• All
  • Back / Lats
  • Biceps
  • Chest
  • Coaches Corner
  • Delts
  • Exercise Execution
  • Hormones & Physiology
  • Legs
  • Nutrition
  • Premium Articles
  • Supplements
  • Training
  • Triceps

The Biology of Fat Loss Mechanics – Part 1

By Roland Pankewich Fat loss is the ever-elusive conquest of anyone and everyone who is into health and fitness. Observationally ...

Read More

Do I NEED Carbs Pre-Workout?

In what situations should I take carbs pre-workout? There is no situation where you NEED pre-workout carbs, but there are ...

Read More

Shopping Guidelines: Seafood

In the last two installments of this series, we laid out and explained concerns and guidelines for buying fruits, vegetables, ...

Read More

Wheying in on the Debate: A Case for the Superiority of Whey Protein

Whey protein has been used in one form or another for at least 300 years, yet it has taken until ...

Read More

What is the Ideal Breakfast?

As the old adage goes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Starting the day off right is ...

Read More

What Is The Fastest Way to Lose 10lbs of Fat?

The first thing to discuss here is what it really is to lose 10lbs of pure fat. Most people lose ...

Read More
  See More
  • All
  • * Principles & Intensifiers
  • * Video Series
  • Abs
  • Back / Lats
  • Back / Lats Misc.
  • Bent-Knee Calf Movements (Soleus)
  • Biceps
  • Cable Pushdowns
  • Calves
  • Chest
  • Chest Dips
  • Chest Flyes
  • Chest Presses
  • Crunching Movements
  • Deadlift Movements
  • Delts
  • Exercise Execution
  • Front Delt Movements
  • Glutes / Hams
  • Hams / Glutes Misc.
  • Hamstring Exercises
  • Lat Isolation
  • Leg Presses / Leg Extensions
  • Leg Raise Movements
  • Legs
  • Lunges / Split Squat Movements
  • Overhead Presses
  • Premium Articles
  • Pull-Ups / Pulldowns
  • Quads
  • Rear Delt Movements
  • Rows
  • Shrugs
  • Side Delt Movements
  • Squatting Movements
  • Squatting Movements
  • Straight-Leg Movements (gastrocnemius)
  • Training
  • Trap 3 Raises
  • Traps
  • Tricep Dips
  • Tricep Extensions
  • Tricep Presses
  • Triceps
  • Vacuums

Back Isolation Exercises

Step-by-step instructions for performing the best isolation exercises for building a barn door back!

Read More

MI40 Protocols / Intensifiers & Finishers

Explaining the various Intensifiers that appear throughout the MI40 Nation 6 Week Workout Programs

Read More

Chest Presses

Ben's step-by-step guidelines for performing the best chest pressing movements for maximal muscle growth!

Read More

Straight-Leg Calf Raises

Here are the best exercises for targeting the big meat belly of the calves, the gastrocnemius – perfect your execution ...

Read More

Lat Isolation Exercises

BPak breaks down the muscle mechanics behind various lat isolation exercises so that you can grow wings!

Read More

Adductors & Abductors

Serving an important function as hip stabilizers, strengthening the abductors and adductors can help you maintain proper pelvic position and ...

Read More

Leg Presses


General guidelines for all leg pressing movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)

  • keep your back flush against the seat (no arching) & butt down (pull on the handles and drive hips into the pad throughout); head back against the pad at all times
  • pull down with the hamstrings bringing the thighs / knees back just prior to the point at which the hips begins to roll / back arches (keep in mind that the higher the feet, the greater the range of motion will be)
  • don’t just let the weight ‘fall’ on the negative, control it down with the hamstrings
  • come up just prior to knee lock-out and ensure constant movement throughout (avoid rest if hypertrophy is the goal).
  • * FOR QUAD FOCUS: add ‘intent’, either by shoving the heels:
       > inwards towards each other
       > outwards
       > or upwards
       …but NOTdown.

    * FOR HAMSTRING FOCUS:
       > easiest when performed with feet high and / or wide – start with this until your ability to contract the hams on this exercise has reached an advanced level
       > apply downward heel ‘intent’ throughout: begin by shoving heels down hard when initiating every rep (everything down the back of the legs should contract).
       > Advanced: once you’ve mastered the above and no sooner (when you’re certain that the emphasis is on the hamstrings at all times), progress by also shoving the knees ‘downwards’ as opposed to simply pushing the weight ‘away’.

 

Leg Press – Variations

’Feet low’ variation for quad emphasis

’Feet wide’ variation

’One-Legged’ variation

    Exercise Specific:

  • With Feet Low:
       > be aware that the range will be smaller, but that this position will most effectively shorten the quads.
  • With Feet Wide:
       > position feet outside of shoulder joint
       > externally rotate toes to about 45º
       > ankle joint outside of knees
       > knees outside of hips (‘V’ the legs outwards)
       > bend knees slightly, allow them to simply fall outwards on the negative
       > shove heels inwards towards each other throughout (‘intent’).
  • With Feet High:
       > use angle of back-pad closest to the floor for greater range of motion
       > place feet ‘comfortably’ high, not excessively high.
  • With Feet Narrow:
       > touch feet and knees together.
  • One-Legged:
       > ideally, keep the resting foot on the ground.