The leg press is a compound exercise targeting several muscle groups. All muscles targeted with this exercise are important for a functional, strong, healthy body. With this one exercise and different variations, you’ll target the lower body muscles efficiently and safely. If you enjoy exercising at home and love to challenge yourself with different variations of the same exercise, let’s see how you can do a leg press at home.
Why should you do a leg press?
As mentioned, leg press targets the lower body and helps you build strong quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. It’s also a safer exercise than a regular squat, as you can control the movement better, thus overloading progressions. Also, you can easily target different sets of muscles in addition to quads by simply positioning your feet differently.
How do you master the leg press at home?
Now, if you’ve been wondering how to master compound gym exercises at home, there are several ways. Firstly, you need to master the technique, secondly, use the right equipment; and lastly, master the alternative exercises.
Start with technique
Because of the simple technique, the leg press is suitable for beginners. Moreover, a beginner at the gym should get stronger through machines as they will enable you to perfect the techniques without a bigger risk of injury.
Sit on the leg press machine, ensure your back is safely pressed against the surface, and align your spine and bottom to it. Put your feet in front of you on the press, keep them shoulder wide, and ensure your heels are firmly pushed against the leg press. Next, brace your core as you push the plate away from you. Extend your legs but don’t lock at the knees, and return your knees slowly to your chest as you exhale. Repeat the motion ten to 12 times for three to four sets.
Use the right equipment
Now that we’re talking about using leg press machines at home, investing and choosing the right equipment is key. The leg press is a versatile machine, as you can do many different exercises targeting the quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves. You can also find a versatile leg press that can be used for a hack squat.
Alternative exercises
If you still have to wait until you get a leg press for your home gym, you can still master the alternative exercises that target the same muscle groups.
Squats
Squats are the equivalent of a leg press, but you don’t need a machine to perform them. They can also be altered through different foot positions and thus alter different muscle groups as a primary group. You can also elevate your heels, make squats more knee-dominant, and position the barbel differently to attack a different muscle group. You’ll need a few dumbbells, a goblet, or a bar with plates to perform different squat variations.
Lunges
Lunges are also versatile exercises that can be quad-dominant or glute-dominant. From stationary lunges, which can be forward to backward lunges, to walking lunges, you can be creative and fire up your leg day at home. You can do them without equipment, with bands only, or pick up dumbbells or even a goblet to make it more challenging.
Wall sit
Wall sit is an isometric exercise where you will dominantly stress quads and bulletproof your knees. You can do this great exercise as a superset with another quad-dominant exercise. You will feel the burn even if you spend just fifteen seconds in a wall sit.
Bulgarian split squat
Bulgarian split squats are the most loved and most hated alternative to a leg press. This is because they are effective and surefire ways to build your quads and glutes at home. You can easily incorporate Bulgarian squats into your home gym routine as they require minimal exercise. They are a unilateral exercise so that you can train each leg individually. If one of your legs is weaker than the other, you can add a few more reps and even out the strength.
If you lean forward when doing them, they will be more glute-focused. But, if you want to keep them quad-dominant, keep your core braced and your torso vertical while you lower yourself down until your knee touches the ground.
Now that we’ve told you how to use a leg press at home and also equipped you with a few alternatives to a leg press, we can safely say that you are ready for your first workout at home.
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