How to do a Leg Press
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Leg Press
Workouts with Leg Press
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Leg Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The exercise itself is fairly similar to a standard squat, with some key differences. The biggest of these differences is the added stability from supporting your back on the Leg Press Machine. The end result of these changes is a more stable movement that further emphasizes your quadriceps. Leg Press is an excellent exercise for anyone looking to build muscle mass or strength in their quads.
- Sit on a leg press machine positioning your shoulders and hips against the backpad while placing your feet shoulder-width apart slightly angled out on the platform.
- Evenly distribute the weight through your feet as you raise the platform and remove the safety bars.
- Grab ahold of the brace bars and brace your core to keep your lower back and shoulders touching the backpad.
- Lower the platform while tracking your knees out over the second toe keeping your heels on the platform.
- Descend the platform until you are no longer able to keep your lower back against the backpad and return to the starting position.
Tips & FAQs
Leg Press is also known as:
- Leg Sled Press
- Leg Press Machine
Common Form Mistakes
Knees Caving In
Always make sure that your knees are tracking over your toes. Allowing your knees to cave inward places a ton of stress on them, and increases your risk of injury. If you're struggling with your knees caving in, focus on keeping your weight evenly distributed throughout your foot.
Locking out Knees
Don’t lock out your knees at the end of the movement. This can place a lot of tension on your knees, and increases the risk of injury. Keep a slight bend in your knee even at full extension.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Leg Press standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps70lbs1 Rep Max90lbs
- intermediate8reps100lbs125lbs
- advanced8reps135lbs170lbs
Enter your stats to calculate your Reps & Weight
Alternatives & Variations to Leg Press
1. Machine Leg Press
95.1 mSCORESWAPPED 47,411 TIMESMachine Leg Press is a variation on the more standard Leg Press. Like the Leg Press, this is a compound exercise that primarily recruits the quadriceps. This is a great exercise for building strength and muscle mass in your quads. The use of a machine doesn’t change anything significant about this exercise, although your positioning may change depending on the machine you’re using.
2. Leg Extension
99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 21,086 TIMESLeg Extensions are an isolation exercise that target the quads. Due to a severe lack of isolation movements for the lower body, this is a great option for specifically targeting your quadriceps. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds some stability to the movement. This can help your focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement. The downside to this exercise is that it places a lot of tension on your knee. Keep your weights light, and focus on pausing near the end of your range of motion.
3. Back Squat
99.3 mSCORESWAPPED 14,977 TIMESBack Squat is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common lower body exercises. It’s a great compound exercise that can help build strength and muscle mass in your leg, especially your quadriceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking lower body strength in general.
4. Hack Squat
90.1 mSCORESWAPPED 12,052 TIMESHack Squat is a variation of squats that utilizes a specific machine to add resistance. Like other squat variations, this exercise primarily targets your quads. The use of a machine can assist you by redistricting your range of motion more than with the use of free weights, as well as adds more stability to the movement.
5. Dumbbell Squat
94.1 mSCORESWAPPED 7,112 TIMESDumbbell Squat is a variation of the more standard Squat. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The advantage of using dumbbells rather than a barbell is that you have more freedom in your range of motion which can make this a more accessible variation for anyone with mobility limitations. With that freedom comes a bit more instability with this exercise though, which can help you further improve your squat for, and build the strength needed for heavier, or more complex variations.
6. Dumbbell Lunge
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 6,804 TIMESDumbbell Lunge is a variation on the more standard Lunge. Similar to other Lunge variations, Dumbbell Lunge is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quads. The exercise itself is the same as a standard lunge except for the added weight from holding dumbbells in each hand. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their lunges a bit more challenging without adding more complexity to the movement.
7. Air Squats
92.1 mSCORESWAPPED 5,570 TIMESAir Squats are a bodyweight variation of Squats. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. Without any added resistance this is easily one of the most beginner friendly exercises out there. It’s a great way to start building strength, and working your way towards more advanced variations.
8. Smith Machine Squat
94.3 mSCORESWAPPED 3,713 TIMESSmith Machine Squat is a variation on the more standard Squat. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your quads. The use of a Smith Machine restricts your range of motion, and adds significantly more stability to the movement. This makes this exercise a great choice for learning proper squat mechanics, and developing strength in your lower body.
9. Dumbbell Squat To Shoulder Press
98.1 mSCORESWAPPED 3,376 TIMESDumbbell Squat to Shoulder Press is a combination of a Dumbbell Squat and a Shoulder Press. Both pieces of this exercise are compound movements that primarily target the quads and shoulders respectively. Combining these two movements is more than just the sum of its parts. It’s a very functional movement that has tons of practical applications, especially for sports. It’s also a great starting point for anyone looking to build the strength and conditioning needed for more explosive exercises like Thrusters, or eventually Olympic lifts.