I wouldn’t disagree that sitting on a leg press machine is not something you will do in real life. However, the idea that only “purely natural” is best can become a bit of an ideology. I have quite a number of friends who have been repeatedly injured using free weights (achilles tendon audibly snapping, bone breaks in the hand, calf injuries, etc.) doing “natural” or functional movements. In any case, there are no instances when I would put anything resembling a bar bell on my shoulders and squat with it. And of course, leg press is not the only exercise I do so my core does get a workout.
Regarding athletic training, the aim is to be as effective and efficient in their chosen field. Training thus should be as specific as possible to that field (as studies have shown that cross-training is ineffectual). What concerns me is that a lot of people, myself in the past included, see someone in peak condition and think that if they just do the same as that person, they will achieve the same result, without realising that it is genetically not possible for them to do so. What’s more, what people do not see or talk enough about is the long term damage athletes often endure over the course of their lifetime.
I have tried free weights and bodyweight exercises before using protocols not unlike what you prescribed as a leg workout above. My results were minimal. Finally, with the Body by Science approach, I have made significant progress without any injuries. (BTW the approach doesn’t preclude the use of free weights but instead just recommends weight machines in order to avoid injuries sustained by poor free weight technique, which is something I am worried about).
Found a video here showing one of the top college football teams in the USA using both free weights and leg press weight machines. Looks like those leg presses are not for rehab, either.
So either those coaches strength coaches making 6k + a year have a different opinion than yours.
Any weight training is all about form and technique. You could use free weights all you want and still use bad form. Doesn’t make free weight’s better than machines.
You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. using machines to strengthen yourself like leg presses are mostly for rehabilitation. These guys obviously don’t just use leg presses. And I to be fair I still would disagree with normal people doing it, these guys are looking to build mass, and not basic foundation that most people don’t have. I’m guessing most of them can squat 2x their body weights so they need a little extra to boost hypertrophy. If you can squat 2x your body weight down to 90%. Do ahead. Do leg presses to get bigger.
These guys definitely do a lot of freeweights and have machines as supplements. Having been in one of these similar strength and conditioning camps, went to a big football school is Texas. We worked with Baylor’s and UTs football programs. They have limited space for each thing and a lot of guys. So yeah, some guys will be doing some machines.
But I guarantee they will laugh if you said doing machines will only will produce the same results. But then again, I’ve come to disagree with some of the strength and conditioning coaches I’ve worked with before from top programs like UT and Baylor. But most of them are football focused because that’s what they care about most. A lot of what we did I felt was not healthy or good for us, it was mostly to produce as mass and strength as possible.
Natural means you’re engaging your whole body in everything and going through your natural range of motion not holding weights and doing lunges. You aren’t even using your foot muscles for example that are important to keep say your achillies and ankles support on a leg press. Little things like that add up. Building muscles that your joints, bones, ligaments don’t support and use isn’t helpful. That’s where injuries come in.
And working out like an athlete is not me saying you should do verticals training like a basketball player. I’m saying athletes in general have to use their body in basic movements well before any extreme movements. They train and maintain a good base of ability for the basic movements and mobility and strength. So I’m not saying you do pure hip rotational power like a baseball player, but they do a lot of stuff that seem so easy to us and we skip and move to heavy weights, but they master these before they do anything else.
I think it’s great to do any exercise routine using whatever tools you feel comfortable with and/or have at your disposal. In terms of time and effect, I think most people I see in gyms would be better served with body weight training but perhaps they like having a place to go and hang out.
I’m 50 and recovering from injuries due to over-training. I’m thin, “in-shape”, but certain areas of my body are far weaker than the others due to age and the effects of sitting at a desk for 20+ years. I constructed my current training regime on the advice of my physiotherapist and consulting with coaches. I currently spend about 2 - 3 or more hours everyday training.
I spend the majority of this time running, followed very closely by body weight training, then flexibility and weight training.
When I started with weight training I focused entirely with machines. I wanted to take things slow and be cautious. Free weights bring in to play a whole range of muscles which I chose to focus first with simple body weight movements. Yoga moves strengthen stabilizing muscles far better than any machine I have at my disposal. Now as I have spent the past months focusing on technique I spend my time at the gym with the bar, or adding weight to BWM. When doing leg presses with a machine I was moving a tremendous amount of weight. With correct form I was getting a decent workout with little or no weight on the bar with squats. For me, I can instantly feel the difference. Doing a simple squat feels almost like a complete workout for me. I started working out at the same time as another group of people. They took it slow and supported each other. Their gains are impressive, with some of the women squatting serious weight. They look great.
I still use machines, one gym provides equipment for a decent hip abduction/adduction set, but most machines I find provide for completely unnatural movements. Natural movements are key to achieve my goals.
My 2nt on this is there’s a lot of truth in what Andrew is saying and pretty much all fitness gurus will tell you something similar. Free weights > machines. Exercises with compound movements and which require standing or correcting instability are ideal. I follow this program primarily: https://stronglifts.com/5x5/
I was just about to say the say thing after reading your previous comment. I’ve seen more guys get hurt on the leg press than any other lift, machine or free, combined.
As an older guy, I have gone to yoga, jump rope and body weight exercises only and I have lost little functional strength and actually feel better because I’m more flexible, have less stiffness and have lost a little unnecessary bulk. Not having to eat until I feel sick every day is also a plus.