Leg press vs leg press: the leg pressening

Psychgrrl

I use four different leg presses (not counting any squats). Where I position my feet on the press changes the exercise a bit (narrow to wide--I find wider harder). Still need to be knee-conscious and not extend it past your toes. I usually do one warm up set and then three more sets to exhaustion going form heaviest to lightest. I also like doing single leg. I have back issues and am less worried about alignment with the seat to help with form. The machines also have smaller seat adjustments. I'm 5'3 and the leg press isn't meant for someone my size. Even with the seat at its highest, I still have to add pads a couple inches thick to the seat to reach the sled/press with my feet. Even though I can out-press a lot of the much bigger guys. When they've asked me how I do it, I answer "40 years of ballet." And 20 years of weight lifting.

• The one with the plates gives me the chance to up my weight the most (no limit) and has me pushing the weight up and away from my body for the exertion. It also allows me to go really deep. This is the press in the first pic above.
• Machine #2--goes up to 400 pounds (pin with stack). I do that second it's the second heaviest. Seated position, press is stationary, movement is pushing the body/seat away for the exertion. Chair is tipped back like you were going to do an incline press. (This is pic #2, labeled as cable leg press, though the angle on the seat isn't adjustable for the one I use, just the distance between the seat and the plate.)
• Machine #3--goes up to 350 pounds (pin with stack). Next heaviest, so next on my list. The press moves in a pendulum motion, not in a linear motion, movement is pushing the press for the exertion. I feel there's a larger range of motion with this one. Chair is slightly tipped back.
• Machine #4--goes up to 305 (pin with stack). Exertion is pushing the press away from the body. Chair is fully upright with no incline.

Then I go on and do my squats and deadlifts at a much lower weight. I love BIG LEG day. Hope that helped explain the differences a little. I've got a very, very strong lower body. Currently adding 540 to the big leg press.