New Leg Press

The old leg press: wooden, rotten, bulky.

Thursday after work, I picked up the new leg press machine. When I got there, Donny told me he hadn't worked up the ticket yet so just "take it home and try it out." I was about to pee in my pants I was so excited. I have been missing weight training and my legs are naturally week and need lots of work anyway. Wednesday I had done a little of the preparation, but I still had some wood work to do so I changed clothes, didn't turn the TV on, then went straight outside to work. 

The first thing I did was cut two pieces of 2 X 6 to mount the upright attachment on. After I did that and hooked it all to the power rack, I found out that my upright attachment piece was too wide for the leg press to bolt up to. That was my fault because I used a piece of non-standard wood that Trevor gave me. Trevor's piece was good wood, treated, and no doubt would have lasted for a decade or more. But I never thought to measure it ahead of time.

Trevor's piece was 5/8ths wider
than a standard 4 X 4.

So I took the Trevor piece down, redid it with a standard 4 X 4 and remounted everything. I hate redoing things, but sometimes it's simply necessary. Then I found that the metal fabricator had drilled the attachment holes too close to the structure of the press so that although I could bolt the machine to the power rack, I could not put the nut on the end of the bolt. I looked, scratched my head, and wondered if it really mattered. I decided to do what Donny said, hook it up and try it out. That meant I got the mower out. I love to lift weights and mow grass between sets. That may or may not sound weird to you, but it works for me.

Too close.

So I started doing sets and cutting grass. I did notice that the bolt would turn a little meaning it would eventually work its way out possibly causing a dangerous situation. That's when I decided I really needed to take it back because once it is right, I don't intend to take it down anymore. The plan is to use the machine to strengthen my legs possibly aiding in getting my running back. I did four sets and each time I added weight, the feeling got better.

The new machine. Ain't she pretty?

I had a good workout and mowed the whole back yard. I hate to take it down, but I'll run it back first thing in the morning. Maybe Donny can turn it around by tomorrow afternoon. Thank you Jesus for giving me a good day and putting excitement back into my soul.