using a wider foot placement will work the inner thigh muscles. Using a narrower foot placement will work the outer thigh muscles.
Placing your feet higher on the footplate will work your gluteus maximus and hamstrings to a greater degree. Placing your feet lower on the footplate will emphasize the quads more, but this also puts more stress on the knees and should be done with caution.
To address imbalances, you can also perform the leg press one leg at a time.
Safety and Precautions
Avoid the leg press if you have weak pelvic floor muscles, as it puts much stress on the pelvic floor.5 You should not use this machine if you have a knee injury. Instead, do safer leg press alternatives or strengthening exercises as your doctor, or physical therapist recommended.
If one or both of your knees hurt, do not try to endure the agony. Trying to push through will only result in harm. If you have back pain or an injury, you should avoid doing this exercise as it may put additional strain on your back.Six
Try It Out
Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts:
- Full-body strength training routine for beginners
- Glute, hip, and thigh exercises
6 Sources
By Paul Rogers
Paul Rogers is a personal trainer with experience in a wide range of sports, including track, triathlon, marathon, hockey, tennis, and baseball.