reverse leg press

what is the reverse leg press??? Please dont tell me to do a search, cuz i have, and there are so many threads about it, but all they do is mention workouts with the reverse leg press in it, they never actually describe what this exercise is…I’m thinking of that Butt Blaster machine where u have one knee down and the other leg pushed back, is this the ‘reverse leg press’?

I have always done reverse leg press using a leg press machine and reversing and pushing from the back so there is alot of emphasis on the hamstrings:clap:

Originally, the reverse leg press was done by facing backward on a Universal leg press. Since then, specific machines have been developed for this movement. The butt blaster machine is essentially a reverse leg press and is more comfortable than standing backward in a regular 45 degree leg press machine. Unfortunately, the butt blaster has a stigma because it is mostly abused by cute little girls who get on it and lift 25lbs. Trust me, if you load 200lbs on one, no one will laugh at you, and they might get a clue about what the machine can really do.

clemson, that looks like a good machine but, i dont have $1600 to buy it :stuck_out_tongue: Could you guys be a tad more descriptive on how you use the traditional leg press machine backwards? The way i envision it, it seems completely awkward and impractical. You must have to stand up to do it right? Should u be bent over? My gym doesnt even have those wussy girl ‘butt blaster’s’ that i mentioned, so i need to figure out how to use the leg press backwards…thx in advance

The best way to use a traditional leg press machine is to stand backward in the machine and bend forward and support yourself with you hands on the top of the backrest and just place your foot on the platform and push. Depending on the machine, you might have to kneel on the backrest. However, you’re instincts are correct, it’s very awkward to do.

Reverse leg presses are a good exercise if you have access to the right equipment and you think they will help you. But it’s not a “must do” exercise. If you need to develop hip extension, deadlifts will do just fine. This gets into the whole general-vs-specific question. Does the reverse leg press really provide anything that deadlifts don’t? Even assuming that reverse leg presses are relatively more specific, how much of a difference does that marginal specificty contribute to overall performance?

You could probably do them less awkardly on a cable setup.

why not just do a Bulgarian squat in a smith machine? :wink:

isn’t a bulgarian squat just a lunge with ur back leg on a bench?

Yes, if you look at the movement it is more or less like a reverse leg press.

Use a smith machine if you want it to be stable, use free weights if you want to load up the VMO, instability aids this. Along with the posterior chain as per usual.