Leg Press

How to use the leg press machine properly, with perfect form and technique! The best leg exercise for bigger and stronger quads and hamstrings!

Purpose:

Increase Leg Hypertrophy
Build Leg Strength
Improve Squatting Mechanics

Prime Movers:

Quadriceps (Legs)
Hamstrings (Legs)
Glutes (Hips)

How To Use The Leg Press Machine

Sit in a Leg Press Machine with your back flat against the back pad and place your feet shoulder-width apart on the pressing platform.
Have your feet straight or slightly turned out as if you were to do a close stance squat, such as a front squat.
Claw your feet into the pressing platform while creating an external rotation force (as is done for squatting) as you unrack the weight by straightening your legs.
Initiate the lift by bending your knees and opening your hips, just like a front squat, allowing your knees to travel outward so that they do not move in front of your toes.
Descent the weight under control until just before you feel a stretch in your back, or your hips begin to move forward off the pad.
Forcefully press into the platform while maintaining the same external rotation torque in your feet and knees until your legs are nearly locked out.
Control the weight in both directions and keep your feet and back in contact with the machine throughout the entire lift.

Note: It is imperative that your lower back and hips do not come off of the base pads. They must maintain firm contact with the seat and feel no pull in the bottom position. Your mobility will determine the depth of the lift.