Vertical leg press, also known as hack squat, is a type of lower body exercise that most fitness enthusiasts can benefit from. For the typical person using a vertical leg press machine, it’s best to select a weight that allows you to lift the weight while standing. This will help strengthen your muscles.
Vertical leg presses or vertical leg press machine is popular exercise equipment that can be used to rehabilitate patients suffering from lower back pain or knee osteoarthritis and help them regain the lost flexibility in their joints by increasing the range of motion while strengthening the muscles around those joints.
As you increase the amount of weight, increase your reps to 12-15 and continue to lift in this fashion until you can lift the weight with both arms straight. As you become stronger through exercise and build muscle, do not be afraid of adding more weight by increasing the number of plates on each side. If at any time in your progression you cannot lift the weight with both arms straight then stop exercising and reassess your ability.
#1 Here’s How To Do Vertical Leg Press
- Place your feet flat on the vertical platform.
- Keep your core tight, head up and back straight.
- Slowly and at a controlled pace push the weight up using both arms until the legs are extended or locked out at the same time (it’s important to keep the knees pointed directly forward).
- Slowly lower the weight back down by bending at the knee joint only (do not bend at the hips).
- Repeat in a straight-line fashion.
- When you reach 10 repetitions with proper form, add weight on the next workout and repeat the process.
#2 Points To Remember While Doing Vertical leg press
For beginners, an exercise weight of between 60-80% of your one-rep max is appropriate. If you’re not sure what your one-rep max is then here are some guidelines:
1) Warm up with a lightweight.
2) Lift the weight in 8-10 “positive” repetitions and pause for 2-3 seconds at the top of each repetition to feel the muscles engage. This will significantly increase the muscle stimulation during each exercise cycle and force new growth within muscle fibers.
3) For each new set, lift the weight more slowly without pausing until you’re able to complete 10 repetitions with proper form.
4) When you reach 10 repetitions with proper form, add weight during the next workout and repeat the process.
5) It takes time to develop a perfect form. Do not be discouraged if you cannot perform your exercises in proper form. As long as you are working hard, progressing, and pushing yourself to lift more each workout then you are moving in the right direction. If you feel like your workout is taking a toll on your body then it’s best to add some more rest days between training sessions.
If you’re a beginner it’s best to make ascending changes for each exercise and over time rather than changing weights too quickly as this may lead to injuries or other complications that can derail your momentum in gaining results from exercising regularly.
#3 Tips For Doing Vertical leg press
1) Stand tall during each exercise cycle to allow a more complete set of muscle fibers to be worked during your next set.
2) Keep an “A” shape in the legs for better muscular stimulation. Don’t let your knees bend or collapse inward when pushing back up at the end of each repetition. This will cause your legs to stay bent which will seriously limit how much further they can extend while lifting in this fashion.
3) It’s not a good idea to take a rest during exercise. If you feel lightheaded or exhausted, it’s best to stop working out for the day.
3) It is important to eliminate using momentum when performing exercises for beginners. It takes time to build strength and endurance so be patient with yourself. As you gain strength, you will eventually be able to lift more by incorporating proper form and eliminating momentum.
#4 Mistakes People Do while Doing Vertical Leg Press
- Failing to keep the chest up while doing the whole exercise.
- Lifting with both arms stretched out at shoulder level or collapsed inward on the side of the weight.
- Not engaging, bending or extending at least 60% of each set at a slow and controlled pace.
- Forgetting to exhale completely when pulling back down.
- Failing to keep the head, neck and spine straight for proper muscular support.
- Failing to push the weight up and down in a straight-line motion.
#5 Safety Tips
1) Do not push yourself beyond your limits. Always stop if you cannot continue to lift in a controlled fashion with proper form; especially if you feel pain or discomfort during any exercises.
2) Avoid locking out the legs at the top of each repetition. This may be bad for your knees and excessive stress on the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the knees.
3) Always maintain proper posture and alignment to avoid straining your back or neck.
4) As with any type of exercise, warm up and cool down with some easy stretching exercises to maintain flexibility in your muscles before and after exercising.
5) Avoid performing these exercises with heavy weight without guidance from a coach or professional trainer. You may seriously injure yourself if you’re lifting too much weight for unsupervised training sessions.
#6 Variations Of Vertical Leg Press
- Dumbbell Leg Press
- Leg Press Machine
- Squat/Leg Press
- Leg Curl Machine
- Sissy Squat
#7 Benefits Of Vertical leg press
- It helps in Increases leg strength and muscle mass and firmness.
- It helps in improving metabolism.
- It helps in increasing the range of motion of hip joint and flexor muscles, which may reduce the risk of injury to the knee joint.
- It helps in relieving lower back pain and other problems in lower back region and also strengthens and firms buttocks and legs.
- It is an all-round exercise for the complete development of upper leg ie., thigh, thighs, hamstrings and quadriceps muscles which are used during running or any other type exercises like squats etc..
- It can be done routinely even at home by people suffering from chronic knee pain (osteoarthritis).
- It can be done by young and old people as it has no age limitation.
- It helps in detoxification of body and can also help in improving one’s health.
- It helps in increasing flexibility and range of motion, which is extremely useful for people who are suffering from arthritis or any other joint problems.
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