How to Do the Leg Press Exercise Correctly: Tips and Recommendations

Leg press in a simulator is a basic strength exercise aimed at pumping up the quadriceps. Depending on the type of equipment, it is performed horizontally from a lying position and vertically from a sitting position. In our article, we will analyze what a leg press is, how to do this exercise correctly, when it is useful, and in what cases it is contraindicated.

What kind of exercise is this?

To include the movement in your training program, you need to clearly understand what the leg press is for. The load on the lower limbs is carried out by pushing the platform. This creates the necessary degree of tension, leading to pumping of the legs.

The technique of performing the exercise eliminates the load on the back and abdominal muscles. This makes it an ideal choice for people who have suffered a back injury. The bench press is especially good when you want to pump up the quadriceps.

What are the benefits of the leg press?

The popular exercise has many benefits that answer the question of why you should do the leg press:

• No back or abdominal load . For people who cannot bear high axial load, this is the only exercise that allows you to pump up your quads well. The latter are activated by almost 200% when using heavy weights.
• Excellent load on the lower part of the body . The exercise is great for women, as it allows you to pump up your calves, buttocks, and thighs.
• Easy to learn . The leg press, unlike many other exercises using a barbell or dumbbell, is easy to technically learn and perform.
• Ability to shift the load . Below we will describe how to correctly shift the load to certain muscles.

Another advantage is the availability of the necessary equipment to perform the exercise in any gym.

Which muscles are working?

The main load falls on the following muscles:

• two-headed and four-headed;
• shins;
• gastrocnemius;
• gluteus minimus and gluteus medius;
• drives and rotators;
• bark;
• Ankle stabilizers.

If the bench is positioned at an acute angle, the broad medial, intermediate and lateral muscles, long extensors of the fingers, and the soleus muscle are additionally involved.

How to properly perform the leg press?

Following the technique reduces the risk of injury and significantly increases the effectiveness of the exercise. To pump up your lower knees to the maximum, you need to know exactly how to do the leg press correctly:

• Keep your back pressed firmly against the bench surface and never lift to help yourself.
• Move the platform exclusively with your feet, using tension in your hips and lower extremities, not your lower back.
• Raise the platform until your knees are fully straightened. Only after this step remove the limiters and then grab the handles. Not straightening your legs completely helps reduce the load on your knee joints.
• Lower the platform while inhaling. Bend your legs at the knee until they form a right angle or slightly lower.
• Press the platform after lowering it while exhaling without any pause.

Leg press technique recommendations:

• Be sure to watch experienced athletes use the equipment and get training on how to use it.
• First, master all the nuances of performing the exercise correctly, and only then lift heavy weights. You can’t immediately move on to increasing the load. This is fraught with overtraining and injuries.
• No sudden movements. Each stage of the exercise should be performed without haste, correctly and in a controlled manner.
• Never lift your lower back off the bench surface. If this happens, adjust the angle.
• Keep all your body weight on the middle of your feet and heels to maintain control of every movement.
• Keep your heels on the platform and do not lift them off, and keep your chest open.
• Make sure you breathe correctly.

Never attempt to lift heavy weights while simultaneously reducing the amplitude. This may result in injury.

The position of the body and the type of machine have a huge impact on what the leg press should be like:

• Vertical press . The position of the trainee is lying down. The platform is perpendicular to the body. The knees are pulled to the stomach. The peculiarity of this position leads to a decrease in amplitude. It is ideal for athletes who want to make their knees more powerful. This exercise is performed in the Smith machine.
• Horizontal press . Characterized by the virtual absence of inclination. The platform with the seat is in the same plane. The platform moves 10-15 cm. If heavy weights are used, the amplitude is reduced by a quarter. It is best suited for those who want to pump up their thighs.

The difference concerns not only the type of leg press, but also the type of equipment used. In the Smith machine, you can stand on all fours, training your legs one by one. In the Hack machine, it is recommended to train people with lumbar pathologies and when they want to specifically work out the outer or inner part of the femoral biceps. Its feature is the ability to use a lot of weight without the support of a partner.

What mistakes should be avoided when performing the leg press?

Any exercise is difficult at the initial stages, but some mistakes can lead to stretching and rupture of the hamstrings and ligaments. The most common and dangerous are:

• Maximum straightening of the legs. This leads to constant muscle strain and decreased productivity. To avoid this, the platform should be raised so that it does not reach the starting point by about 5 cm.
• Tearing the lower back off the bench. This happens when the weight is lowered too much. In this position, the spine and knee joints are overloaded, which leads to an increased risk of injury.
• Squeezing the weight with your toes. Incorrect redistribution of the load is dangerous for the knee joints. The main emphasis is on the platform with the heels. This gives the maximum effect for pumping the quadriceps.
• Too little range of motion. Stimulation of muscle fiber growth occurs when the legs are bent at the knee joint at a right angle.
• Too much range of motion. Another extreme, typical for beginners. The load is shifted to the lower back. Thus, the effectiveness of training decreases and the risk of injury increases sharply. Only the lower back can work. If during the exercise the load begins to be felt in the upper part of the spinal section, then it is necessary to reduce the range of motion.

Important! When doing leg presses, your knees should be spread outward. This reduces the load on the lower back, hips, and knees. You cannot place your hands on your knees. This position increases the load on your back, reduces the effort applied, and reduces the effectiveness of pumping your legs.

How to shift the load on muscles by changing foot position?

The load is independent of the width of the feet or how many degrees outward the toes are pointed.

To shift the emphasis to the gluteal muscles, you need to place your feet closer to the top edge of the platform. They should be slightly higher (the extreme edge of the platform), and not form one line with the pelvis. In this position, the gluteal muscles are loaded to the maximum, since this is the only way to straighten your legs. The main thing to understand is that this approach works only when working with a lot of weight, that is, 80% of the maximum. The lower the load, the less the effect. If it is no more than 40% of the maximum weight, there will be no difference from moving the feet closer to the edge of the platform.

Remember! To shift the load, you don’t need to place your feet wider or turn your toes outward.

To shift the emphasis to the gastrocnemius and rectus femoris muscles, the legs are moved slightly below the middle of the platform. The feet should be parallel to the pelvic area. However, when deciding to place the feet in this way, it should be understood that it is possible to achieve maximum load on the quadriceps only at the lowest point. When changing the position of the legs does not allow bending the knees at an angle of 90 degrees, the position should be changed by moving the feet higher.

How to add the leg press to your workout program?

So, how many times should you do leg presses? 6-12 repetitions no more than 1-2 times a week. It is highly recommended not to increase the frequency of the load. The muscles need to rest and recover.

If the exercise is done as an alternative to back squats, additional movements on the back of the thigh are required. For example, you can additionally do Nordic crunches or hip lifts with a barbell.

When a training program already includes squats, the leg press is done at the end, workout with the same number of repetitions. The exercise can be performed on days when movements that load the back are performed. The main thing is to choose the right load. Excessively large weight can cause muscle overtraining and even lead to injury.

And when is it better to do leg press? At the end of the workout, if you do squats and need to unload the back. During the session in other cases.

Contraindications

Any exercise has its contraindications and situations when it is not recommended to do it. Let’s consider two situations, why and how dangerous is the leg press:

• When recovering from damage to the knee joint or ligaments. If you ignore the ban, relapses and serious complications are possible.
• In case of pathological diseases of the spinal section, it is necessary to consult a doctor first. If he gives permission, you should train only under the supervision of a trainer and in a hack machine. Wearing an athletic belt is mandatory.

What to do if the exercise is contraindicated? Replace the leg press with a movement that has a lower axial load, for example, adduction and abduction of the legs. Consultation with a trainer will help you choose the best option.

Leg press in the simulator is an easy to learn and safe basic exercise. It is enough to know the correct technique of using the simulator, follow the advice on the correct execution of the movement. It can completely replace squats performed with a barbell only when there are problems with the back, or there is no goal to become the owner of impressive muscles.