← EXERCISE LIBRARYStrength
Leg Press
A supported machine squat pattern that lets you load the legs heavily without the trunk being the limit. Useful for volume in the 10-15 rep range, especially late in a session.
- 01Sit with the back and hips flat against the pad and the feet mid-platform, shoulder width.
- 02Release the safety catches and take the weight with the legs.
- 03Lower the platform until the knees reach roughly ninety degrees.
- 04Stop before the pelvis begins to peel off the pad.
- 05Press back out without snapping the knees straight at the top.
- 01Low back stays glued to the pad.
- 02Stop before your hips lift.
- 03Soft knees at the top.
- 01Letting the pelvis tuck at the bottom — the lumbar spine flexes under heavy load, which is the one thing this machine should protect you from.
- 02Locking the knees hard at the top — the joint takes the load instead of the muscle.
- 03Hands pulling on the knees — it hides how much the legs are actually doing.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.