If I had to say what
the biggest drawback of the leg press is in terms of it's value
as an exercise compared to squats, it would be that you place
basically NO direct load on the upper body.
This really limits
it's effectiveness as a total-body type of exercise. Sure, it
can work the legs very effectively, but you'll never get the
total metabolic boost from it that you get with squats. But
what you can't do squats (e.g. for balance or past injury reasons)
or if you just don't feel like doing squats on a training session
but still want a challenging total-body type of exercise?
Simple...you're going
to make your upper body support weight as you're doing the leg
press! Now the examples I'm using in the pictures and video
show the Reverse Leg Press exercise.
This exercise is
available in the full membership site in much greater detail.
Basically, you are using a regular leg press, but instead of
placing your feet on the foot plate and your back on the seat,
you set your back on the foot plate and your FEET on the seat.
I use a folded towel for cushioning.
The reason I'm using
the Reverse Leg Press for this exercise is that I find it to
be a more effective variation of the leg press. Instead of anchoring
your body and just pushing the weights, you move yourself AND
the weight. This makes it more similar to the squat in that
you're moving your body through space.
But this technique
will work very well for normal leg press, too! The way you do
it will be exactly the same.
First, grab two dumbells
(I usually set them on the floor on either side of the leg press
so I can just reach down and grab them). Start with moderate
weight the first time you do these. You'll want to be able to
hold them up for the duration of your leg set.
The only modification
you'll have to make if you're doing this exercise on a 45 degree
Leg Press sled where the weight starts at the top is that you'll
need to unrack the weight at the top first, THEN reach down
and pick up the dumbells. Because if you're holding the dumbells,
you won't be able to use your hands to unrack the weight - pretty
easy to figure that one out!
Get them up into
the top of the curl position and HOLD them there.
Now do the leg press,
straightening out your legs!
This exercise challenges
not only the core but the shoulders and entire upper body as
well! You'll find this to be the hardest at the bottom of the
press, when your legs are bent. It'll really teach you how to
activate your core properly with a leg press movement. You won't
be able to push out you belly to get the weight moving at the
bottom because if you do, the dumbells won't be supported anymore!
You can hold the
dumbells in the hammer curl position (palms facing each other)
as well, if you find in the regular curl position, you're not
able to hold the dumbells up long enough:
So give this technique
a try in your next leg workout! It'll make your leg pressing
MUCH more challenging and change it from a lower body exercise
to a full body exercise!
