The Leg Press is a beginner machine leg press that primarily trains the glutes and quads, with the hamstrings assisting. It is useful for training the quads and glutes with more external stability than a free-weight squat.
Primary muscles
glutes, quads
Secondary muscles
hamstrings
Equipment
machine
Difficulty
beginner
TARGET AREA
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
glutes, quads
Secondary muscles
hamstrings
THE MOVEMENT
How to perform
Adjust the seat/back pad and place the feet on the platform at a comfortable width.
Release the safeties and keep the hips and lower back supported against the pad.
Lower the platform until the knees and hips reach a controlled depth without the pelvis rolling.
Press the platform away through the whole foot and stop short of an aggressive knee lockout.
IRONYOU / CORE
Core cues
Keep your hips and lower back supported against the pad throughout the rep.
Use a foot position that lets the knees track comfortably over the feet.
Lower only as far as you can without the pelvis rolling away from the pad.
STAY SHARP
Common mistakes
Letting the lower back round off the pad at the bottom.
Locking the knees aggressively at the top.
Using a depth or load that makes the feet or hips shift during the rep.
YOUR PROGRESS
Your strength
Use your best set to calculate your current IronYou rank and see what comes next.
IRONYOU RANK CALCULATOR
127 exercises. One ladder. Your first rank is free.
Published reference points from the production IronYou rank system.
IronYou has 13 strength ranks: Copper I–III → Silver I–III → Gold I–III → Titanium I–III → IRON. IRON is the highest IronYou rank. The public standards tables show the estimated 1RM required to enter Silver I, Gold I, Titanium I, and IRON. Standards vary by sex and bodyweight.
Logged load: machine or cable stack load. Public value: total stack/load.
Leg Press Strength Standards — Male
Male
Published estimated 1RM thresholds by bodyweight. Load is recorded as total stack/load.
Leg Press estimated 1RM strength standards by bodyweight and IronYou rank — Male.
Bodyweight (kg)
Silver I
Gold I
Titanium I
IRON
50 kg
128.6 kg
170.3 kg
212.1 kg
299 kg
60 kg
142.2 kg
188.3 kg
234.4 kg
330.4 kg
70 kg
154.3 kg
204.3 kg
254.3 kg
358.6 kg
80 kg
165.1 kg
218.6 kg
272.2 kg
383.7 kg
90 kg
174.8 kg
231.5 kg
288.1 kg
406.2 kg
100 kg
183.4 kg
242.9 kg
302.4 kg
426.3 kg
110 kg
191.2 kg
253.1 kg
315.1 kg
444.3 kg
120 kg
198.1 kg
262.3 kg
326.5 kg
460.4 kg
Leg Press Strength Standards — Female
Female
Published estimated 1RM thresholds by bodyweight. Load is recorded as total stack/load.
Leg Press estimated 1RM strength standards by bodyweight and IronYou rank — Female.
Bodyweight (kg)
Silver I
Gold I
Titanium I
IRON
40 kg
66.2 kg
87.7 kg
109.2 kg
153.9 kg
50 kg
89 kg
117.9 kg
146.8 kg
206.9 kg
60 kg
103.8 kg
137.5 kg
171.2 kg
241.4 kg
70 kg
113.5 kg
150.3 kg
187.1 kg
263.8 kg
80 kg
119.8 kg
158.6 kg
197.5 kg
278.4 kg
90 kg
123.9 kg
164 kg
204.2 kg
287.9 kg
100 kg
126.5 kg
167.5 kg
208.6 kg
294 kg
IronYou-specific standard; resistance can vary between machines/equipment.
Values are estimated 1RM thresholds required to enter the named IronYou major rank tier.
Standards are derived from the production IronYou Rank V1 model.
IronYou-specific standard; resistance can vary between machines/equipment.
KEEP EXPLORING
Variations
Related variations: Back Squat, Front Squat, and Bulgarian Split Squat.
Choose the version that matches your equipment, joint comfort, and the movement you can repeat consistently.
EARLY ACCESS
Track Leg Press in IronYou.
Keep your last session, progress and next target with you when you train.