Horizontal Leg Press (Machine)
The Horizontal Leg Press is a machine-based compound exercise that builds lower body strength by targeting the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. It involves sitting with your back supported while pushing a weighted platform away from your body, offering a stable and safe alternative to free-weight squats.
Because the horizontal leg press provides significant stability, users often push higher volumes than they can recover from. The AI analyzes your recent training load and daily recovery metrics, such as HRV and sleep quality, to prescribe the exact weight and rep scheme that maximizes leg growth without overtaxing your central nervous system. Additionally, if you have logged lower back pain with free-weight squats, the app can intelligently prioritize this variation to keep you training effectively while minimizing spinal loading.
Form Cues
- Place your feet hip-width apart on the center of the platform
- Keep your lower back and hips firmly pressed against the seat pad
- Lower the weight until your knees form at least a 90-degree angle
- Drive through your heels and mid-foot to extend your legs
- Keep your knees aligned with your toes throughout the movement
- Don't lock your knees aggressively at the top of the movement
- Don't let your heels lift off the footplate at any point
- Don't allow your knees to cave inward as you push
- Don't lift your hips or lower back off the seat pad
- Don't use your hands to push on your knees for assistance
Common Mistakes
- Locking knees at full extension
- Lifting hips off the seat (butt wink)
- Using a partial range of motion
- Placing hands on knees to self-spot
- Allowing knees to cave inward
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily strengthens the quadriceps by isolating knee extension in a consistently stable environment. It also engages the glutes and hamstrings to assist in the pressing movement, particularly when ensuring a full range of motion where the knees bend to 90 degrees or deeper.
Primary
Secondary
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