Leg press as assistance for deadlift?

[Tom Lang]

Since one of the cues in the DL is to "press the floor away from the bar," does it follow that some work on the leg press machine would be useful? I squat on Tuesdays and DL on Fridays, once per week for each of these. I've started messing around with the leg presses after Friday's DLs. It seems like a way to accumulate a little more lower body volume. I've started this so recently that I have no idea if it will help or not. Please let me know if I'm just wasting my time.

Thanks!

Tom

[Michael Wolf]

That's a cue to get people to stop trying to get the bar off the ground in the DL with immediate emphasis on hip extension, rather than mostly knee extension with a bit of hip extension - which moves the bar in approximately a straight line up. The reference/similarity to leg press is more to give people who have experience leg pressing a conceptual idea of what this means, since it's tricky for many to grasp.

I don't think it follows directly that leg press is good assistance for the DL or lower body in general, but I also think it potentially can be. You could just squat or DL lighter, but there may be something to be said, under some circumstances, for getting some work to the legs in a way that uses multiple joints over a relatively long and relatively repeatable ROM, without taxing the back at all. While my inclination is usually to just squat or DL at the appropriately lighter weight needed to have the intended effect, I wouldn't discount it absolutely altogether, either.

[Erik Y]

The reference/similarity to leg press is more to give people who have experience leg pressing a conceptual idea of what this means, since it's tricky for many to grasp.

I’m actually really happy that Tom asked this question, as I’ve just gotten advice from Adam Skillin to use this cue, and now I am realizing there might be another barrier here because I have never done the leg press. Is it worth at least messing around with the leg press a bit before using this cue to feel what it is like? Or is it intuitive enough without doing that?

[Adam Skillin]

I’m actually really happy that Tom asked this question, as I’ve just gotten advice from Adam Skillin to use this cue, and now I am realizing there might be another barrier here because I have never done the leg press. Is it worth at least messing around with the leg press a bit before using this cue to feel what it is like? Or is it intuitive enough without doing that?

Hi, Erik. I'll defer if Mr. Wolf has a different answer, but I was just telling you to think about pushing the floor down with your feet. No need to think it through beyond that. Instead of pulling the bar up, think about pushing the earth down. That should be intuitive enough, in my opinion.

[Steve Hill]

Hi, Erik. I'll defer if Mr. Wolf...

I think he prefers "The Wolf."

[Adam Skillin]

I think he prefers "The Wolf."

Thanks for the correction and I agree. "Mr. Wolf" sounds too much like this:

[Tom Lang]

Or just "Wolf?"