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7 Worst Leg Press Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Build stronger legs.

This excellent video from Renaissance Periodization will help you learn, identify and then destroy all the Leg Press mistakes that you might be making.

Knowledge and self-awareness are two incredibly important aspects of becoming a better athlete and a healthier human.

7 Leg Press Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The video covers the following 7 Leg Press mistakes in detail and teaches you how to remedy them.

  • Mistake 1 – Putting your feet too high
  • Mistake 2 – Pad angle too high
  • Mistake 3 – Depth being lacking
  • Mistake 4 – Feet too close or too wide
  • Mistake 5 – Letting your lower back round
  • Mistake 6 – Going too heavy or too light
  • Mistake 7 – Forcefully locking out the knees

Leg Press Mistakes

You can find the timestamps here:

0:14 Opening remarks

0:40 Mistake #1 – Putting your feet too high

2:49 Mistake #2 – Pad angle too high

4:19 Mistake #3 – Depth being lacking

6:52 Mistake #4 – Feet too close or too wide

8:18 Mistake #5 – Letting your lower back round

10:38 Mistake #6 – Going too heavy or too light

12:24 Mistake #7 – Forcefully locking out the knees

15:47 Closing remarks

leg press mistakesSource: Photo Courtesy of CrossFit Inc
Build strong legs

How to Do the Leg Press

Use these instructions to perform the exercise correctly.

Sit down in the machine and place your feet shoulder width apart (change this depending on your exact goal) on the platform in front of you

  • Release the safety bars and take the weight
  • Press the platform all the way until your legs are straight but your knees are not locked
  • Inhale and brace your core, legs and glutes
  • Lower the weight by bending your knees. Grip the handles tight
  • Continue until your knees are at least parallel. Go as low as you can for the best results
  • Pause then push the weight back to the starting position. Drive power through the balls of your feet
  • Exhale at the top of the movement
  • Repeat for the desired number of reps

What Muscles Does the Leg Press Work?

The Leg Press mainly works the quads and glutes.

It also develops the calves and hamstrings.

The leg press primarily strengthens your knee and hip extensors (aka your quads and glutes), but it also activates your hamstrings, calves and shins, Wickham says.

Extra Training Tips

  • To increase the challenge for your quads, set up with your feet closer to the bottom edge of the platform
  • For more glute development, set up with your feet closer to the top edge of the platform
  • To enhance your hamstrings, set your feet farther up on the platform

If you found the video helpful, check out the perfect 20-minute chest workout.

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