Wide stance increases the adductor moment arm, loading the inner thigh alongside the quadriceps. The bench standardizes depth — touch-and-go removes the guesswork of parallel depth and ensures consistent ROM each rep.
Wide stance = adductor moment arm — the wider foot position creates a lateral force vector that the adductors must resist, adding inner thigh to the quad movement.
Bench standardizes depth — consistent bottom position removes depth variation, making progressive overload more reliable.
Complementary to Day 3 squat — wide stance + bench vs. Day 3's breathing squat covers different quad and hip angles.
Placed second as the barbell compound after the machine opener.