Muscles involved: gluteus, hamstrings, quadriceps.

Joint motion: hip extension, knee extension.

Sports applicability: all sports, particularly rowing.

Conditioning benefits

• General. The leg press is a great multiple joint exercise for those looking for increased lower body strength. As no weight is supported through the back, the exercise is suitable for those who have not developed sufficient core strength to handle heavy squats and/or have lower back problems that could make squatting problematic;
• Sport specific. The exercise provides a great foundation of leg strength for virtually all sports. It can directly assist double-footed jumping power (especially when performed explosively – ie to a ‘one’ count on the press and a ‘two’ count on the lowering phase). Specifically, its action is akin to the leg drive in rowing, which obviously makes it very useful for exponents of this particular sport.

Start position (above right)

• First select the weight to be pressed by placing the selector pin in the weights stack;
• Adjust your body so that you achieve a 90° (or slightly greater) angle at your knees. Your feet should be positioned on the machine’s plate slightly wider than hip width apart, with your toes pointing straight up, or slightly turned out;
• Hold the machine’s grips;
• Maintain the natural curve in your back (neutral spine position).

Action (below right)

• Push against the plate until your legs are virtually straight;
• Pause and flex your knees and hips to return to the start position – making sure you do this in a controlled fashion;
• To minimise knee injury, ensure that the push and return movement is completed in a perfectly straight line – there should be no lateral movement around the knees. Do not lock your knees out. Also make sure that your knees do not move beyond your toes, when pressing and returning the weights.

Training tips

Controlling the return movement will boost the contribution the hamstrings and glutes make to the move, by maintaining greater muscular tension.

• For explosive power perform 4 x 6 reps at 80% of one-repetition maximum (1RM), to a one up, two down count;

• For strength endurance perform 4 x 20 reps at 55% of 1 RM to a one up, one down count.

Variations

Single leg press. Single leg press: Assume the same starting position as above, but this time use only one leg. The unilateral movement will make the exercise more relevant to the running action and allow you to address muscular strength imbalances between left and the right legs. Ideally, a 1RM should be established for both legs. If there is a great disparity in strength between the two legs (more than 10%) it is worth emphasising strength development in the weaker limb. This can be achieved in various ways – eg by performing two sets on the weaker side and only one on the stronger during workouts. Balancing leg strength will increase general and specific sports power potential and reduce the risk of injury.

Note: There are considerable variations in leg press machine design. As well as the one described above there are machines that allow for the plate to be pushed away from you and then controlled on return to the start position. There are also devices designed to be used with free weights. Whatever machine you use, make sure that your back remains in a neutral position. Some machines may ‘force’ your back flat – particularly when lifting a heavy weight. If this happens it is best to truncate the exercise.

John Shepherd
Illustrations by Viv Mullet