Perform a one-legged pressing motion on a leverage leg-press machine, extending the knee to drive the quadriceps. Keep your back supported and move the footplate in a controlled, single-leg extension and return.
How to do the Machine Single Leg Press#
- Sit with your back pressed to the pad and place one foot flat on the footplate while keeping the other foot off the plate.
- Brace your core, grip the machine handles if available, and ensure your hips stay square against the pad.
- Press through your heel and mid-foot to extend the leg until it is nearly straight, avoiding full knee lockout.
- Lower the footplate slowly and with control until your knee returns toward the starting bend, keeping the movement smooth and steady.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Quads (Quadriceps Femoris), Glutes (Gluteus Maximus)
- Secondary: Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus & Semimembranosus), Adductors (Adductor Magnus, Longus & Brevis (Hip Adductors)), Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus)
Common mistakes#
- Locking the knee at full extension.
- Letting the hips twist or shift during the press.
- Allowing the lower back to lift away from the pad.
- Using rapid, momentum-driven reps instead of controlled movement.
