Leg press
Seat locked, feet mid-platform, knees track with toes.
Muscles
- Primary
- quads
- Supporting
- glutes
Mechanics
- Pattern
- machine squat
- Equipment
- machine
- Geometry
- 90° Alignment
- Target feel
- Quads load deeply without hips lifting from the pad.
- Progression
- Add reps before plates; keep the same seat and foot setup.
- Regression
- Reduce depth if pelvis lifts or knees feel crowded.
Common errors
- Cutting depth short
- Letting hips curl off the seat
- UNKNOWN — no additional common error is recorded in the biomechanics dataset.
Programming by goal
| Goal | Sets × reps | Effort cap | Tempo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 × 3-6 | RPE ≤ 9 | 2-0-X-0 |
| Muscle growth | 3 × 8-12 | RPE ≤ 8 | 3-1-1-0 |
| Endurance | 3 × 15-25 | RPE ≤ 7 | 2-0-2-0 |
Engine defaults for one exercise. Adjust load so every rep stays within the listed effort cap.
Equipment context
The machine fixes the movement path, reducing stabilizer demand and letting you focus on the target muscle.
Substitutions
- Hack squat
- Belt squat
- Goblet squat
Related exercises
Progression ladder
- Beginner / regression: Reduce depth if pelvis lifts or knees feel crowded.
- Standard: Leg press
- Advanced / progression: Add reps before plates; keep the same seat and foot setup.
Atlas metrics
- Movement pattern
- machine squat
- Primary target
- quads
- Supporting muscles
- glutes
- Equipment
- machine
- Joint geometry
- 90° Alignment
- Alternatives
- 3 substitutions
Evidence & limits
Last reviewed against peer-reviewed biomechanics references. Exercise descriptions are framed as training guidance, not medical advice.
Source: ExRx.net Exercise & Muscle Directory
Joint-profile source set: This exercise maps to the repository's sourced squat record with leg-press-sled support. The source brief groups ExRx, NSCA, and ACSM material; it does not retain a per-record source split.
Eccentryx is fitness software. It is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, injury, or medical condition. Consult a licensed physician before beginning any exercise program.
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FAQ
- How do I set up Leg press?
- Seat locked, feet mid-platform, knees track with toes.
- What should I feel during Leg press?
- Quads load deeply without hips lifting from the pad.
- What are common mistakes with Leg press?
- Cutting depth short; Letting hips curl off the seat
- How do I progress Leg press?
- Add reps before plates; keep the same seat and foot setup.
- What can I do instead of Leg press?
- Hack squat, Belt squat, Goblet squat
Leg press: squat pattern, 2300 ms rep trace, engine-derived.