How to do the Leg Press

Muscles worked: quadriceps and glutes, with help from the hamstrings and calves.

The leg press is a seated machine lift that trains your thighs and glutes with your back fully supported. That makes it one of the easiest ways for a beginner to load the legs safely.

How to do the Leg Press

1. Sit with your back and head flat on the pad. Feet shoulder-width apart, in the middle of the platform.
2. Lower the platform slowly until your knees reach about 90 degrees.
3. Push through your whole foot and stop just before your knees lock.

Watch a short demo12 s video by Andrew Kwong. Opens YouTube.

Form cues

• Push the floor away through your whole foot, not just your toes.
• Count 2 seconds down and 1 second up.
• Breathe out as you push, in as you lower.

Common mistakes and fixes

Hips lifting and the lower back rounding

You went too deep. Stop the platform where your hips stay flat on the seat.

Knees caving in

Think of pushing your knees out over your little toes. Lower the weight if they still drift.

Locking the knees at the top

Stop a hand's width short of straight so the muscle, not the joint, holds the weight.

Avoid: Hips lifting off the seat, or knees caving inwards.

How heavy should you start?

Start with a very light load, just the platform plus a plate or two, and do 2 sets of 10 to 12 slow reps. The last 2 reps should feel work but not grind. Add a small plate only when all reps look the same as the first.

The method works for any lift: see how much weight a beginner should lift and sets, reps and rest.

Alternatives

If the machine is busy or you cannot use it, try: Goblet squat to a box or Step-ups onto a low bench.

Questions about the leg press

How deep should I go on the leg press?

Lower until your knees reach about 90 degrees, or the deepest point where your hips stay flat on the seat and your lower back stays on the pad. Deeper is not better if your pelvis tucks under.

Is the leg press good for glutes?

Yes, especially with your feet a little higher on the platform and a full range of motion. It works the glutes together with the thighs, so pair it with a bridge or kickback if glutes are a priority.

Exercises that go well with it

• 
  Glute BridgeGlutes · 12 to 15 reps
• 
  Leg Curl (Machine)Legs · 10 to 12 reps
• 
  Hip Abduction (Machine)Glutes · 12 to 15 reps

Stop a set if you feel sharp pain, pinching or numbness, and ask a doctor or physiotherapist about it. Normal muscle burn is fine. Joint pain is not.