How to do a Leg Press
The leg press is a machine exercise where you push a weighted sled away from you with your legs while your back stays supported by a padded seat. It loads the quads and glutes heavily without needing to balance a bar on your back. It works well for beginners learning to train their legs and for experienced lifters adding volume after squats.
- Primary muscles
- Quadriceps, Glutes (gluteus maximus)
- Also works
- Hamstrings, Adductors (inner thighs), Calves
- Equipment
- Leg press machine
- Level
- Beginner
Step by step
- Sit in the machine with your back and hips flat against the pad and place your feet shoulder-width apart in the middle of the platform.
- Press the platform up slightly, unlock the safety handles, and hold the side grips with your knees soft, not locked.
- Inhale and let the sled come toward you by bending your knees under control.
- Stop when your knees reach roughly 90 degrees or just before your lower back starts to peel off the seat.
- Exhale and press through your whole foot to drive the platform back up until your legs are nearly straight.
- After your final rep, lock the safety handles back in place before taking your feet off the platform.
Coaching cues
- Keep your knees tracking in line with your toes throughout the press.
- Leave a slight bend at the top so the load stays on your muscles, not your knee joints.
- Use a slow, steady lowering phase of about two to three seconds.
Common mistakes
Locking the knees out
Stop just short of full extension so the joint is never snapped straight under load.
Lower back rounding at the bottom
Shorten the range until your hips stay glued to the seat throughout the rep.
Heels lifting off the platform
Move your feet slightly higher and push through the midfoot and heel.
Bouncing out of the bottom
Lower under control and reverse smoothly rather than rebounding off the stretch.
Sets and reps
Strength
3–5 sets of 5–8 reps
Muscle growth
3–4 sets of 10–15 reps
Endurance
2–3 sets of 20–25 reps
Alternatives
FAQ
Is the leg press as good as squats?
The leg press is excellent for building leg muscle with less demand on balance and the lower back, but it doesn't train core stability and coordination the way squats do. Many lifters use both.
Where should I put my feet on the leg press?
A shoulder-width stance in the middle of the platform is a balanced starting point. Placing feet lower emphasizes the quads, while placing them higher brings in more glutes and hamstrings.
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