Leg Press
Pressing weight away from the body on a leg press machine — builds lower body strength with the back fully supported.
Also called: machine leg press, leg press machine
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Sit in the machine with your back flat against the pad and feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
How to do the Leg Press
- Release the safety and lower the platform until your knees reach about 90 degrees.
- Press through your heels to extend your legs.
- Avoid locking the knees out hard at the top.
- Lower back down under control for the next rep.
Leg Press muscles worked
The Leg Press works the quads, glutes and hamstrings.
Common Leg Press mistakes
- Letting the knees cave inward during the press.
- Lowering the platform so far the lower back rounds off the pad.
- Locking the knees out aggressively at the top.
Scale it
Easier: Lighter weight, reduce the range of motion slightly.
Harder: Slow the lowering phase, or pause at the bottom.
Pairs well with
Back Squat
The barbell squat — the heaviest-loadable lower-body strength lift, building quads, glutes, and trunk strength together.
Reverse Lunge
A lunge stepping backward instead of forward — same single-leg strength with less knee stress, so it is often the first lunge to use.
Walking Lunge
Alternating forward lunges travelling across the floor — single-leg strength with a balance and coordination demand that transfers directly to running.
Air Squat
The unloaded squat — the foundational lower-body pattern, used for warm-ups, circuits, and building movement quality.