The leg press exercise is very effective for strength training professionals who want to develop and increase the muscle definition of the anterior thighs. Let’s see how it is done correctly.
The leg press is a very effective exercise because it allows us to train with heavy loads in a very safe way.
And thanks to the fact that the press machine allows us to increase strength very effectively, it will take us much less time to move on to crucial exercises such as deadlifts and squats to name a few examples.
HOW IS THE LEG PRESS PERFORMED IN THE GYM?
- Sit on the machine seat by placing your feet on the platform and with a separation approximately equal to that of the shoulders. They should feel that the pressure is distributed over the entire surface of the plants.
- The hips and back must be well supported against the backrest, the platform is released thanks to the handles located around the seat and we proceed to fully extend the legs, but without locking them. This is the starting position.
- Inhale a little more than usual and hold your breath while bending your knees to lower the platform (speed should be reduced to moderate) until you reach an angle of 80 to 90° with respect to the knees (angle measured between the back of the calves and the back of the thighs).
- Push the load (platform) to the starting position and exhale after passing half the movement.
Inhale and repeat the movement according to the desired number of sets and repetitions.
Muscles requested
With this exercise for legs mainly requested: the vastus lateral, the vastus externa and the rectus femoris.
They cover substantially the entire length of the thigh. Most of the muscle mass of the vastus lateralis is located halfway up the outer thigh; Most of the vastus muscle mass (which is often compared to the shape of a teardrop), is located a little lower on the inner side of the thigh.
To a lesser extent the leg press involves muscles such as the glutes and hamstrings. The gluteus maximus, one of the largest muscles in the body, is located behind the hip (this is the part where one sits).
TIPS FOR PERFORMING THE LEG PRESS
Some tips to get the most out of the leg press
If you want to know what are the variants of placing the feet in one way or another in the leg press visit the following article: HOW TO PLACE THE FEET WHEN DOING LEG PRESS?
To help prevent back injuries, don’t let your knees be too close to your chest during the descent phase.
The closer to the chest the knees are, the more likely they are to overexert the lower back, which will increase the pressure on the discs and the likelihood of injury.
Breathing plays an important role not only in the level of safety, but also in the effectiveness of exercise. By holding your breath during the initial phase of concentric range, more force is created and the torso is stabilized to allow for more effective leg action.
Exhaling after passing the difficult part helps relieve some pressure and prepares for the next repetition.
If possible, they can place their feet higher or lower on the platform to look for different sensations. It depends on your flexibility and how much knees and stress on your back you can withstand.
Many legs press equipment can adjust the inclination of the seat, but having too low an inclination can drag us out of the seat when the platform is pressed with our legs. Achieving the correct position on the press machine is very important in order to be able to perform the exercise correctly and reduce the risk of injury.
Do not fully extend (lock) the knees at the end of the extension. This can lead to hyperextension and injury.
Compared to the open bar squat, the thigh allows us to use more weight and, in some cases, more than double what we can perform in the squat position. It is sought that the additional weight of a greater intensity, but always taking care with the weights used.