Is a 340lb leg press good for a female?

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  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Women squatting are awesome to see! I would personally confront any guy that wanted to deny a female access to the squat rack. I'm usually pretty passive in the gym, but for this, I would be very active.

    Has this ever happened in the history of the modern world? Is there someplace where men are denying women access to fitness equipment? I've never seen anything approaching this in my lifetime.

    Sure, I've seen guys not let people jump in. I saw a guy actually tell a woman "I'll be done in 30 minutes, then it's all yours" about the squat rack once. I was like, dude, there's 1 squat rack, share. As did like 2 other guys as well. He moved away from the area, I never saw him there again, I assume he changed gyms. There are some jerks at the gym.
  • mike_littlerock
    mike_littlerock Posts: 296 Member
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    The question really is... Is this good for YOU... With the reconstruction I would take care to not overdo and to build slowly. If this is providing significant resistance for you, then yes, it is really good. If your joints are hurting after doing it, you may want to back down a bit. We have a leg press machine at our gym that allows you to use weights to add resistance so the limit is not bad. You said that your machine only goes to 380 so that tells me it is likely a bar-weight machine... You can expand this capacity to 760 effective pounds by doing single leg extensions. These are usually better than using both legs anyway because it prevents you from using your dominant leg more heavily than the first; in squats, (this usually is not an issue because if you use one leg more than the other, you would fall toward the weak side). In my case I do double leg extensions due to an old knee injury in one knee so the other leg provides support for that leg... but optimally, it is better to do single leg extensions. Best wishes on your continued success.

    there is quite a bit of science to indicate that the leg extension is NOT something you would use beyond rehab.. it puts a significant amount of shearing stress on the knee. a good ROM on a one or two leg squat is more stable and easier on the knees and creates a better overall impact to your body (i.e. more work). i will note that this is an active debate, with good science on one side and what appears to be personal perspective (i.e. i have done it and i feel a burn and my knees did not explode yet) for the ones that are supporters. It seems that the thought of muscle isolation that really got its start in bodybuilding, is on the decline and the idea of functional movements are gaining in popularity. i will also say that leg curl machines have the same detractors, especially since we know understand that the hamstrings role in knee flexion is NOT its primary role (but what the leg curl was designed to emulate). The beauty in this is we actually learn more about the human body over time, and we need to take new evidence into consideration and not base our workouts on what we read 30 years ago. lol
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
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    After doing some research I've gotten some mixed reviews on leg press machines, I would rather do squats but I typically don't go to the gym with anyone and I would want to have a spotter. Today I leg pressed 340lbs, the max on the machine is 380lbs, I am 5ft 9.5inches and around 197-198lbs I also had my ACL reconstructed last year. I'm just trying to gauge how well I'm doing, seeing as it seems like an impressive amount of weight.

    Thanks for any feedback!

    Well I can only press 8 -45 plates, so that is about 360 lbs plus the weight of the sled and Ive been at this for a few years so I would say hell yeah thats impressive.
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
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    That might work if the load were the same but unloading and reloading plates and set up can be a pain in the butt. I wouldnt bother someone to work in, I would just ask them to let me know when they were finished.
  • veggiehottie
    veggiehottie Posts: 590 Member
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    Women squatting are awesome to see! I would personally confront any guy that wanted to deny a female access to the squat rack. I'm usually pretty passive in the gym, but for this, I would be very active.

    Has this ever happened in the history of the modern world? Is there someplace where men are denying women access to fitness equipment? I've never seen anything approaching this in my lifetime.

    Sure, I've seen guys not let people jump in. I saw a guy actually tell a woman "I'll be done in 30 minutes, then it's all yours" about the squat rack once. I was like, dude, there's 1 squat rack, share. As did like 2 other guys as well. He moved away from the area, I never saw him there again, I assume he changed gyms. There are some jerks at the gym.

    Yes, it most definitely happens. It is not common, but I have encountered guys that will not share with me, or look at me in an annoying fashion when I am using "their" weights/machine - but the minute another guy comes up will let them jump in.

    And it is at these times that I like to lift heavy and show them that girls can kick *kitten*, too. :D
  • karrielynn80
    karrielynn80 Posts: 395 Member
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    use the smith machine to start with squats until you get your full strength up

    NO DO NOT USE THE STUPID SMITH MACHINE! AAAAACKKK!

    This is the first i've heard/read where multiple ppl are against a specific machine. I don't have a spotter, so i use some machines once I get to an uncomfortable level on free weights, bench, squats, etc.

    What is it exactly that isn't good...? Just curious... Getting ready to go into a short (clean) bulk & I want to consider any new information I need to beforehand...
  • fenrirGrey
    fenrirGrey Posts: 110 Member
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    234539093064622871_vBWegPnk_c.jpg
  • lhergenr
    lhergenr Posts: 242 Member
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    I love doing squats and as I dont' have a spotter I don't do it to the point of failure. As long as there's a squat rack I don't see it as a problem. I'd be pretty proud to leg press 340lbs!

    ^This! Also, check and see if they have sissy bars, if that would make you feel more comfortable.
    what are the "sissy" bars? the 5 ft ones? i'm curious because the olympic bar kind of intimidates me, though i plan on trying it tomorrow.
  • lhergenr
    lhergenr Posts: 242 Member
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    Also, if you need to resort to using the safety bars, how would you get out of that position in order to "drop" the bar? It seems like it'd be a messy situation getting out of the back squat.
  • veggiehottie
    veggiehottie Posts: 590 Member
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    234539093064622871_vBWegPnk_c.jpg

    Well, SHE sure is an inspiration! lol
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    use the smith machine to start with squats until you get your full strength up

    NO DO NOT USE THE STUPID SMITH MACHINE! AAAAACKKK!

    This is the first i've heard/read where multiple ppl are against a specific machine. I don't have a spotter, so i use some machines once I get to an uncomfortable level on free weights, bench, squats, etc.

    What is it exactly that isn't good...? Just curious... Getting ready to go into a short (clean) bulk & I want to consider any new information I need to beforehand...

    http://stronglifts.com/smith-machine-squats-power-rack-free-weights/
  • KittieLea
    KittieLea Posts: 1,156 Member
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    Ummm let me think....hell yes!!!
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
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    use the smith machine to start with squats until you get your full strength up

    Oh god no, don't use the smith machine.

    Just squat weight you know you can squat without a spotter in the squat rack.

    it can be argued all day how "bad" it is for you, but for starters and injured use light weight to get the motions down...though it changes when you start using free weights...its not an exercise you want to always do...

    the other machine you can use is the hack or power squat, i love those

    The problem with machines in general is that they isolate specific muscles whereas free weights allow you to target groups of muscles. If you isolate large muscles (like with a smith machine) the stabilizing muscles that need to work in conjunction with those larger muscles remain weak and are more likely to lead to injury. This is the reason you're better off doing free weights than staying on the machines.
  • rcthale
    rcthale Posts: 141
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    That's a lot of weight, so good job. But, weight training is about competing with your previous self, not with other people. Trying to match or beat other people's records will get you injured. Just make sure you're always doing a tiny bit better than you were last week.
  • scottsilver81
    scottsilver81 Posts: 42
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    hi katie, not sure if anyone has mentioned it on here ....soo many responses but have you tried deadlifting? it works most of the muscle groups in your body not just your legs and its a good way of changing up your routine if you've many have been doing machine or squats... and since the weight is only travelling up to weight height its a very safe exercise to do without a spotter...
  • iluvprettyshoes
    iluvprettyshoes Posts: 605 Member
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    damn! I'd say yes that's great!! i'm not anywhere near that!
  • samuzik15
    samuzik15 Posts: 26
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    340 is for a girl if she press it a lot
  • jean1915
    jean1915 Posts: 3
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    I think 340 lbs is a goog leg press but it is dépends the number of reps
  • jdm_taco
    jdm_taco Posts: 999 Member
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    Yes it is excellent. Do not think for a second that you must use free weights to make tremendous progress. Keep up the good work!
  • jean1915
    jean1915 Posts: 3
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    It is good for many reps, not for only 2 or 3 reps

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