Vent: I keep seeing people at the gym lock their knees completely straight on the leg press

I was at the Planet Fitness on Oak Street yesterday and watched three different people do it within an hour. They'd push the platform out and lock their knees hard at the top of every rep. My old trainer in college drilled into me that this puts massive, unnecessary stress on the joint and can hyperextend it. I almost want to say something, but I don't want to be that guy giving unsolicited advice. Has anyone found a polite way to point out a form issue like this without coming off as a know-it-all?

3 comments

3 Comments

lilys824d ago

Oh man, that makes me cringe just reading it. I see it all the time at my gym too, people just slamming their knees into that locked position. I watched a guy last week doing it with what looked like four plates on each side, and every rep his legs would just snap straight. My knee started aching in sympathy. I never say anything either, it feels too awkward, but part of me wants to just casually mention how much better my own knees felt when I stopped doing that.

william_jackson654d ago

Yeah, @lilys82, I totally get that awkward feeling about giving unsolicited advice. What worked for me was just talking out loud to myself about form while I was near someone doing it, not even to them directly. It sounds silly, but a guy actually overheard me once and asked for a tip. It's a less direct way to put the idea out there without the confrontation.

matthew_hart254d ago

My dad locked out every rep for 40 years, zero issues.