LEG
PRESS - HORIZONTAL
CORRECT FORM
1) Assume a lying
position in the leg press machine. Your lower back should flat against
the back pad, with your pelvis in a neutral position. This will put
you in an upright, erect position.
Place your feet on the
platform, shoulder width apart with your toes pointed slightly outward.
2) As you explode upward,
push through and straighten the hips. Push straight upward and keep
your back/lower spine straight the entire time.
3) Once at the top, begin
to lower the weight by bending at the hips. Do not let your pelvis
come out of the neutral position. Doing so will only place added
stress on your lower back.
4) Inhale as you descend,
exhale as you push back up.
6) The horizontal
leg press can also be done with one leg only on the platform.
MUSCLES
USED
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
The leg press is
often considered a very safe alternative to the squat, which is only
partially true.
The key to performing
a leg press correctly is to bend from the hips and keep your buttocks
firmly planted on the seat. Do not let your pelvis tilt forward
just to go through more range-of-motion on this exercise.
Another misunderstanding
is the optimal position of the foot. There is no research to suggest
that the position of the foot will force you to use your inner or
outer quadriceps anymore than keeping your feet pointed slightly
outward. In fact the research shows that you will get more
overall quadriceps muscle activity if your feet are in neutral or
slightly pointed outward (1-3)
What turning
your feet excessively inward or outward WILL do is place an unusual
amount of stress on your knee ligaments, which could stretch them
out and make it more likely for you to injure them later.
EFFECTIVENESS
Although not as effective
in terms of overall carryover and functional use as the squat, the
leg press can be a very good leg strengthening exercise. It allows
the muscles of the thigh and hip to be maximally loaded which is important
in developing good leg strength.
HELPFUL WITH TRAINING FOR
Vitually every
sport can be enhanced by performing a leg press since nearly all sports
require good leg strength.
REFERENCES
1.
Signorile JF, et al: Effect of foot position on the electromygraphical
activity of the superficial quadriceps muscles during the parallel
squat and knee extension. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
1995, 9(3): 182-7.
2. Ninos JC, et al: Electromyographic analysis of the squat performed
in self-selected lower extremity neutral rotation and 30 degrees
of lower extremity turn-out from the self-selected position. JOSPT
May 1997, 25(5): 307-15.
3. Signorile JF, et al: The effect of knee and foot position on
the electromyographical activity of the superficial quadriceps.
JOSPT July 1995, 22(1): 2-9.
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