FreeMotion Squat Machine

One piece of equipment that I enjoy using on leg training day is the FreeMotion Squat Machine.

Well, I guess I should say I "prefer" to use... as "enjoy" may be a bit strong for leg day ; )

In my workout rotation I use 3 leg exercises within a two week period.

Two leg workouts are performed in the first week (Monday and Friday) and 1 leg exercise is performed in the second week, usually on Wednesday.

Each leg routine is unique and brutal in it's own way.

My current blast consists of barbell squats, smith squats and freemotion squats. I much prefer freemotion squats over... say, the leg press. I see many at my gym loading up the leg press with as many plates as it can hold, only to do 1/4 presses.

When I squat (any type of squat) I KNOW I worked my legs hard come the next day. Squatting is such a great core exercise for your entire body when done with proper form.

Leg press, leg extensions, etc., are all fine and have their place... but they just are not for me as a quad movement.

I also like that fact that I can still perform a squatting movement, with the Free Motion squat machine, and be able to safely perform a leg exercise without a spotter.

Yesterday's leg training session has brought me close to maxing out the weight on this exercise machine. I squatted 360 for 5 reps; 400 pounds is the maximum weight.

Once I do hit the maximum weight, this does not necessarily mean I will need to drop this piece of freemotion fitness equipment from my current blast. I can always increase the reps once the weight is maxed out, as my intended rep range on leg machine equipment for quad heavy sets is 6 to 10 reps.

I was actually out of my rep range yesterday by 1 rep, but with DC training, you're allowed to give it another go next time before dropping the exercise and replacing it with something else.

Anyhoo... here's yesterday's leg training session with freemotion squats as the star!

Week 10 - Monday
Workout 1A

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Biceps
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls
LT 50lbs x 18RP
TT 50lbs x 10+5+5 = 20RP
When I started to warmup, I felt a little twinge in my forearm and didn't want to re-injure it. LT I was pretty high up on the reps (range is 15-20RP) and I should have tried to up the weight, rather than the reps... but I used some extra caution here just in case and stayed the weight. I got 2+ reps which is a good increase as well.


Forearms
Hammer Dumbbell Curls
LT 45lbs x 20 SS
TT 50lbs x 16 SS
My forearms were on "fire" after this straight set of DB hammers.


Calf Exercise
Seated Lifefitness Calf Presses
LT 260lbs x 10 SS
TT 270lbs x 10 SS
These were done DC style (6 secs down, 15 second hold at the bottom = 1 rep). Nasty!


Hamstrings
Seated Leg Curl
LT 125lbs x 24 RP
TT 130lbs x 12+7+7 = 26 RP
I am very pleased with these! My hamstrings are my worst body part as far as I'm concerned and I really have to fight for any type of increases. 5 lbs + 2 reps... yipeee!


Quadriceps
Freemotion Squat Machine
LT 360lbs x 6 SS + 260lbs x 23 SS WM
TT 380lbs x 5 SS + 280lbs x 21 SS WM
I felt like I got hit by a freight train after that Widow Maker set.

Absolutely brutal!

I finished things up with an extreme quad stretch and wobbled off to the car, where my wife was waiting for me.

Knocked my shake back on my way home and hit the shower once there. My littlest one bolted up the stairs to tell me that my shower was dripping into the family room below.

Oh man, boo.

I pulled the drop ceiling tiles down but couldn't see much so I need to have someone come and take a look. Hopefully there's no water damage and maybe it's just some caulking that needs to be replaced.

After that, I wolfed back some chicken breast, sweet potato and broccoli and cursed the freemotion squat machine every time I needed to use the stairs.