One-Legged Leg Press
Leg PressUnilateralStrength
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The One-Legged Leg Press is a unilateral strength exercise performed on a leg press machine, pressing the platform away with one foot at a time while the other leg rests. Its primary purpose is to build lower body strength, improve unilateral stability, and address muscle imbalances. It mainly targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, benefiting athletes and anyone rehabbing leg injuries; it requires a leg press machine and suits beginner to advanced trainees.
How to Perform One-Legged Leg Press
- 1Sit in a leg press machine with your back and head flat against the pad. Place your right foot in the center of the platform, hip-width from the midline, with your left foot resting on the platform edge or the floor beside the machine.
- 2Grip the side handles, release the safety catches, and straighten your right leg to support the platform's weight, keeping your left leg out of the way.
- 3Set your right foot flat with toes pointing slightly forward, knee tracking in line with your foot.
- 4Inhale as you bend your right knee to lower the platform toward you, until your knee reaches about 90 degrees.
- 5Exhale as you press through your right heel to extend your knee and drive the platform back up, without locking the knee out completely.
- 6Complete 8-12 reps on the right leg, then re-rack the safety catches, switch foot position, and repeat on the left leg.
- 7Key form tips: Keep your knee tracking over your toes—avoid letting it cave inward; keep your lower back pressed into the pad throughout. Common mistakes: Locking the knee out hard at the top, letting the heel lift off the platform, or bouncing the weight at the bottom.