Leg press
The leg press builds the quadriceps about as well as free-weight squats and also grows the glutes and adductor magnus, with no balance or spinal-loading limit. It does not grow the rectus femoris and transfers less to barbell squat strength, so add a leg extension for the former and squat if the latter matters to you.
What the science says
- Grows the quads, glutes and adductors Strong evidence
In Kinoshita et al.'s 2026 MRI trial, 17 untrained adults trained one leg on the leg press for 12 weeks: whole-quadriceps volume rose 4.9%, gluteus maximus 15.4% and adductor magnus 6.2%. Kassiano et al. (2025) found 10 weeks of leg press with stiff-leg deadlifts increased thigh muscle thickness by 8–18% in young women.
- Machines and free weights grow muscle equally Moderate evidence
Haugen et al.'s 2023 meta-analysis of 13 studies found no difference in hypertrophy between machine and free-weight training, with strength gains specific to the modality trained.
- Little rectus femoris growth Moderate evidence
Kinoshita et al. found the rectus femoris barely grew with the leg press (+1.1%) but grew 13.2% with knee extensions, while the vasti grew similarly with both.
- Strength gains are specific to the machine Moderate evidence
Rossi et al. (2018) found back squat training transferred more to squat 1RM than leg press training over 10 weeks. Haugen et al. likewise found strength rises most in the modality you train.
How to do it
Muscles trained: quadriceps, glutes, adductors
- Feet hip- to shoulder-width in the middle of the platform
- Lower until the knees reach about 90° or deeper, stopping before the pelvis tucks and the lower back lifts
- Keep the knees in line with the toes
- Push through the whole foot; do not lock the knees hard at the top
- Higher foot placement shifts work toward the glutes and hamstrings; lower toward the quads
How to apply it
Use a full range you can control without the lower back lifting off the pad, and push close to failure safely since the machine has stops.
Who should be careful
The leg press removes balance and most spinal loading, but lowering too deep can round the lower back off the pad, and very heavy sets raise blood pressure sharply; breathe between reps. Anyone with knee or back problems or high blood pressure should get individual advice from a physician or physical therapist.
Frequently asked questions
Is the leg press as good as squats for building legs?
For quad size, yes. Haugen et al.'s meta-analysis found no hypertrophy difference between machines and free weights, and Kinoshita et al. showed the leg press also grows the glutes and adductors.
Will the leg press make my squat stronger?
Somewhat, but less than squatting. Rossi et al. found squat training transferred more to squat 1RM than leg press training.
Does the leg press train the whole quadriceps?
Not the rectus femoris. Kinoshita et al. found it grew only 1.1% with the leg press versus 13.2% with knee extensions, so add a leg extension.
Scientific references
- Hypertrophic Effects of Single- versus Multi-Joint Exercise: A Direct Comparison between Knee Extension and Leg Press
- Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Adaptations to Systematically Varying Resistance Exercises
- Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance - a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Strength, body composition, and functional outcomes in the squat versus leg press exercises
More exercises
- Front squat Moderate evidence
The front squat holds the bar on the front of the shoulders, which keeps the torso more upright and loads the knees less than the back squat while recruiting the thigh muscles about as much.
- Bulgarian split squat Moderate evidence
The Bulgarian (rear-foot-elevated) split squat trains one leg at a time and builds the quads and glutes with far less load on the bar than a back squat.
- Romanian deadlift Moderate evidence
The Romanian deadlift is a hip hinge that loads the hamstrings and glutes at long muscle lengths, and trials of stiff-leg deadlifts and similar hip-extension exercises show real hamstring growth, mainly in the semimembranosus and biceps femoris long head.
- Conventional deadlift Moderate evidence
The conventional deadlift trains the whole posterior chain and grip and is a core strength lift, but research on its growth effects is thin: trials either use other deadlift variants or measure strength rather than muscle size.
- Barbell hip thrust Moderate evidence
The barbell hip thrust grows the glutes, and it does so with little growth of the quads or adductors, which makes it a good targeted addition.
- Lunges Moderate evidence
Lunges (forward, reverse or walking) train the quads and glutes one leg at a time and highly activate the glutes.