Hey guys, I hope you all are having a great start to your new year. Today, I’ll be walking you through how to properly do a leg press on a regular leg press machine as well as a seated leg press machine. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to my channel and turn on the notification bell so you never miss a video with me. Let’s get started!

Understanding the Leg Press Machine: Functionality and Weight Plates

As always, every machine at the gym is labeled, telling you the name of the machine, the muscles it works, and how to use it. Make sure to refer to this if you have any questions about the machine. The particular leg press we’ll be using is called a squat press. The leg press, in general, is basically just a variation of the squat. If you’re going to add weight to the leg press, you simply add plates to the silver bar sticking out on each side. A plate is a round black thing I’m holding to make sure the weight is evenly distributed. Remember to put the same amount of weight on each side. If you’re not sure how much weight to add, I’d recommend starting with no weight, see how that feels, and then adding weight as needed.

Using the Leg Press Machine: Seating and Foot Positioning

After loading the leg press up with your desired weight, simply get seated onto the machine and position your feet. Some leg machines will allow you to adjust the angle/height of the back of the seat, but this one does not. As you’re adjusting your feet, it’ll be common for most people to have their feet in a similar position as they do when they squat. If you’re unsure about where to position your feet, simply do a couple of reps and play around with the foot positioning until you find what’s comfortable for you. Again, any experimenting you’re going to do should probably be done with little to no weight on the machine just to ensure safety. Every person’s foot positioning will look a little different, but for most, having your feet shoulder-width apart will be most comfortable. Other factors, such as doing a quad or glute-focused leg press, may also affect how someone positions their feet.

Important Considerations: Safety Rest and Hand Placement

You can’t see it right this second, but the platform that my feet are on is sitting on a safety rest. To remove the rest, you’ll want to push the platform up slightly and the yellow handle that my right hand is on forward. As you do this, the rest moves backward, allowing us to perform the exercise. For most people, you’ll want to hold onto the black handles as you do the exercise. But if you’re short like me, the handles are too far away. So, I just put my hands behind my head. As I bring my knees down to my chest, I’m inhaling, and as I push the platform back out, I exhale. Remember to inhale and exhale with each repetition.

Maintaining Proper Form: Back and Bum Positioning

You’ll also notice that my back is completely flat against the back of the bench, and my bum is always on the seat. If you find that your back is rounding or your bum is coming off the seat, I’d encourage you to either use lighter weight or not bring your knees quite as close to your chest. It’s important to keep your feet flat on the platform unless you’re doing calf raises. The entire sole of your shoes should always be in contact with the platform. If you find that your heels or toes are coming off the platform, either decrease the weight you’re using or switch the positioning of your feet. Make sure you’re also wearing the correct shoes. I advise against wearing shoes such as running shoes and opt for more flat-heeled shoes, such as Converse or Nike Metcon. This simply helps to evenly distribute the leg press weight so you have more control and stability when performing the exercise.

Correct Foot Positioning: Ensuring Stability and Control

Another important thing you’ll want to make sure you don’t do is lock your knees when you’re pushing the platform away from you. Locking your knees can easily result in injury, so make sure that your legs are always slightly bent. When you’re done with your set, you’ll want to bring the safety rest back up so you can rest the weight back onto it. To do this, extend your legs and pull the yellow handle backwards. The rest will come back up, and you can set the platform onto it. If you also find that your knees feel unstable or are concaving into each other when you’re doing this exercise, I’d recommend using a lighter weight until you build up your strength. Remember, good form is always more impressive than lifting heavy. Don’t forget to re-rack your weights when you’re done.

Transitioning to the Seated Leg Press: Machine Adjustment

Now, let’s move on to the seated leg press. Here’s the machine’s label telling you how to perform the exercise. The height of the seat can be adjusted by pulling this yellow lever up and moving the seat to wherever you want it. Once it’s at your desired height, release the lever and let it lock into place. Generally, the longer your legs are, the higher you’ll want the seat, and the shorter you are, the lower you’ll place the seat. The weight can be adjusted by putting the pin into one of the holes to the right of the numbers.

Finding Your Foot Position: Comfort and Adaptation

Just like with the squat press, you’ll begin by finding a comfortable position for your feet on the platform. Again, it’ll generally be most comfortable for people to use a similar foot position as their squat, about shoulder width apart. But your feet should be positioned however is comfortable for you. If you’re going to play around with the positioning of your feet, make sure you are doing so using little to no weight to be safe.

Performing the Seated Leg Press: Maintain Form and Stability

When you’re ready, push off the platform. This will move your seat back, just like the leg press. Make sure your feet are always flat on the platform, bum and back always on the seat, and knees stable. If you are having trouble with any of these things, decrease the weight you’re currently using. Also, make sure to never lock your knees and always keep a slight bend in your legs as you come down into a squat position and your knees are coming towards your chest.

Proper Body Position: Back and Bum Alignment

There are handles at the bottom of the sides of the seat for you to hold, but as always, my arms are a little too short to reach them. When you’re ready to get off the machine, simply come down into the starting position and exit.

Demonstrating the Exercise: Inhale, Exhale, and Repetition

I’m just showing what it looks like to lock your knees and what not to do. If you’re curious as to why locking your knees is dangerous, just YouTube “leg press leg break,” but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Remember to inhale as you extend your leg, push off the platform, and exhale as you come back down into the starting position.

Utilizing the Side Handles: Modify as Needed

If you found this video helpful, make sure to give it a thumbs up! If you have any other questions about the leg press or recommendations for other videos you’d like me to do for other machines, make sure to drop a comment down below. And if you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to my channel, like me on Facebook, and follow me on Instagram. Have a wonderful rest of your day!

Conclusion: Thumbs Up, Questions, and Recommendations

In conclusion, learning how to properly use a leg press machine is essential to getting the most out of your gym workouts. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that you are performing the exercise with correct form and minimizing the risk of injury. Remember to adjust the machine to your preference, position your feet comfortably, maintain proper form, and never lock your knees. Don’t forget to re-rack your weights when you’re done and be considerate of others in the gym. If you have any further questions or recommendations for future videos, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me on social media. Stay motivated and keep up the great work!