WB-LPA Workbench Powertec Leg Press Attachment
The Powertec Workbench Leg Press Attachment was one attachment that had a mixed response. Some people liked it while others were not impressed. I reluctantly sold it, only after a few people said they liked it. After a while it become too much trouble.
Personally I feel the actual concept of a leg press attachment is flawed. A traditional 45 degree leg press is a machine that most lifters push the most weight. A bench attachment is designed to be portable and easily maneuvered. The Powertec Leg Press Attachment could not marry these two competing interests in my opinion.
Leg Press Attachment Bio Mechanics
By using leverage as the source of resistance, the movement of the weight arm becomes critical. Unfortunately they could not get the resistance to be consistent through the entire range. You could perform partial reps in the sweet spot. Yes you could get a decent pump. But if you thought you would be getting a true leg press movement you would be disappointed.
Too Big & Bulky
For me the size of the attachment was the deal breaker. I could recommend the partial reps to a lifter who was not into heavy weights. However moving the leg press attachment and putting it into the Powertec bench required some serious effort. Once you finished with it, the attachment took up a lot of room. Bench attachments weren’t meant to be like this.
Wear & Tear on Equipment
For people who could push decent weight, the Workbench Leg Press Attachment would experience some movement. This movement was not only hard on the bench but mainly on the attachment. We experienced some failures on the welds on the brackets. I raised this with Powertec but it was something they did not address.
Instead I took matters into my own hands.
Powertec Leg Press Attachment Modification
Normally the front support leg just bolts to the sliding adjustment tube. We found that there was a little play with this arrangement which made the attachment a little unstable under heavy loads.
We felt this additional play would stress the inner bracket over time.
To stiffen the whole arrangement up, we bolted and welded the support leg to the adjustment tube.
We did this for a while with great results.
The downsides were:
• We used a gas less mig to weld – the welds aren’t pretty but they are strong!
• When we paint the welds, we use spray paint. The attachment is powder coated. So the paint wouldn’t exactly match.
• When we repacked the box, the configuration has obviously changed so we couldn’t fit it in perfectly. This led to some scratching in transit.
But we think that the modification was well worth some minor cosmetic imperfections. The Leg Press Attachment was a lot more stable under load. So it will be more durable and feel better when training.
Our Welder Gave Up & So Did I
I remember the day vividly. It was 40 plus degrees. Over 45 in the warehouse. My mate and I were welding some supports and the welder cooked. So did I. We packed up and went to the pub for a beer. Over which I vowed not to sell another unit.
In hindsight it was a stupid business decision. Modifying the leg press attachment cost me time and money which I wasn’t recovering from the customer. My motivation was to keep customers happy and protect the Powertec brand.
My advice from that day forward was to save your money. Do some lunges, bodyweight squats or hex trap bar deadlifts. In my opinion these options are easier, cheaper and ultimately deliver better results. By all means if you have the money and can live with downsides then get one. Personally I would not be comfortable recommending it.