Proponents of the squat rave on about its metabolic activation properties, and
how this triggers growth. If I reach a higher state of stimulation with the leg
press (or deadlift) doesn’t this render the alternate exercises to squats better
for me? e metabolic activation is what’s supposed to trigger the body’s gain-
ing mechanism. e point is what gets the job done more efficiently. Due to
unfavorable leverage (and, later on, injury) I could never reach the poundage
in the squat to match the higher level of stimulation reached with the leg press
or deadlift. Which exercise, then, should I focus on most of the time? What’s
wrong with propitious individualism?Leg press machines
. e major problem with the leg press is the need for a safe machine. is
makes the leg press much more likely to be used by those who train in com-
mercial gyms as against home gyms. Some leg press machines, at least for
some body structures, are destructive. Great care must be given to ensuring
you use a machine and style of leg pressing that do you no harm.. ere are several types of leg press machines. Each can stress the thighs and
glutes slightly differently because of the differing angles of body positioning.
What is important is finding a safe way of leg pressing over the long term.. e first basic type of leg press machine is the traditional vertical one. is
puts great stress on the knees and lower back, and is not recommended.
While this machine may not harm young injury-free trainees, it can cause
havoc for older people, especially if they have had knee and back injuries.. Second are the ° or sled leg press machines. Some may reduce some of
the knee and lower back stress relative to the vertical models, but can lead to
excesses that cause damage. Principally they lead to excessive poundage due
to the machine’s design which permits very big weights to be used relative to
other models.. If used with caution and good form by a person with no injury limitations to
work around, the ° leg press models may yield good results. But for most
people, the leg press machine of choice will be of the leverage-style, e.g., the
models produced by Hammer Strength and MedX.. A few leg press machines, e.g., one of the models produced by Hammer
Strength, can be used one leg at a time or alternately, i.e., isolaterally/uni-
laterally. is contrasts with the usual bilateral machines that have a single
platform which is moved by both legs pushing together. e unilateral leg