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Legs · Machine

How to do the leg press

The leg press lets you load the quads heavily without a bar on your back, which makes it the best strength builder for anyone training alone.

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings

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How to do it

  1. Sit with your back and hips flat against the pad and feet shoulder-width on the platform.
  2. Release the safeties and lower the sled under control.
  3. Stop when the knees reach roughly 90 degrees, or sooner if the lower back starts to lift.
  4. Drive through the mid-foot until the legs are almost straight, keeping a soft knee.
  5. Keep the hips glued to the pad the entire set.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Going so deep the pelvis rolls off the pad and rounds the lower back.
  • Slamming the knees into a hard lockout at the top.
  • Pushing with the toes only, which loads the knees instead of the quads.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Strength4 sets of 6–8 reps
Size3 sets of 10–15 reps, three seconds down
Finisher1 set of 20+ reps at half your working weight

Swaps and alternatives

  • Goblet squat — Same quad emphasis with a dumbbell only.
  • Hack squat — More upright torso, heavier quad loading.
  • Bulgarian split squat — Fixes the side-to-side gap the press hides.

Common questions

What people ask about leg press

This guide covers leg pres form, how to do leg press correctly, leg pres muscles worked, leg pres sets and reps for muscle growth, machine quadriceps exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

Training the same muscles from another angle? Start with the full exercise library or let the free workout plan generator slot leg press into a four-week block.

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