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Leg Press Variations for Better Lower Body Training

    Leg Press Variations

     

    Different Leg Press Exercise Variations ?

    There is no doubt that the good old squat is the ultimate exercise to develop the legs’ size and power among the different leg press variations.

    But if you have been into muscle building, you know that training muscles in different ways are a must to get the best results.

    The seated leg press exercise is the second most important weight training exercise for the lower body after the squat.

     

    It also develops strength and size efficiently. You can even lift more weights that may motivate you.

    Besides, it is a good alternative for squats if you have back or spine problems since it puts less stress on those areas. Hence, it is recommended to have it in your lower body workout program.

    work diffrent leg muscles with leg press

    Most people sit in the leg press machine and use the traditional foot position that works mainly the quad muscles.

    However, by changing the direction of your feet, you can target more leg muscles.

    Since this is a compound move, it is impossible to isolate one muscle group totally, but by placing your feet differently, you can put more resistance to one particular area.

     

    Guide to Leg Press Foot Placement Variations to Target Glutes, Hamstrings, and Quats ?

    The editors of stupidsimplefitness have put together the infographics below, from which you can learn how different positions work different parts of your legs.

    Therefore, you can train your entire lower body if you do these variations.

    However, you should understand that squat and its variations are still the best leg exercises.

     

    1. Standard Leg Press Foot Stance

    Standard development leg press

    The Standard Leg Press Foot Stance is the most commonly used.

    You can perform the Standard Leg Press Foot Stance by placing your foot in the middle of the platform with feet hip-width or shoulders apart. 

    The stance is quite good if you want to work generally on all the leg muscles.

    You can also work more on the glutes by pushing with your heels or engage the quads more by pushing through with the heels of your feet.

    If you want to work on the overall leg, make sure your feet are flat against the platform.

     

    2. Wide Leg Press Foot Stance

    Wide stance leg development

    To perform this stance, put your feet in the middle of the platform and then put your feet wide apart with your toes pointed outward. Push all the weight through your heels.

    Make sure your heels are right behind your ankle.

    For all the leg press variations, keep your abs nice and tight.

    Don’t go so far down that your lower back lifts off the leg press, and when you are going up, make sure your knees are slightly bent to avoid locking them. 

    This stance engages your abductor, inner quads, and inner hamstrings.

     

    3. Narrow Leg Press Foot Stance

    Narrow stance leg development

    To try this out, place your feet close to each other at the center of the platform, and your knees and feet should be aligned and pointing slightly out.

    Try to stabilize your position by holding both handles.

    While lifting the weight, you can hold the position for about a second to hold the tension in your outer quads.

    Inhale as you slowly lower the platform with your knees bent around 90-degrees, exhale as you use your leg muscles to press the platform back to the starting position.

    The stance initiates more on the outer quads and the adductors.

    The closer you place your feet on the leg press, the more you will emphasize the outer portion of your quads. 

     

    4. High Foot Placement

    High foot placement

    In addition to the wide and narrow press foot stance, you can adjust how high or low your feet are on the platform.

    The High Foot Placement, combined with other stances, focuses more on the glutes and hamstrings.

    The quads are also involved in this position but not as much when compared to if they are in the middle.

    The higher your feet, the more you will engage the hamstrings and glutes. 

    This is because the degree of hip flexion or extension increases while reducing the range of movement on the knees when the feet are placed higher.

     

    Sweating fitness tip

     

    5. Low Foot Placement

    Low foot placement

    The Low Foot Placement engages the quads more compared to the other muscles.

    It also focuses on the hamstrings, calves, and glutes.

    This placement will help you shift more tension to the quadriceps and reduce tension on the hamstrings and glutes.

    It works this way because the range of movement in the knees increases while reducing the amount of hip extension and flexion.

    If you have any history of knee problems, try to reduce the number of reps of the Low Foot Placement leg pressing that you perform. 

    If you are short, you might find it a bit difficult to push the weight up in this placement.

     

    Important Things to Note

    leg press tips

    No matter which technique you choose, focus on getting a full range of motion. This is the best way to build strength and muscle mass.

    That is true not just for leg training but for any part of your body.

     

    Tips for Pros

    Have you ever tried banded leg presses?

    Fix two rubber bands on the sides of the machine. This will help to improve the resistance.

    For example, it is harder to control the motion in the negative phase. A simple yet effective method for bodybuilding and powerlifting.

    Narrow leg press

    So, the next time you want to do your leg press machine workout, don’t forget to try these variations.

    Doing leg press variations can be very useful if you want to target a muscle group that does not develop as you wish.

    You might also like our squat variations article if you like these tips.

     

    Best Leg Press Machines To Buy ?

    There are many leg press machines available online.

    However, here are our top three recommended machines to consider buying.

    You can order them at Amazon, and they will be delivered to your location.

    Preview
    Overall Best
    Body-Solid GLPH1100 Leg Press and Hack Squat Machine for Weight Training, Home and Commercial Gym
    Best Alternative
    POWERTEC Leg Press, Black
    Best Budget
    Valor Fitness Vertical Leg Press Machine - CC-10 Home Gym Squat Machine Strengthens and Tones Glutes, Hamstrings, and Calves
    Product Name
    Body-Solid GLPH1100 Leg Press
    POWERTEC Leg Press, Black
    Valor Fitness Vertical Leg Press Machine
    Quality Construction
    User Capacity
    1000 Pounds
    1000 Pounds
    500 Pounds
    Location
    Home or Commercial Gym
    Home Gym
    Home Gym
    Dimensions
    83 x 34 x 56 inches
    79 x 36.6 x 54 inches
    54.75 x 48.25 x 60 inches
    Overall Best
    Preview
    Body-Solid GLPH1100 Leg Press and Hack Squat Machine for Weight Training, Home and Commercial Gym
    Product Name
    Body-Solid GLPH1100 Leg Press
    Quality Construction
    User Capacity
    1000 Pounds
    Location
    Home or Commercial Gym
    Dimensions
    83 x 34 x 56 inches
    Interested?
    Best Alternative
    Preview
    POWERTEC Leg Press, Black
    Product Name
    POWERTEC Leg Press, Black
    Quality Construction
    User Capacity
    1000 Pounds
    Location
    Home Gym
    Dimensions
    79 x 36.6 x 54 inches
    Interested?
    Best Budget
    Preview
    Valor Fitness Vertical Leg Press Machine - CC-10 Home Gym Squat Machine Strengthens and Tones Glutes, Hamstrings, and Calves
    Product Name
    Valor Fitness Vertical Leg Press Machine
    Quality Construction
    User Capacity
    500 Pounds
    Location
    Home Gym
    Dimensions
    54.75 x 48.25 x 60 inches
    Interested?

     

    FAQ ?️‍♀️

    Can You Build Big Legs With Leg Press?

    Build leg muscle with leg press

    While it is a compound exercise, and with these variations, you can target various parts of your legs; it is not the top exercise for size.

    The king is a barbell squat that builds functional strength and muscle mass.

    However, you can lift heavy weights that contribute to size with the machine. The best is if you combine the two.

    What Are the Leg Press Benefits for Bodybuilding?

    There are many benefits of leg presses. They include:

    Total lower body training.
    Target your glutes, hamstring, quads, and calves.
    Lift heavy in a safe environment.
    Beginner friendly.

    Can You Show Me Other Alternatives?

    The 90-degree vertical machine is excellent equipment since you can better focus on the pushing movement.

    Plus, your back is more supported, and you can target your quads more effectively.

    Alternatively, you can use the Smith machine, but it is not as comfortable to push because of the thin bar.

    However, you can do various exercises with one machine. Check out the smith machine below.
    Smiths Machine

    You can also try single-leg presses that require practice but are a perfect exercise to build lower-body functional strength.

    As you only use one of your legs with single-leg presses, you are unbalanced. This gives a more extended range of motion, builds core strength, and helps to get rid of muscle imbalance.

    Final Recap ?

    Let us recap what you’ve learned about seated leg press variations.

    • The standard placement works your entire leg, but this is the leg press foot placement for quads.
    • The wide stance works your inner quadriceps and abductors.
    • The narrow stance trains your outer quadriceps and also your abductors.
    • The high placement is suitable for your glutes and hams.
    • The low foot placement trains your quads more.

    And finally, by placing your feet at the platform’s edge, you can develop your calves even more.

    The advantage of these moves is that they allow you to work with heavier weights safely, which helps your calf size development.

    See more posts on our website to understand leg press variations even more.

    I hope you’ve enjoyed this article. Don’t forget to share it with others.

    Last update on 2023-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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    James Wright

    James (36) has been working out since he was 15 years old. He has a home gym where he pumps iron, does bodyweight workouts and boxing. He likes sharing his experiences with others who want to build a better physique.

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