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Leg Presses
General guidelines for all leg pressing movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)
- keep your back flush against the seat (no arching) & butt down (pull on the handles and drive hips into the pad throughout); head back against the pad at all times
- pull down with the hamstrings bringing the thighs / knees back just prior to the point at which the hips begins to roll / back arches (keep in mind that the higher the feet, the greater the range of motion will be)
- don’t just let the weight ‘fall’ on the negative, control it down with the hamstrings
- come up just prior to knee lock-out and ensure constant movement throughout (avoid rest if hypertrophy is the goal).
* FOR QUAD FOCUS: add ‘intent’, either by shoving the heels:
> inwards towards each other > outwards
> or upwards
…but NOTdown.
* FOR HAMSTRING FOCUS: > easiest when performed with feet high and / or wide – start with this until your ability to contract the hams on this exercise has reached an advanced level
> apply downward heel ‘intent’ throughout: begin by shoving heels down hard when initiating every rep (everything down the back of the legs should contract).
> Advanced: once you’ve mastered the above and no sooner (when you’re certain that the emphasis is on the hamstrings at all times), progress by also shoving the knees ‘downwards’ as opposed to simply pushing the weight ‘away’.
Leg Press – Variations
’Feet low’ variation for quad emphasis
’Feet wide’ variation
’One-Legged’ variation
- Exercise Specific:
- With Feet Low:
> be aware that the range will be smaller, but that this position will most effectively shorten the quads. - With Feet Wide:
> position feet outside of shoulder joint
> externally rotate toes to about 45º
> ankle joint outside of knees
> knees outside of hips (‘V’ the legs outwards)
> bend knees slightly, allow them to simply fall outwards on the negative
> shove heels inwards towards each other throughout (‘intent’). - With Feet High:
> use angle of back-pad closest to the floor for greater range of motion
> place feet ‘comfortably’ high, not excessively high. - With Feet Narrow:
> touch feet and knees together. - One-Legged:
> ideally, keep the resting foot on the ground.
