The leg press lets you push a heavy platform away with the feet while your back is supported by a pad. It loads the quads and glutes safely, which makes it ideal for beginners and for adding leg volume after squats without taxing the lower back.
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4
Sets
12
Reps
Machine
Equipment
8.00
Cal/min
🎯 Muscles Worked
🎯
Primary
Quads, Glutes
➕
Secondary
Hamstrings
📋 How To Perform Leg Press
1
Sit in the machine, feet shoulder-width on the platform, flat.
2
Release the safety and lower the platform by bending your knees toward your chest.
3
Go down until your knees reach about 90° (don't let your lower back round off the pad).
4
Press through your heels to extend your legs, without locking your knees out hard.
5
Keep your lower back pressed against the pad throughout.
💡 Benefits of Leg Press
Builds the quads and glutes with heavy loads and low technical demand, and lets you train close to failure without a spotter. It is also useful for people who cannot squat due to back or balance limitations.
📈 Sets, Reps & Programming
Do 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps with the feet shoulder-width apart in the middle of the platform. Lower until the knees reach about 90 degrees, and stop just short of locking the knees at the top.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Locking the knees hard at the top
Letting the lower back round off the pad at the bottom
Placing the feet so high or low that the knees or hips strain
✅ Pro Tips
Keep the lower back pressed into the seat and lower to about 90 degrees
Stop just short of full knee lockout and push through the whole foot
🛡️ Safety Notes
Avoid letting the hips lift off the pad at the bottom, which rounds the lower back. Never lock the knees at the top with heavy loads.
Mid-platform and shoulder-width is a good starting point. Higher placement emphasises the glutes and hamstrings, and lower placement emphasises the quads.
Is the leg press a replacement for squats?
It is a useful complement, but it does not train balance and core stability the way squats do, so use both if you can.
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