How to Do the Leg Press
The leg press loads your quads and glutes with a back supported on a machine. It lets you train legs hard without balancing a bar. It suits beginners, lifters finishing a leg day, and anyone who cannot squat heavy.
Log every set of your Leg Press in Superlift
Muscles worked
Primary
- Quads
- Glutes
Secondary
- Hamstrings
- Calves
How to do the Leg Press
- 1
Sit on the machine with your back and hips flat against the pad.
- 2
Place your feet shoulder-width apart in the middle of the platform.
- 3
Release the safety handles and lower the platform by bending your knees.
- 4
Go down until your knees are about 90 degrees or slightly deeper.
- 5
Keep your hips and lower back against the seat.
- 6
Press through your whole foot until your legs are almost straight.
Form cues to remember
- Hips glued to the seat
- Push through your whole foot
- Stop just short of lockout
- Control the lowering
Leg Press video tutorial
Common mistakes
Lower back lifting off the pad
Shorten the range so your hips stay down.
Locking your knees
Stop just before your knees fully straighten.
Knees collapsing in
Keep them tracking over your toes.
Loading too much with a half range
Use a weight you can move through a full range.
Sets and reps
| Muscle growth | 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps, 90–120 sec rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps, 2–3 min rest |
Don't lock your knees hard under load, and don't let your tailbone peel off the seat. Make sure you can reach the safety handles.
Superlift for iPhone
Track your Leg Press and watch it go up
Superlift shows what you lifted last time, times your rest, and charts your strength week by week, so you always know what to beat. Every exercise in this library is built in, with the same demos and tutorials.
Leg Press FAQ
Where should I place my feet on the leg press?
Shoulder width in the middle works for most people. Higher placement shifts work to the glutes and hamstrings; lower placement emphasizes the quads.
Is the leg press as good as a squat?
It trains the same muscles and is easier to set up, but a squat also trains your core and balance. Many lifters do both.
How deep should I go on the leg press?
About 90 degrees at the knee is a safe target. Go deeper only if your hips stay on the seat.
