Leg Press
The leg press is a seated machine exercise where you push a weighted platform away with your feet, working your quads most, with help from your glutes and adductors.
QuadsMachineCompoundBoth sides
How to do a leg press
- Sit in the machine with your back flat against the pad and your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
- Press the platform away to lift the sled off its catches, then release the safety handles while supporting the weight with your legs.
- Bend your knees to lower the platform until your knees are at about 90°.
- Push the platform back up through your whole foot, stopping just short of locked knees.
- After your last rep, press the sled to the racking position, engage both safety handles, and lower it gently onto the catches before removing your feet.
Tips
- Keep your lower back on the pad.
- Push through your heels and the middle of your feet.
Common mistakes
- Lowering so far that your hips curl off the pad.
- Locking your knees at the top.
Leg Press muscles worked
Main: Quads; also: Glutes, Adductors.
Sets and reps
3 × 8–12
Alternatives
FAQ
Where should my feet go on the leg press?
Shoulder-width in the middle of the platform; higher puts more work on your glutes and hamstrings, lower puts more on your quads.
Is the leg press as good as squats?
For building your quads, yes; it also takes your lower back out of the lift, which makes it easier to train hard.