Ok I asked this question a while ago but couldnt find any pictures to show yall. I have never been a member of a gym untill a couple of months ago. When I was in high school I took weight lifting all 4 years but we only had the squat rack. I was wondering if yall could tell me the ups and downs of these machines. I really dont know what they are called they arent labled at my gym. and I would like to know if i should use them or just stick with the piece of euipment that never gets used at my gym........old mr. squat rack http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
thanks
Brian

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Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always been told that free weights are always better then machines. So, good ole' mr. squat rack is probabbly the best bet, but If you like machines these wouldn't be "bad" i don't think. The first one is an inverted squat rack, and the second one is another squat machine, but right side up. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Well,Skibo,as for the first machine,It's a type of leg press.Never used one,so I couldn't tell ya anything about it.
The second one is your typical leg press.I use it every leg workout and it's great for building quad mass,especially for people who can't squat.I love this machine,and always load it up with 12 plates on each side,and pile a few up top if I'm feeling my oats that day http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The 3rd is a Hack Squat machine.It's great for developing leg mass,although it can be tough if you have bead/weak knees as it puts alot of pressure in that area.I actually tore my Patella Tendon,but I had STUPID weight on the machine and can only blame myself.Foot placement can be altered to target different muscle groups in the quads.I like to put my feet about half way up the pad and keep them close together and point my toes outwards slightly.This hits my teardrop real good.

I always squat and use both the hack and leg press in the same workout,or switch it up somewhat.

Thanks for the info. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif <--- and thats water in thoes mugs http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

oldgixxer said:
The 3rd is a Hack Squat machine.It's great for developing leg mass,although it can be tough if you have bead/weak knees as it puts alot of pressure in that area.I actually tore my Patella Tendon,but I had STUPID weight on the machine and can only blame myself.Foot placement can be altered to target different muscle groups in the quads.I like to put my feet about half way up the pad and keep them close together and point my toes outwards slightly.This hits my teardrop real good.



Also...with the hack squat...proper form is to keep your feet FLAT on the pad and push up with your heels...I see many a people lift with their toes and their heel comes up...but with proper form like oldgix said it really targets the tear drop..or vastus medialis.

oldgixxer said:

The second one is your typical leg press.I use it every leg workout and it's great for building quad mass,especially for people who can't squat.I love this machine,and always load it up with 12 plates on each side,and pile a few up top if I'm feeling my oats that day http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif





http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wtf.gif You never cease to amaze me http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

And whats the deal with that first one. I think I've figured it out but basically it looks like a wate of good metal http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

oldgixxer said:
Well,Skibo,as for the first machine,It's a type of leg press.Never used one,so I couldn't tell ya anything about it.



The first squat machine is basically an improved version of the second one. It has a more natural physiological range for our bodies. Basically, there's a slight curve on the plane rather than straight up and straight down giving it a slight rocking motion.

One thing I like about it is it's silent and very smooth because it's working off of joints rather than a sled.. The typical sleds get really, really noisy after a bit of use.

If you are planning on putting any on of these peices in your home then I wish you luck. The bottom of the frames are fully welded and come preassembled from the factory. I went to go deliver the hack squat machine (last one pictured) to some jack ass and the machine would not fit through his door frames. Each machine runs in excess of $2500 too. If you want a machine that will do a hack squat and a leg press in one machine check on the tuffstuff.net model tlp200. It runs $1500 retail but you can probably find it for $1200.

MrJones944 said:
If you are planning on putting any on of these peices in your home then I wish you luck. The bottom of the frames are fully welded and come preassembled from the factory. I went to go deliver the hack squat machine (last one pictured) to some jack ass and the machine would not fit through his door frames. Each machine runs in excess of $2500 too. If you want a machine that will do a hack squat and a leg press in one machine check on the tuffstuff.net model tlp200. It runs $1500 retail but you can probably find it for $1200.


Ahhh no dude, they are at the gym. I don't need it at my house. Thanks for the warning http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

If thats the case use all three. Those things kick ass. Only down side with the hack squat machine is it forces a little akward stress on the knees because of the angle.

MrJones944 said:
Only down side with the hack squat machine is it forces a little akward stress on the knees because of the angle.



Thats what happens if you push off with yer toes...use the heel and it's all tear drop...also will work the glutes and hams as secondary muscles...if you go real heavy I would suggest wraping yer knees with this too...in fact I wrap my knees with any push movements I do when going heavy...

1qwik6? said:

MrJones944 said:
Only down side with the hack squat machine is it forces a little akward stress on the knees because of the angle.



Thats what happens if you push off with yer toes...use the heel and it's all tear drop...also will work the glutes and hams as secondary muscles...if you go real heavy I would suggest wraping yer knees with this too...in fact I wrap my knees with any push movements I do when going heavy...


About three years ago I would train the legs with squats, extentions and curls right after a 5 mile run. Needless to say I severely screwed my knees doing this. Any motion at all with a hack squat machine and I can feel it. Its not that im pushing off with my toes at all. Its more or less the angle of the plate and the weight I use. If I have very very low weight I can do it painfree but once I load it up the knees just wont hold. Oddly enough I can do squats just fine. For the last year Ill sleep with those neoprene wraps on my knees and thats really helped.

MrJones944 said:

1qwik6? said:

MrJones944 said:
Only down side with the hack squat machine is it forces a little akward stress on the knees because of the angle.



Thats what happens if you push off with yer toes...use the heel and it's all tear drop...also will work the glutes and hams as secondary muscles...if you go real heavy I would suggest wraping yer knees with this too...in fact I wrap my knees with any push movements I do when going heavy...


About three years ago I would train the legs with squats, extentions and curls right after a 5 mile run. Needless to say I severely screwed my knees doing this. Any motion at all with a hack squat machine and I can feel it. Its not that im pushing off with my toes at all. Its more or less the angle of the plate and the weight I use. If I have very very low weight I can do it painfree but once I load it up the knees just wont hold. Oddly enough I can do squats just fine. For the last year Ill sleep with those neoprene wraps on my knees and thats really helped.



Another good thing I used to do was split my leg work outs...I would hit hams with back...the dedicate a full day to quads alone...

Everything works, but nothing works for long.