How to do a leg press
Sit in the machine with your back and hips flat against the pad.
Place your feet on the platform about shoulder-width apart, in the middle of it, with your toes turned out slightly.
Push the platform up a little and release the safety handles, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
Lower the platform under control by bending your knees toward your chest, keeping them in line with your toes.
Stop when your knees are at about 90 degrees, or before your hips start to curl off the seat.
Push through your whole foot to press the platform back up, stopping just short of locking your knees.
These steps describe common technique. If something hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or clinician.
Common leg press mistakes
Hips lifting off the seat at the bottom
Stop each rep just before your lower back starts to round off the pad. That is your depth.
Locking your knees hard at the top
Finish with a slight bend so the weight stays on your legs, not your joints.
Knees caving in
Keep them tracking over your toes as you press.
Loading more than you can take through a full range
Short reps with a heavy sled make your log look better than your legs are. Keep the same depth every session.
How to track your leg press
Log the weight and reps of every set. Over a few weeks, the heaviest weight you lift and your estimated one-rep max show whether you are getting stronger, even when your sets use different rep counts.
Estimated 1RM, Epley formula
160 kg × (1 + 10 ÷ 30) ≈ 213 kg
A set of 10 at 160 kg estimates a one-rep max of about 213 kg.
