Leg press
Also called: 45-degree leg press, sled leg press, machine leg press
Sit in the machine and push the weighted sled away with your legs. Builds quads and glutes with no balance to worry about.
Bottom: quads, glutes working.
Main: quads, glutes Also: hamstrings, adductors
Simplified illustration. Follow the steps and cues for exact form.
Dumbbells only: no leg press machine? Do Goblet squat instead.
Home with bands: no leg press machine? Do Band squat instead.
Bodyweight: no leg press machine? Do Bodyweight squat instead.
- Main muscles
- quads, glutes
- Equipment
- leg press machine
- Level
- First day in a gym
- Pattern
- Squat
Key cues
- Keep your lower back and hips pressed into the seat.
- Push through your whole foot, not just your toes.
- Knees point the same way as your toes.
How to do it
- Sit with your back flat against the pad and your feet hip-width apart in the middle of the plate.
- Push the sled up, release the safety catches and hold the handles by the seat.
- Lower the sled over 2–3 seconds until your knees are bent to about 90 degrees.
- Push it back up until your legs are almost straight, without locking your knees.
- After the last rep, lock the safety catches before you take your feet off.
Common mistakes
| Common mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Hips roll up off the seat at the bottom | Stop lowering just before your hips start to lift. Moving your feet a little higher on the plate helps. |
| Knees snap straight at the top | Stop just short of straight, then lower again. |
| Knees cave inward | Push your knees out in line with your toes, and use less weight. |
Stop if
Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain in your knees, hips or lower back, numbness or tingling, or pain that gets worse with each rep. Burning in the working muscles, heavy breathing and shaky last reps are normal effort.
Related: knee pain, back pain.
By equipment
| Your setup | Do this |
|---|---|
| Full gym | Leg press |
| Dumbbells only | Goblet squat |
| Home with bands | Band squat |
| Bodyweight | Bodyweight squat |
| My equipment | Set it on Equipment |
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Reps | Sets | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–6 | 3–5 | 2–5 min |
| Muscle | 6–15 | 3–4 | 1–2 min |
| Fat loss | 8–15 | 2–4 | 1–1½ min |
| General health | 8–12 | 1–3 | 1–2 min |
Where these come from: Goals. In a program, follow the program's numbers.
General information, not medical advice. If you have an injury, a health condition or are pregnant, check with a doctor or physical therapist before starting.