Upper legs

Leg Press

Pushing a platform with your legs from a seat: heavy loading for quads and glutes without loading your spine.

Also known as: 45-degree leg press, sled leg press

Level: Beginner
Equipment: Leg Press
Type: Compound

Movement

Muscles worked

Leg Press muscle map: glutes, quads and hamstrings highlighted on the front and back of the body

How to do it

Sit with your back and hips against the pad and place your feet hip-width on the platform.
Release the safeties with your legs almost straight.
Lower the platform by bending your knees toward your chest without lifting your hips.
Press through your whole foot until your legs are nearly straight.

Form cues

Your lower back stays on the pad.
Low feet means more quads; high feet means more glutes and hamstrings.
Don't lock your knees at the top.

Common mistakes

Going so deep your hips lift and your back rounds: stop where your back stays on the pad.
Snapping your knees locked under heavy weight: it's risky. Keep a slight bend.
Tiny reps with huge weight: drop the load and go deeper.

Sets and reps

3-4 sets of 8-15 reps with 2 minutes of rest. It works well after squats or as your main leg exercise.

Variations

Same movement, different equipment. Pick based on what you have and what you want from the leg press.

Close-stance leg press
More quads, especially the outer part.
Leg Press · Beginner
How to do it
1. Set the seat and back pad so your lower back stays supported throughout the repetition.
2. Place your feet close together near the middle of the platform, with the toes and knees pointing along the same line.
3. Lower the sled by bending the knees and hips while keeping both feet flat and the knees tracking over the toes.
4. Press the platform away through the whole foot until the legs are extended without snapping the knees straight.
5. Return under control and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Primary
Quads
Secondary
Glutes, Hamstrings
Wide-stance leg press
More adductors and glutes.
Leg Press · Beginner
How to do it
1. Set the back pad and seat so your lower back remains supported at the bottom of the repetition.
2. Place your feet wide on the platform with the toes turned out only as far as the knees can follow comfortably.
3. Lower the sled by bending the hips and knees while keeping the knees aligned with the toes and the feet flat.
4. Press through the whole foot and extend the hips and knees without forcing the knees into lockout.
5. Lower the sled under control and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Primary
Adductors
Secondary
Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads
High-foot leg press
More glutes and hamstrings.
Leg Press · Beginner
How to do it
1. Set the back pad and seat so your lower back stays supported and your knees can bend without your pelvis rolling under.
2. Place both feet high on the platform at about shoulder width, with the toes tracking in the same direction as the knees.
3. Lower the sled by bending the hips and knees until you reach a comfortable depth without the lower back lifting from the pad.
4. Press through the whole foot and extend the hips and knees without locking the knees aggressively.
5. Lower the sled under control and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Primary
Glutes
Secondary
Hamstrings, Quads
Single-leg press
One side at a time to fix imbalances.
Leg Press · Intermediate
How to do it
1. Sit in a leg press machine with one foot placed on the platform.
2. Keep the other leg off the platform, resting to the side.
3. Release the safeties and lower the platform by bending your knee.
4. Stop when your knee is near a 90-degree angle.
5. Drive through the heel to press the platform back up.
6. Complete reps on one side, then switch.
Primary
Glutes, Quads
Secondary
Hamstrings
Horizontal leg press
Seated, pushing horizontally: easier to use.
Leg Press · Beginner
How to do it
1. Sit in a horizontal leg press machine and place feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Unlock the machine and lower the platform toward your chest.
3. Press the platform back to the start.
Primary
Glutes, Quads
Secondary
Hamstrings