Tall step height?

[finner]

Another ME question.

I am 5'1 and have used the tall step to do leg presses in other videos such as the Firm and your Leaner Legs. In these videos I use a 12 inch step vs. 14 inch, as I feel less stress on my knees and I am in a better 90 degree angle alignment as I press up through the exercise. I use excellent form and feel the 12 inch allows me to use contraction on the pos and neg movements of the exercise.

Am I losing out by not progressing to 14 inch tall step? While I do not have knee injuries or problems, I feel that, given my height, such a tall step might cause problems. Advice?

What would the difference in 2 inches do to the muscles being worked?

Thanks.
-Cathy

 

[FitnessGoddess]

Hi Cathy,

I don't think you are losing out on progress by using a 12 inch step. The proper form of your knee on the tall box would be to keep the angle of your thigh & shin at 45 degrees when you put your foot on the box. If your thigh has any angle to it at all, you could be risking injury to your knees.

 

[kathryn]

The proper form of your knee on the tall box would
>be to keep the angle of your thigh & shin at 45 degrees when
>you put your foot on the box.

Just clarifying: that would be a 90 degree angle.

Cathy, 12 inches sounds like a good height for you. Keep it up!