Narrow Stance Leg Press

How to do the Narrow Stance Leg Press

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle.
4. Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale.
5. 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.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	calves, glutes, hamstrings
Equipment	machine
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Dumbbell Lunges Dumbbell Dumbbell Rear Lunge Dumbbell

Easier than the Narrow Stance Leg Press

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Barbell Squat beginner · Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge beginner · Barbell Bodyweight Walking Lunge beginner · Bodyweight

Harder than the Narrow Stance Leg Press

Reverse Band Power Squat expert · Barbell Power Jerk expert · Barbell Overhead Squat expert · Barbell

Superset the Narrow Stance Leg Press with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Smith Machine Hang Power Clean hamstrings Reverse Hyperextension hamstrings Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift hamstrings Lying Leg Curls hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Narrow Stance Leg Press work?

The Narrow Stance Leg Press primarily works the quads, with the calves, glutes, and hamstrings as secondary movers. Barbell Full Squat, Barbell Lunge, and Barbell Squat train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Narrow Stance Leg Press?

A Machine. Without a machine, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, Freehand Jump Squat, and Squats - With Bands train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Narrow Stance Leg Press suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Barbell Squat, Barbell Walking Lunge, and Bodyweight Walking Lunge and work up.

Where should the Narrow Stance Leg Press go in a workout?

Early — the Narrow Stance Leg Press is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Smith Machine Hang Power Clean and Reverse Hyperextension later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Barbell Step Ups Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge Barbell