Tip The Tempo-Challenge Leg Press Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip The Tempo-Challenge Leg Press Get more out of the leg press with these three variations that increase time under tension by TJ Kuster February 9, 2019August 18, 2019 Tags Bodybuilding, Legs, Tips, Training A Better Way to Leg Press The leg press can help you improve your squat and develop every single lower-body muscle... if you know what you're doing. A lot of lifters don't. Too often, you see people stacking on mountains of plates only to violently perform a couple of half reps. Or quarter reps. Or micro-twitches. If you're not controlling the weight, you could screw up your back by letting your pelvis roll up at the bottom portion of the lift. Try out some of these variations using a time under tension (TUT) tempo approach to make the leg press safer and more effective. 1 – Wide Stance Leg Press This variation will engage your adductors (groin muscles) to a greater extent. Place your feet wider than shoulder width on the platform with your toes pointing out. Make sure your entire back and pelvis are in contact with the seat. Maintain this throughout the entirety of the lift. Take a deep breath and brace your core. Drive your knees outward and feel a stretch (eccentric contraction) through the inner thigh as you lower the weight slowly. Pause for one second at the bottom and explosively press the weight back up. Don't fully lock out your knees. Pause for about one second at the top before lowering the weight back down. Tempo: 3-1-1-1. That's a 3 second negative, a 1 second pause at the bottom, 1 second to lift the weight back up, and a 1 second pause before starting the next rep. 2 – High Foot Placement Leg Press This variation is excellent for extra glute and hamstring engagement. Place your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Put your feet up about 6 inches higher than you normally would. Again, make sure your entire back and pelvis are in contact with the seat. Take a deep breath and brace your core. Drive your knees out and feel a stretch through the glutes and hamstrings as you lower the weight slowly. Pause for one second at the bottom and explosively press the weight back up. Don't lock out your knees. Pause for one second at the top before starting the next rep. Tempo: 3-1-1-1 3 – Narrow Foot Placement Leg Press This variation will blast your quads. Place your feet about hip width apart. Keep your entire back and pelvis in contact with the seat. Take a deep breath and brace. Lower the weight slowly and feel a stretch through your quads. Pause for one second at the bottom and press the weight back up fast. Tempo: 3-1-1-1 Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Do Pull-Ups Anywhere Like This No pull-up bar? No problem. Try this. Pull-Up, Tips, Training Drew Murphy May 5 Training Max Out on Squats Every Day A closer look at the Broz Olympic Method. Check it out. Powerlifting & Strength, Squat, Training Bret Contreras June 28 Training Rippetoe Goes Off Rip has a few questions for you about unilateral exercises, imbalances, exercise variety, and why you're such a wussy. Bodybuilding, Training Mark Rippetoe September 21 Training Build Your Abs With a Barbell Eight challenging ways to build your abs and boost core strength. All you need is a barbell and a high pain tolerance. Abs, Training Drew Murphy June 15