The leg press machine lets you simulate the effective back squat workout to build up your quads, glutes and hamstrings. They’re also big, bulky and costly, so if you don’t have access to one at a gym, you need an option. Using only a pair of dumbbells can get you fairly near imitating the exact same motion at home.
Dumbbell Alternatives
Finding variations of typical exercises can be tough due to the fact that they hardly ever come close to the real thing. The leg press is no exception since maker exercises are especially difficult to copy. They let your body proceed a set course, taking away the requirement for balance and stability. This lets you increase the weight more than on a weight exercise.
Because you do not have to hold a weight in your hands or on your back you can up the weight a lot more on machine exercises. If you can raise, say, 200 pounds on a leg press but can’t hold 200 pounds for a regular squat, the leg press will work your legs more.
In spite of the differences, you can still come close to a leg press with dumbbells using other squat variations. The leg press is most similar to a squat because you have both legs operating at the exact same time and you’re bending at the knees and hips.
With dumbbells, there are a couple of possible squat variations. Pick the one that enables you to use the most weight. You may not be able to use as much weight as the leg press, but you’ll improve more on things like balance, core strength and grip strength.
How Much Weight to Use
For weight, pick a number that’s tough however not too extreme. You won’t have the ability to raise as much weight as you perform in a leg press, so explore various dumbbells to find something challenging that permits you to keep correct kind.
Dumbbell Squat
This is the closest you can pertain to a leg press with dumbbells because you can use extremely heavy weights.
Stand tall, holding one dumbbell in each hand. Set your feet slightly larger than shoulder-width apart with your toes mentioned a little. Squat down as low as possible, keeping the dumbbells by the sides of your legs.
The dumbbells ought to go down and up in a straight line; don’t let them sway back and forth. Stand back up keeping your shoulders back, chest out, and back flat.
Goblet Squat
By holding the dumbbell in front of you during this workout, you’ll have the ability to sink down smoothly into a squat. The only issue is that you can just hold one dumbbell in this exercise, so resistance will not be expensive.
Stand high, holding a dumbbell vertically at chest-height between your palms. Set your feet somewhat broader than shoulder-width apart and point your toes out slightly. Crouch down by sticking your butt back and bending your knees till your elbows touch the tops of your thighs.
When you hit the bottom, keep your weight back in your heels and stand up, keeping the dumbbell at chest-height, up until you’re back in the beginning position.
Dumbbell Front Squat
You can use more weight in this workout than with the goblet squat due to the fact that you’ll hold two dumbbells instead of one.
Stand tall, holding one dumbbell in each hand. Swing them as much as shoulder-height. Rest one side of the dumbbell on the front of your shoulder. Keep the dumbbells parallel to the ground and squat down.
Keep your weight on your heels as you go down. Go as low as you can then stand back up to finish one rep.
