LiftSets / Exercises / Leg Press
Leg Press
Works the quadriceps. Helped by the calves, glutes and hamstrings.


Bright blue is the target muscle. Darker blue is helping. The app shows this as a moving demo.
Muscles worked
quadricepscalvesgluteshamstrings
How many reps
| Goal | Reps per set |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3-6 |
| Muscle size | 6-10 |
| Endurance | 12-20+ |
Whatever the number, the set should end within a rep or two of the point where you could not do another with good form.
| Kit | Machine |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
What to think about
- Lower back stays on the pad.
- Knees to about 90°.
- Don't lock the knees at the top.
How to do it
- Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances described in the foot positioning section).
- Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you. Tip: Make sure that you do not lock your knees. Your torso and the legs should make a perfect 90-degree angle. This will be your starting position.
- As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle.
- Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and ensure to lock the safety pins properly once you are done. You do not want that platform falling on you fully loaded.
Other exercises for the quadriceps
- Barbell Full Squat
- Barbell Hack Squat
- Barbell Lunge
- Barbell Squat
- Barbell Squat to a Bench
- Barbell Step Ups
- Barbell Walking Lunge
- Bodyweight Squat
Track it in LiftSets
Log Leg Press with last time's numbers in front of you, a rest timer on your lock screen and a graph of your progress.
Coming soon to the App Store