45-degree leg press (machine)

The 45-degree leg press mainly trains your quads, with help from the glutes and adductors. Because the machine guides the path and your back is supported, you can load your legs heavily without balance or technique holding you back.

Updated November 7, 2026

QuadricepsAdductorsGlutesLeg press

Movement demonstration

On this page

1Why do it
2Setup
3How to do it
4Technique cues
5Muscles worked
6Common mistakes
7Variations and alternatives
8Sets and reps
9FAQ
10Alternatives
11Related exercises

Why do it

It works as your main leg exercise if you do not squat, or right after squats for extra volume. Put it early or midway through leg day, before isolation work like leg extensions.

Setup

Set the backrest so that, with your knees fully bent at the bottom, your hips stay on the seat. If they lift before you reach the bottom, move the backrest back a notch.
Feet in the middle of the platform, toes turned out slightly (about 15-30°). Higher on the platform loads more glutes; lower loads more quads.
Before releasing the safeties, press the platform a little to check that your whole foot is planted.

How to do it

1
Adjust the seat and footplate of the sled machine to a comfortable position.
2
Sit on the sled machine with your back against the backrest and your feet shoulder-width apart on the footplate.
3
Grip the handles on the sides of the seat for stability.
4
Push the footplate away from your body by extending your legs, keeping your heels on the footplate.
5
Continue pushing until your legs are almost fully extended, but without locking your knees.
6
Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the footplate back towards your body by bending your knees.
7
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Technique cues

Lower until your thighs come toward your chest without your lower back peeling off the pad; that is your bottom.
Keep your knees tracking over your feet: do not let them cave in as you press.
Drive through your whole foot, thinking midfoot and heel, not toes.
At the top, stop just short of locking out and go straight into the next rep to keep the tension on.

Muscles worked

The quads do most of the work, especially in the first half of the press when your knees are most bent. The glutes and adductors contribute more the deeper you go and the higher you place your feet. If getting out of the bottom is hard but the rest is easy, you usually lack quad strength in deep positions: drop the weight and train the full range.

Primary: Quadriceps
Secondary: Adductors, Glutes
Equipment: Leg press

Common mistakes

1. Hips lifting off the seat at the bottom
Your lower back rounds and the load shifts to your spine. Only go as deep as your hips stay down, or adjust the backrest and foot position.
2. Short reps with heavy weight
Moving the sled a few inches trains very little and inflates your numbers. Strip weight until every rep uses a full range of motion.
3. Knees caving in
When your knees collapse inward you lose drive and your knee is out of line. Turn your toes out slightly and push your knees out over your feet.
4. Heels coming up
Pressing through your toes shifts weight forward and makes you less stable. Move your feet a little higher on the platform and push through your whole foot.

Variations and alternatives

Hack squat

Your body moves with the weight instead of the platform. It asks for a bit more stability and usually loads the quads through a deeper range.

High bar squat

No guide rails: you have to stabilize your torso and the bar. You lift less, but you also train control and your back.

Leg extension

Isolates the quads with no hip or glute involvement. A good finisher after the leg press.

Sets and reps

Goal	Sets	Reps	Rest
Strength	3-4	6-8	2-3 min
Muscle (hypertrophy)	3-4	8-15	2 min
Beginners	3	10-15	2 min

Add weight once you hit the top of the rep range on every set with full range of motion, in jumps of 10-20 lb. The leg press handles high reps well; you do not need very heavy sets to progress.

FAQ

How deep should I go?

As deep as you can without your hips lifting off the seat or your lower back rounding. For most people that is with the knees a bit past 90°.

Where should I put my feet?

Start in the middle of the platform, shoulder-width apart. Higher and wider works the glutes and adductors more; lower and narrower works the quads more.