How to Do Leg Press

Leg Press is a quads exercise using machine, listed as beginner in the A90 Training Club catalogue. It is a machine leg press, bilateral movement.

Also known as Leg Press Machine.

Primary muscle

Quads

Equipment

Machine

Difficulty

Beginner

Movement

Machine leg press, bilateral

01 / Move with control

How to perform

How to do Leg Press

  1. 01Sit in the leg press machine and place feet hip-width apart in the center of the footplate.
  2. 02Disengage the safety bars and lower the weight tray by bending the knees to 90 degrees.
  3. 03Drive the footplate away by extending the hips and knees while keeping the heels glued to the platform.
  4. 04Stop just short of locking the knees at the top to maintain tension on the quads.
  5. 05Inhale as the weight descends and exhale forcefully as you press the load.

Same guidance shown inside the A90 app

02 / Anatomy

Muscles worked by Leg Press

Primary Stabiliser Inactive

Tap to explore manually

Primary movers

  • Quads Extends the knee, driving squats, lunges and jumps.

Stabilisers

  • Core Stabilises the spine and transfers force.
  • Lower back Stabilises the spine during lifts and bends.
  • Forearms Grips and stabilises the wrist under load.

Verified secondary muscles: Glutes, Hamstrings, Hip adductors.

03 / A90 Coach

A90 Coach tip

Avoid lifting the tailbone off the seat at the bottom of the rep to protect the lumbar spine from shearing forces.

Same coaching engine used inside the A90 app

04 / Form checks

Common mistakes

  • Using more weight than you can control and shortening the range of motion.
  • Allowing the knees to collapse inward during the press.
  • Lowering so far that the pelvis or lower back lifts away from the seat.
  • Forcefully locking the knees at the top of the repetition.

05 / Cues

A90 coaching cues

  • Place the feet around hip width in the centre of the platform.
  • Keep the knees tracking in line with the feet throughout the rep.
  • Lower with control while keeping the pelvis and lower back supported by the pad.
  • Drive through the whole foot and finish just short of a hard knee lockout.

07 / FAQ

Leg Press questions

What muscles does Leg Press work?

Leg Press is catalogued as a quads exercise in A90 Training Club, with the quads as its primary muscle group. It also works the glutes and hamstrings and hip adductors.

How do you do Leg Press correctly?

Sit in the leg press machine and place feet hip-width apart in the center of the footplate. Disengage the safety bars and lower the weight tray by bending the knees to 90 degrees. Drive the footplate away by extending the hips and knees while keeping the heels glued to the platform. Stop just short of locking the knees at the top to maintain tension on the quads. Inhale as the weight descends and exhale forcefully as you press the load.

What is the A90 coach tip for Leg Press?

Avoid lifting the tailbone off the seat at the bottom of the rep to protect the lumbar spine from shearing forces.

What are the common mistakes with Leg Press?

Using more weight than you can control and shortening the range of motion. Allowing the knees to collapse inward during the press. Lowering so far that the pelvis or lower back lifts away from the seat. Forcefully locking the knees at the top of the repetition.

Is Leg Press suitable for beginners?

Leg Press is rated beginner in the A90 Training Club catalogue.

What equipment do you need for Leg Press?

Leg Press uses machine.

What exercises are similar to Leg Press?

Hack Squat, Back Squat, Goblet Squat are approved alternatives to Leg Press in the A90 catalogue.

A90 Intelligence

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A90 Intelligence programmes leg press into a 30, 60 or 90 day plan built around your equipment, then adjusts it as you train.

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