We already know that leg press machines come in different forms, i.e., horizontal and incline or 45 degrees. Both have a platform, weight stacks, and special locking mechanisms for holding the platforms in one place.
Additionally, it is a well-known fact that leg press machines encourage lower body development, targeting some essential lower body muscles (hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and gluteal muscles). It does not even put any excessive stress on your upper body.
Here, in this article, we’ll discuss some major leg press benefits.
Benefits of Leg Press Exercise
Leg press exercise is one of the best exercises for toning your thighs and glutes. By working in these areas, you will decrease your risk of developing cellulite and other leg-related problems.
Additionally, leg press exercise will help improve your balance and strength, which are essential for overall health and wellbeing. So if you’re looking to add an effective exercise routine to your regimen, make sure to include a leg press in it because leg press benefits are unbelievable.
1. Beginner-Friendly
Leg press may look very complex for beginners, but in reality, it is not. It requires a proper form to do, but once you start doing it, you will love it. This exercise is the reason it is so beginner-friendly and it has many benefits.
Another reason beginners love it is the great stability and assistance that comes with its form. This exercise can provide you with more stability to your spine and the core.
We all know how essential these two areas are, especially while lifting. These two areas provide and remain stable while lifting.
Additionally, if these two body parts are not stabilized properly, it can result in inefficient exercise or serious injury.
2. Leg Press Benefits
The leg press can give a good quality workout to your quads without putting excessive pressure on your back and core. In squats, the maximum stability needed relies on your spine and core, but in the case of leg press, the stability relies on the machine and not on your back and core. Due to this, any lifter can push heavyweights than in squats.
But it would help if you always remembered that putting on heavyweight combined with any exercise can lead to serious injury. This exercise does help you to push heavyweight, but if you feel your back rounding, it is a sign of weight being heavy.
3. It doesn’t require balance
The leg press exercise is so simple that it is considered a lazy person’s squat. The simple reason behind this is that it is done while sitting or lying on the back during the reps.
Along with the simplicity of doing it, it also has an “ease” factor that makes this exercise so effective. It is also a good option for people who struggle with balance. It improves balance and builds leg muscles because you are in a stable sitting position compared to squats.
Squats have another problem of losing balance due to issues with mobility, flexibility, and underdeveloped muscles.
4. Isolates the legs
You have to lay down on the seat and push the weights using your legs for this exercise machine. Here your upper is not at all involved in any of the movements. So if you have a shoulder or elbow injury, you can surely go for this exercise.
It does not depend on how you have positioned yourself on the footplates; the machine only helps to isolate the hamstrings, quads, and calves place your feet a bit lower helps with quad activation, and placing them a little higher can help with hamstrings.
Calves are isolated by pressing the footplate to its full extension without hyperextending the knees. Then move your toes to the bottom edge of the sled and try to flex and unflex your feet.
5. Helps to improve in sports and exercises
It is proven that a leg press machine can help to enhance strength and endurance for bettering your lower body stability. Using it regularly can even increase balance and the ability to retain stability while changing positions.
It can also help enhance speed and explosiveness, essential for running and jumping. Doing leg press at lower repetitions and greater volume increases the explosive strength for sprint speed and vertical leaps.
It is well known that leg muscle mass can help increase sprint speed due to the stronger and more efficient use of force to propel legs forward. This exercise also engages the fast-twitch muscle fibers in the legs that are necessary for stronger leg thrusts.
6. Helps to break through a plateau
Some people form plateaus while doing squats, but the seated leg press helps break those plateaus. A seated leg press allows you to stretch your muscles and work on your joints for depth.
7. Gentle on knee joints
Stronger muscles near joints show stronger and healthier joints. When we work on strengthening our quads, it helps strengthen the knee joints. The reason behind it is that the upper leg muscles connect to the knees.
People with knee pain issues can trust this machine as it causes less pain than other leg exercises or lower body exercises. The leg press is trusted due to the stationary foot placement.
How to do leg press exercise
Begin with weights. This weight is controlled for 2-3 sets and 8-15 repetitions. Go for the one that allows you to maintain a good technique throughout your sets and repetitions.
- NOTE: Do not just randomly choose any weight.
How to do leg press exercise on a leg press machine:
- Sit on the machine where your back faces the back pad, and your head rests on the head pad.
- Now, place your feet on the resistant plate and place your feet hip-width or slightly wider. But your entire foot should stay in contact with the resistance plate.
- The focus should be on maintaining heel contact so that the legs should be at a 90 degrees angle.
- Have a light grip on the handles while stabilizing your upper body, engaging your core, and unrack the weight.
- Now, straighten your legs to move the weight of the stacks.
- Make sure your legs are outstretched with a slight bend in your knees. Your hands should be placed over your hips while doing all this.
- Start your downward movement by slowly bending your hips and knees, and don’t forget to maintain your alignment.
- Keep lowering until you have formed a 90-degree angle and the weight is evenly distributed. Your heels ensure that your feet are kept flat.
- Now, pause for a second when you’re at the bottom position.
- ow, push your feet into the resistance plate for your upward movement. Ensure that you’re pushing through your midfoot and heels while keeping your toes engaged.
- Final and the last step is to outstretch your legs with a slight bend in your knees after each repetition.
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