Benefits of Leg Press

The leg press machine is essentially a strength training equipment which is widely used for leg muscle building. It is also a great exercise to tone legs.

There are many variations of the leg press exercise, but the standard way of using the machine is sitting back on the reclined seat with your legs pressing against a sled, which has a rack where you can add more weight for increasing resistance.

Although the leg press machine is mainly used for exercising the upper part of your legs, you can work on different areas of the legs by varying the position of your legs and feet. Let's take a look at the benefits of this exercise in detail.

Any weight machine for leg exercises guides you through a fixed range of motion, whereas free weights allow you to add your own variation to the motion. However, fixed motion helps beginners greatly as the chances of working out incorrectly are eliminated.

So the possibility of any injury is also less. For this reason, people starting out with workouts and body building are recommended to use this machine for leg press.

This is one of the greatest benefits of vertical leg press. Almost all the joints in the legs get a nice workout with this equipment. This is a boon for people suffering from arthritis or any other joint problem as they can use lighter weights and exercise for lesser time, reaping benefits that are far more than any other exercise. Along with all the joints, all the muscles in the lower part of your body also get the benefit.

People having problems with their back or spinal cord, hugely benefit from this exercise. While doing squats, your legs have to lift your entire body weight, which is very difficult if you have a back problem, but with leg presses, you can vary the weight as you want.

All the leg press machines have a safety stop that does not let the weight come too far toward your body. So, even if you misjudge your capacity and add too much weight, the chances of injury remain rare. Also, any leg length can be accommodated on the leg press machine due to the stopper.

As we have already seen, the leg press machine utilizes all the muscles in your legs. Strength training, adding mass, toning the legs and losing fat - everything can be achieved from this versatile workout. Even if you are a beginner or a patient of arthritis, you can easily and regularly do this exercise.

In spite of all the above benefits of leg press, if you have any leg problems do not forget to consult your doctor before doing any leg workouts at home. Also, if you experience consistent pain in your legs, joints, or back, immediately discontinue the exercise.

It is always good to use the leg exercise equipment in the presence of a trainer while you are a beginner. Consistency and patience is important in any form of exercise. Therefore, do not add weights just after a few days of exercise, as that will not speed up the weight loss or muscle building process.