The Leg Press: Which Muscles Is It REALLY Working?

The leg press machine might look intimidating if you’re new to working out in a gym, but there’s a reason it’s such a popular piece of equipment. It delivers serious bang for your buck for your lower body.

This compound exercise engages a number of your lower-body muscles at the same time, making it a great addition to any leg day and a movement you’ll find in some of Sweat’s most beloved strength training programs, including Strength & Sculpt with Katie Martin and PWR Strength with Kelsey Wells.

What is a leg press machine? 

The leg press machine allows you to perform a push movement with your lower body and lift heavy weights without asking as much of your spine and core  as you would in a heavy squat or deadlift. 

Some leg press machines will have you seated on an incline looking up at your feet (like you can see in the image of Kelsey above) while on a horizontal leg press machine, your seat is level and your gaze is towards the wall. 

The machine itself will feature an adjustable seat and a large weighted platform, and you’ll be able to adjust the weight stack by moving a pin or loading additional weight plates onto the machine depending on your fitness level and how heavy you want to lift. 

While gym machines can seem daunting if you’re not used to training in a gym or using larger pieces of equipment, the leg press machine is simple to use and great for offering extra support and control while still effectively working your lower body.

What muscles does a leg press work? 

This movement engages a number of your lower-body muscles while simultaneously extending your ankles, knees and hips. 

The primary muscle a leg press works is your quads, but this movement also activates your hamstrings, glutes, calves, adductors and abductors. 

• Quadriceps femoris: Commonly known as your quads, this muscle group is located at the front of the thigh and is responsible for extending the knee and flexing your hip. Your quads are used in a number of everyday movements, such as running and walking. 

• Hamstrings: These muscles are found at the back of your thigh and are used to bend your knee joint and extend and rotate your hip joint. You use your hamstrings in a number of lower-body movements and to run, walk and climb. 

• Gluteal muscles: Your glutes refers to the three muscles that make up your buttocks. This muscle group plays a crucial role in controlling your lower-body movements, such as sitting down and standing up, while helping to stabilise your hip joints and support your pelvis. 

• Calves: This muscle sits in the back of your lower leg, helping you to walk, flex your foot and stand up on your toes. While not the primary muscle engaged in a standard leg press, your calves are activated when pushing through the toes or when using the machine to perform a leg press calf raise. 

• Abductors and adductors: Your abductors (outer thigh muscles) and adductors (inner thigh muscles) are two muscles that play a role in building stability and balance while supporting movements such as walking and running. 

• Core: Although your legs are getting the biggest workout here, your core should be engaged to keep your posture strong and stabilise your body throughout each rep.

There are also a number of leg press variations you can try using the leg press machine if you want to place a greater emphasis on different muscle groups, such as a single-leg press, sumo leg press, single-leg side leg press and a leg press calf raise. 

Similarly, your stance and foot placement can allow you to focus on different muscles more effectively. 

If you’re wanting to really work on your quads, you might place your feet lower on the machine while a higher placement will better target your glutes and hamstrings. Meanwhile, a narrow stance works your abductors while a wider stance will place a greater emphasis on your adductors. 

Sweat’s muscle groups feature is one of our favourite parts of the app, as it quickly allows you to understand which muscles you’re working in every exercise featured in a workout.  

How to perform a leg press

1. Sit on the leg press seat and plant your feet on the foot plate, slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Your knees should form a 90-degree angle, so you may need to adjust the seat before you begin. Then, press the foot plate away from your torso and release the leg press from its locked position. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bend your knees and lower the foot plate towards your torso until your knees almost touch your chest.

3. Exhale. Extend your knees and press the foot plate away to return to the starting position, ensuring your knees remain in line with your toes at all times. 

4. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions before returning the leg press to its locked position.

If you’re working out using the Sweat app, you’ll find an instructional video and a how-to guide for each leg press exercise in your workout. Still feeling unsure about your form or whether you’re using the machine correctly? Ask an expert! One of the biggest advantages of working out in a gym is having trained staff on hand to answer any questions you might have or point you in the right direction if you’re feeling unsure. Don’t feel nervous - it’s exactly what they’re there for.

What are the benefits of leg presses? 

Build lower-body strength 

There are so many benefits of including strength training in your routine, from improving your overall fitness and daily movement patterns to supporting your emotional wellbeing, and lower-body strength workouts are no different. 

A stronger lower body can help improve your posture, mobility and everyday movements while also helping to improve your overall athletic performance. After all, there’s a reason runners love strength training.

Supports bone health 

Strength training, weight-bearing exercises and working on your balance is so important for supporting and maintaining your bone health as you age. As the leg press helps to strengthen a number of muscles in your leg, you’ll also help reduce your risk of falls. 

Improve confidence in the gym 

Everyone has a day one, and building your familiarity with commonly used pieces of gym equipment such as the leg press machine can help you build confidence and step into the strongest version of yourself - inside and out. 

Lift heavier weights while reducing injury risk

As the machine offers extra support and control, you might find it easier to lift heavier weights than you would when performing a squat or deadlift. An added bonus of that extra support from the machine? It allows you to move with more stability and support, lowering your risk of injury.

Ready to include more leg presses in your workout routine? You’ll find them in a number of Sweat’s most popular strength training programs, including Strength & Sculpt, PWR, PWR Strength, FIERCE and BUILD.