Most of us have seen a weight bench with leg rollers before, but how many of us know how to properly use it?
A weight bench with leg rollers looks like a standard weight bench, but with an additional leg attachment.
You may look at it and think, “What am I supposed to do with that?”
Luckily, using a weight bench with leg rollers is not as difficult as it may appear. In fact, it makes a brilliant addition to your full body weight training workout thanks to its versatility, which offers great variety in the way you train the different muscles in your body.
What is a Leg Attachment with Rollers?
The leg attachment comes with padded foam rollers that you place your legs between to secure them so you can perform exercises. Most leg attachments have three rollers. The first roller is close to the bench’s edge and is used for leg extensions and hamstring curls. The second roller is a few inches lower than the first roller and is used only for hamstring curls.
The third roller is near the bottom of the leg attachment and is only for leg extensions. These rollers can be used for different exercises that can target your hamstrings, quadriceps, thighs, and abdominal muscles.
How to Use a Weight Bench with Leg Rollers
There are three main exercises you can do with leg rollers: leg extensions/curls, hamstring curls, and situps.
Leg extensions/curls
Set the weight you would like to use for this exercise. Set on the bench facing forwards. Place yourself at the edge of the bench with your legs creating a 90° angle at your knees. Place your shins behind the top and bottom rollers. Your ankles must not rest on the rollers. Apply upward pressure with your shins to extend your lower legs at the knee.
Once you reach the top, hold this position for two seconds, then bend your knees and push the rollers back to the beginning position. This is one repetition. If you are new to weight training, start by doing 3 sets made up of 12 repetitions each. Increase this as you increase your muscle strength.
Hamstring curls
Set the weight you would like to use for this exercise. Lie face down on the bench. Place your knees below the bench’s edge. Place the back of your calves underneath the lowest roller. Apply pressure with your calves to raise the leg lever while bending at the knee.
Once you reach the top of the movement, hold this position for two seconds, and then use your shins to push the rollers back to the beginning position. This is one repetition. If you are new to weight training, start by doing 3 sets made up of 12 repetitions each. Increase this as you increase your muscle strength.
Situps
Lock the rollers in place or add enough weight that they will not move when you pull or push them. Lie on your back on the bench and place your shins behind the lowest roller and your thighs behind the second roller.
This is to secure you in place. Place your arms in a cross over your chest or put them behind your head. Squeeze your abdominal muscles and lift your head and shoulders towards your legs by bending at your hips.
Lift your body until your back is between 45° and 90° to the bench. Hold this position for two seconds, and then slowly lower yourself to the beginning position. This is one repetition. If you are new to weight training or strength exercises, start by doing 3 sets made up of 12 repetitions each. Increase this as you become stronger and fitter.
Once you have completed your work out, do not forget to stretch your muscles. Stretching increases your flexibility and decreases muscle stiffness, cramps, and strains. Stretching after your workout is almost as important as the workout itself, so be sure to spend some time cooling down.
FINAL VERDICT
If you have found that your weight has plateaued or your muscles are not being exercised sufficiently, a weight bench with leg rollers may be the answer. You no longer need to walk past the weight bench because you don’t know how to use it.
You can now reap the benefits of a full body weight workout. This will not only help your muscles become stronger and bigger, but it will help change up your workout so your muscles do not get bored with the exercises you do.