Squat press exercise machine

A squat press apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a first end and a second end;
• a user support mounted to the frame at the first end;
• an upper link pivotally connected to the frame;
• a beam pivotally connected to the frame;
• a mount pivotally connected directly to the beam and pivotally mounted directly to the upper link;
• a footplate mounted directly to the mount;
• a lever mounted to the beam;
• and
• at least one post mounted to the lever and adapted to support a removable weight, wherein said removable weight biases said footplate towards said user support when disposed on said at least one post.

A squat press apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a first and a second end;
• a user support mounted to the frame at the first end;
• a lower link having first and second ends, fixedly mounted directly to the second end of the frame;
• an upper link having first and second ends, the first end of the upper link pivotally mounted to the first end of the lower link;
• a beam having first and second ends, the first end of the beam pivotally mounted to the second end of the lower link;
• a mount having first and second ends, the first end of the mount pivotally mounted to the second end of the beam and the second end of the mount pivotally mounted to the second end of the upper link;
• a footplate mounted directly to the mount;
• a lever mounted to the beam, wherein the lever extends from the beam toward the user support;
• and
• a post mounted to the lever adapted to support a removable weight distal to the beam.

A squat press apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a first and a second end;
• a user support mounted to the frame at the first end;
• a four-bar linkage having first, second, third and fourth consecutive links, the first link being mounted directly to the second end of the frame;
• a footplate mounted directly to the third link;
• a lever mounted to the second link, wherein the lever extends from the second link toward the user support;
• and
• a post mounted to the lever adapted to support a removable weight.

A method for exercising the legs of a user on a machine having a frame, a user support, a four-bar linkage mounted to the frame, a footplate mounted directly to the four-bar linkage and a lever operably engaged to the four-bar linkage, comprising the steps of:

• mounting at least one weight plate to the lever so as to bias said footplate towards said user support;
• positioning the user on the user support;
• displacing the footplate away from the user support with the user's feet wherein the displacement of the footplate causes the four-bar linkage to rotate which, in turn, causes the lever to rotate about the frame;
• and
• resisting the rotation of the lever with the gravitational force on the at least one weight plate.

A method of a user performing a squat press on an apparatus having a frame, a user support, a four-bar linkage mounted to the frame and a displaceable footplate mounted directly to the four-bar linkage, comprising:

• loading at least one weight plate onto a lever so as to bias said footplate towards said user support;
• positioning the user on the user support;
• displacing the footplate away from the user support by means of the user's feet such that the angular orientation of the footplate with respect to the user's lower leg is maintained substantially constant;
• wherein the lever is operably engaged to the footplate such that the step of displacing the footplate causes the lever to rotate about the frame which, in turn, causes the weight plate to move in an arcuate path.