Narrow Stance Leg Press

Also called close stance leg press and narrow leg press.

Works

Quads, plus calves, glutes and hamstrings

Equipment

Machine

Level

Intermediate

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a less-than-shoulder-width narrow stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Your feet should be around 3 inches or less apart. Tip: Keep your head up at all times and also maintain the back on the pad at all times.

1. Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you. Tip: Make sure that you do not lock your knees. Your torso and the legs should make a perfect 90-degree angle. This will be your starting position.
2. As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle.
3. Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and ensure to lock the safety pins properly once you are done. You do not want that platform falling on you fully loaded.

Cues

• Feet close, toes slightly out.
• Lower until the knees hit 90°.
• Low back stays on the pad.
• Press up, don't lock the knees.

Common mistakes

• Butt rolling off the seat.
• Locking out hard.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have sore knees. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

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