RepSenseiLeg Press Form
The leg press lets you load your quads and glutes heavily without balancing a bar. The machine feels safe, so people often pile on weight and lose control at the bottom, where the hips curl off the seat and the lower back takes the strain.
Prop up your phone and RepSensei counts your leg press reps and flags some visible issues, right on your device. Video never leaves your phone.
How to do it
- Sit with your back and bum flat against the pad and your head resting back.
- Place your feet on the platform about hip to shoulder width apart, mid-platform, toes turned slightly out.
- Push the platform up, release the safety catches, and hold the handles.
- Lower the platform by bending your knees towards your chest, keeping knees in line with your toes.
- Stop just before your lower back starts to peel off the seat, then press back up through your whole foot.
- Finish with legs straight but knees soft, not snapped into a lock.
Coaching cues
Bum stays down
The bottom of the rep is where your hips lift. Stop just above that point.
Soft knees at the top
Keeping a slight bend keeps the load on the muscles rather than the joint.
Push through the heels
Whole-foot pressure keeps your heels down and the knees comfortable.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Hips curling off the seat
Going too deep tucks the pelvis and rounds the lower back under heavy load. Fix: Reduce the range so your lower back stays flat on the pad.
Locking the knees out hard
Snapping into a straight knee puts the joint, not the muscle, under the load. Fix: Stop just short of full lockout each rep.
Knees caving in
Weak hip control or too much weight lets the knees drift together. Fix: Push the knees out in line with your toes and lighten the load.
Heels lifting
Feet placed too low on the platform push the knees forward and the heels up. Fix: Move your feet higher on the platform.
Tiny reps with huge weight
Short reps look impressive but train little of the range. Fix: Use a weight you can move through a full, controlled range.
Muscles worked
Main: Quads, Glutes. Also: Hamstrings, Inner thighs, Calves.
Who should take care
Always use the safety catches and never lock your knees under heavy weight. If your back or knees hurt, reduce the load and range, and see a doctor or physiotherapist if it persists.
Variations
- Narrow Stance Leg Press: Variation: a narrower stance for more quad focus.
- Hack Squat: Alternative: a machine squat with an upright back.
- Goblet Squat: Home option: a free-weight squat with a single dumbbell or kettlebell.
- Calf Press On The Leg Press Machine: Add-on: calf work on the same machine.
Filming your leg press
Prop the phone side-on, two metres away at seat height, so it sees your knees and where your hips meet the seat. You can track it with the RepSensei camera, which counts reps and can flag some visible issues from one angle; it cannot see everything. See how to film your form.
Questions
Where should my feet go on the leg press?
Mid-platform, about hip to shoulder width apart, is a good default. Higher placement brings in more glutes and hamstrings; lower brings in more quads.
Is the leg press as good as squats?
It builds the legs well and is easier to learn. Squats train balance and the trunk more. Many people do both.
How deep should I go?
As deep as you can while your lower back stays flat against the pad.
See the Leg Press exercise guide with a 3D figure.
More form guides
General guidance, not medical advice. Stop if anything hurts. The camera can miss things, so no issue seen doesn't mean perfect form.
Track your leg press with your camera
Free, with no account. Open it in your phone browser, or get the Android app.