When you place your foot on the bottom of the foot plate during leg press…

When placing your foot on the bottom of the foot plate during a leg press, the exercise emphasizes different muscle groups:

1. Emphasizes Quadriceps: By placing your feet lower on the platform, your knees travel farther over your toes during the movement. This increases the range of motion for your quadriceps, making them work harder to extend the legs and press the weight. It provides a more intense workout for the front of your thighs.
2. Reduced Hamstring and Glute Activation: With your feet lower, there’s less involvement from the hamstrings and glutes. This position reduces the hip flexion, so the glutes and hamstrings have a smaller range of motion.
3. Increased Knee Stress: While this foot placement targets the quadriceps more effectively, it also places more stress on the knees. It’s important to avoid locking out the knees during the press to prevent injury.
4. Careful with Foot Placement: If the feet are placed too low, there is a risk of excessive knee strain or compromising your posture. Keep the feet flat on the platform, shoulder-width apart, and the knees aligned with the toes throughout the movement.

In short, placing your feet lower on the platform during a leg press primarily targets the quadriceps, but care must be taken to maintain proper form to avoid injury.