Leg Press Machine
Take position sitting in the leg press machine with your back pressed against the pad and your feet placed on the foot platform at shoulder-width. Adjusting the height of your feet on the platform changes the focus of the movement. Placing feet high on the foot platform will target the glutes and hamstrings; placing feet low on platform targets the thighs; a middle platform position gives an equal focus to both the front and back of the upper legs. In any position, the feet are turned outward slightly.
Drive through your upper legs until they are in the fully extended position but do not lock the knees out. Your extended legs and upright torso should now form a right angle. You should now be able to unhinge the safety brackets using the handles at your side. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your back against the pad, lower the platform back to the body by bending at the knee and inhaling through the movement. Make sure the descent is slow and controlled.
Once you have reached the point where your thighs are as close as you can take them to your chest, you can then commence the press phase. Exhale and drive up from the thighs, glutes and hamstrings back to the starting position.