If you are aiming to work out your lower body muscles, including legs and quadriceps, incorporating close stance leg press into your workout routine will be a great option. You can focus on knee extension by placing your feet closer together on the platform, allowing you to make your quadriceps a primary focus of the movement.
Regardless of whether you are a beginner or looking to incorporate some better exercises into your leg day routine, firstly, you need to understand the right technique, proper foot placement, and how to train your body. In this blog post, True Iron Fitness has brought some important information that you need to know if you are looking to perform leg press close stance exercise.
What Is a Close Stance Leg Press?
Before you perform a close stance leg press, you need to understand what exactly it is. It is considered a variation of the traditional leg press in which you are required to plant your feet close together on the platform, while keeping them around hip-width apart, depending on your comfort and mobility. By performing this exercise, you will allow it to target your quadriceps, located at the front of your thighs, while also improving your hamstrings and glutes. It generally offers back support and a guided movement path, allowing you to learn lower-body resistance training.
Close Stance Leg Press Muscles Worked
Before you incorporate this exercise into your workout routine, you must know what muscles are worked using the close stance leg press exercise.
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Quadriceps: Quadriceps are the primary muscles that help in extending your knees. If you are looking to perform an exercise that focuses on your quads, look no further than close stance leg press exercise.
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Gluteus maximus: It helps in hip extension when you push the platform away.
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Hamstrings: They assist with hip movement, allowing you to stabilize your lower body.
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Adductors: The inner-thigh muscles are responsible for controlling and stabilising the legs during the exercise.
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Calves: Calves are responsible for stabilizing the ankle throughout the movement.
Many of you might know that the close stance leg press is usually linked to development of quads, but it doesn’t isolate the quadriceps. You will notice that your glutes and other lower-body muscles continue to contribute throughout each repetition.
How to Do the Close Stance Leg Press Correctly
Follow the steps given below to perform the leg press close stance variation:
Step 1: Adjust the machine
Adjust the seat and backrest to ensure your back and hips are supported throughout the exercise. You need to choose a light resistance while learning the movement.
Step 2: Place your feet
Your feet should be close together – generally hip-width on the platform. Your feet have to be on the surface, and your toes out.
Step 3: Unlock the safety locks
Hold the handles, engage your core and turn off the safety mechanism on the machine as instructed.
Step 4: Reduced Level Platform
Bend your knees, and make sure the platform moves to you. You want to get it as low as you can while still keeping your lower back and hips supported.
Step 5: Push down through your feet
Extend your hips and knees to push the platform away. Your knees should be in line with your toes.
Step 6. Conclude with control
Don't lock your knees forcefully. Keep the tension in your legs and repeat as many times as you would like.
Leg Press Close vs. Wide Stance: What's the Difference?
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Close stance |
Wide stance |
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Feet must be placed about hip-width apart. |
Feet must be wider than hip-width. |
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Close stance leg press generally works quadriceps, where glute is generally involved. |
It works out your quadriceps, adductors, and glutes. |
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This exercise is commonly used for quad-focused workouts. |
It is often used to explore different lower-body muscles. |
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When performing the close-stance leg press exercise, you need to keep your knees tracking over your toes. |
When performing this exercise, you need to use a comfortable width without hip rotation. |
Complement Your Leg Workout With Leg Press and Leg Extension Machines
If you are looking for a complete lower-body training setup, you can include the Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Linear Leg Press, which provides you with a plate-loaded movement for training the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
It will be beneficial for you to combine compound leg presses to build an effective leg workout. In addition to the linear leg press, you can also opt for the Hammer Strength Select Leg Extension, which works out the quadriceps with knee extension.
You can also explore other strength-training gym equipment at True Iron Fitness.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the close stance leg press good for quads?
Yes. If you aim to work out your quadriceps, you can perform the close-stance leg press exercise.
2. Does a close stance leg press work inner thighs?
Yes. Even though a close-stance leg press exercise is not considered an isolation movement for the inner thigh, adductors play an important role in controlling and stabilizing your legs.
3. Is close stance better than wide stance for quads?
Not necessarily. Whether it's a close stance or a wide stance, both are ideal for working out the quadriceps. You can choose the position that suits your mobility.
4. How close should my feet be on the leg press?
When performing a close stance leg press, your feet must be around hip-width apart. If this position causes discomfort, don’t force your feet to be closer together.
5. Can I do close stance leg presses every day?
Well, you are recommended to adjust the frequency when performing this exercise because, when performing this exercise daily, your muscles won’t recover properly.
Conclusion
If you are someone interested in developing stronger quadriceps and enhancing lower-body strength, you should try a close-stance leg press exercise. For a leg routine, you need to incorporate the right type of machines, which are available at True Iron Fitness.
