Setup
Position your back against the padded support and shoulders under the pads, feet shoulder-width apart on the platform about 12 inches forward from your hips. Release the safety handles and hold them at your sides while maintaining contact between your back and the pad.
How to do it
- Lower by bending your knees and hips simultaneously, keeping your back flat against the pad throughout the movement.
- Descend until your thighs are parallel to the platform or slightly below, maintaining control of the weight.
- Drive through your entire foot to press the platform away, focusing on pushing with your quads.
- Keep your core braced and avoid locking out completely at the top to maintain tension on your legs.
- Control the descent on each rep rather than letting the weight drop quickly.
Watch out for
- ✗Allowing the heels to lift off the platform, which shifts excessive stress to the knees and reduces quad activation.
- ✗Losing back contact with the pad during the movement, which compromises spinal support and reduces effectiveness.
- ✗Placing feet too close to the body, which limits depth and puts undue pressure on the knee joints.