Smith Machine Leg Press

How to do the Smith Machine Leg Press

1. Position a Smith machine bar a couple feet off of the ground. Ensure that it is resting on the safeties. After loading the bar to an appropriate weight, lie underneath the bar. Place the middle of your feet on the bar, tucking your knees to your chest. This will be your starting position.
2. Begin the movement by driving through your feet to move the bar upward, extending the hips and knees. Do not lock out your knees.
3. At the top of the motion, pause briefly before returning to the starting position.

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 Smith Machine 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 Smith Machine Leg Press

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

Superset the Smith Machine 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 Smith Machine Leg Press work?

The Smith Machine 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 Smith Machine 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 Smith Machine 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 Smith Machine Leg Press go in a workout?

Early — the Smith Machine 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