- EquipmentMachine
- PatternSquat
- Reps8 to 20 reps
- Joint loadKnee
- One side at a time
Sit in the leg press with your back against the pad and place one foot in the middle of the platform, the other on the floor or resting off to the side.
First cueKeep the hips square on the seat.
How to do the Single-Leg Press
Set up. Sit in the leg press with your back against the pad and place one foot in the middle of the platform, the other on the floor or resting off to the side.
- Release the safeties and lower the platform by bending the working knee.
- Stop before your hips lift off the seat.
- Press back up without locking the knee.
- Finish the set and switch legs.
Form cues
- Keep the hips square on the seat.
- Keep the knee in line with the toes.
- Use much less weight than a two-leg press.
Common mistakes
- Letting the knee fall inward.
- Lowering until the hips roll off the seat.
Muscles worked
Main target: Quads. The quadriceps are four muscles at the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee: squats, lunges, leg presses and every stair.
On the way: Glutes and Hamstrings.
Its other side: Hamstrings and Glutes, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Single-Leg Press, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Cable Romanian Deadlift Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Single-Leg Press first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Single-Leg Press 3 × 8 to 20 reps
- Cable Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Smith Machine Squat
Smith machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Leg Press.
Do before it: Leg Press (same movement, lighter), Ankle Mobilisation (ankle range), 90/90 Hip Switch (hip range) and Bodyweight Squat (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Single-Leg Press is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Single-Leg Press?
Set up: Sit in the leg press with your back against the pad and place one foot in the middle of the platform, the other on the floor or resting off to the side. Steps: 1. Release the safeties and lower the platform by bending the working knee. 2. Stop before your hips lift off the seat. 3. Press back up without locking the knee. 4. Finish the set and switch legs. Form cues: Keep the hips square on the seat. Keep the knee in line with the toes. Use much less weight than a two-leg press. Common mistakes: Letting the knee fall inward. Lowering until the hips roll off the seat.
What muscles does the Single-Leg Press work?
It trains the quads as its main target and works the glutes and hamstrings on the way.
What can I do instead of the Single-Leg Press?
At home: Bulgarian Split Squat. In a gym: Smith Machine Squat. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Single-Leg Press with?
Good partners in the same workout are Cable Romanian Deadlift, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Single-Leg Press be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.