Skip to content
Volu(me)

Legs · Quads · Machine

Leg Press

The leg press is pushing a weighted platform away with the legs while seated or lying back on a sled. It lets you load the quads and glutes heavily without balancing a bar on your back, which makes it one of the most used leg machines.

How to

Machine
  1. 1 Feet shoulder-width on the platform.
  2. 2 Lower until the knees reach about 90°.
  3. 3 Press through the whole foot, don't lock out.

Tips

  • Lower until the hips are about to roll off the seat, then stop.
  • Push through the whole foot and keep the heels down.
  • Leg press numbers are not comparable across machines; log each machine as its own exercise if you use several.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back peel off the pad at the bottom.
  • Snapping the knees straight at the top.
  • Quarter reps with a huge load.

Muscles worked

Main

  • Quads
  • Glutes

Also working

  • Adductors
  • Hamstrings
  • Calves

Breathing and bracing

Breathe in as the platform lowers, brace at the bottom, and breathe out as you push.

Sets and reps

Muscle size
3–4 sets of 8–15 reps, 2 min rest
Heavy work
3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, 2–3 min rest
Where it fits
After squats, or as the main leg exercise when you do not squat

Setup

  1. 1 Sit with the lower back and hips pressed into the pad.
  2. 2 Place the feet shoulder-width in the middle of the platform, toes slightly out.
  3. 3 Push the platform up and release the safety handles.
  4. 4 Keep the knees slightly bent.

Technique in detail

  • Lower the platform by bending the knees toward the chest.
  • Stop just before the lower back starts to lift off the pad.
  • Push back through the whole foot, knees tracking over the toes.
  • Stop just short of locking the knees at the top.
  • Put the safety handles back after the last rep.

In these plans

  • PPL · 3 DAY · Legs
  • PPL · 6 DAY · Legs A
  • UPPER / LOWER · 2 DAY · Lower
  • UPPER / LOWER · 4 DAY · Lower A
  • BRO SPLIT · 5 DAY · Legs

Variations and alternatives

Questions

Where should my feet go?

Lower on the platform works the quads more; higher works the glutes and hamstrings more. The middle is a good default.

Is the leg press as good as squats?

For building leg muscle it can be. Squats also train balance and the back; the leg press isolates the legs with less overall fatigue.

How deep should I go?

As deep as you can while the lower back and hips stay on the pad.

Log it in Volu(me)

Add Leg Press to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.

Coming soon to the App Store

← All exercises