The Leg Press Machine is one of the most versatile lower body machines available, especially when it has a dual function like ours. If you want to maximise leg strength and work on increasing your range of motion, then the leg press is an essential piece of equipment for your home gym. Is the leg press a good exercise? Yes!

What is a Leg Press?

The leg press is a type of resistance exercise that targets the muscles in your legs. It involves sitting at a 45-degree angle and pushing a weighted platform away from your body using your legs. This exercise is commonly used to build strength and size in the lower body, as well as improve balance and stability. With the right technique, you can use the leg press to target different muscle groups in your legs, including your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

What is a Leg Press Machine?

Our Leg Press and Hack Squat Machine is a dual function machine that targets the lower body muscles. It is quick and simple to switch between the two functions meaning you can perform both movements in the same workout or focus on one.

How to Set Up a Leg Press Machine

Set up the machine by pushing the adjustable back rest down so that you’re able to sit in the seat and lift the footrest, a locking pin will secure the footrest in position. Sit down and place your feet onto the foot plate. Pull the two safety collars inwards to release the weight and you’re ready to go.

For a basic leg press your feet should be shoulder width apart and keep your knees in line with the third and fourth toes. Bend your knees and slowly lower the weight towards your body. Once your legs are at a right angle, drive the weight back upwards, keeping a soft bend in your knees.

Leg Press Foot Placement

You can play around with foot placement to target different muscle groups. If you want to hit the quads more, bring your feet lower down and closer together on the footplate and repeat the same movement. How low you go will depend on your ankle mobility.

To get a hamstring and glute focus, place your feet higher and wider on the footrest. Slightly externally rotate your hips to keep your knees in line with your toes.

Regardless of your foot position, make sure to keep your back flat against the pad and keep your bum on the seat. If your bum lifts when you lower your legs, it means you’re going too low in the movement and could be putting strain on your lower back.

B Stance Leg Press

Another variation of the movement is the B stance, which is also known as a staggered leg press. Keep your left foot in the neutral leg press foot position and lower the other foot to the bottom of the plate so that only the ball of your right foot is resting on the plate. When using the machine, the full weight should be going through your left foot.

How to Set Up the Hack Squat

To transform the machine from a leg press to a hack squat, lift the back pad up out of the way and adjust the footpad by using the pin to release it downwards. This will reveal the shoulder pads for the hack squat. Step into the hack squat so that your shoulders are under the pads and feet resting on the footrest below.

Use the same safety collars to release the weight. Set your feet into a comfortable squat position and then lower down into your squat and drive back up to standing. Once you’ve finished the set, stand up and push the safety collars back out to secure the weights.

Both the leg press and hack squat are great compound exercises that target the lower body muscles. The different variations of these exercises can target a certain muscle, but all-in-all, they’re a winner for the legs.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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Tags: Equipment > Gym Machines ; Exercise Type > Strength