7 Common Leg Press Mistakes and How to Fix Them for Better Gains

Who doesn't love a good leg day? The leg press machine is an excellent machine to help develop your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. 

The leg press is one great machine for building strength; it’s important to remember that proper form is crucial to maximize your gains and prevent injury. 

I personally love leg press because it lets me stack up the weight without extra strain on my back. 

Even experienced lifters can fall into bad habits, such as improper foot placement or using too much weight, which can negatively impact their results.

For beginners, the risk of developing these habits is even greater, which is why it's crucial to be aware of the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

What Are the Most Common Leg Press Mistakes?

Like any form of weight lifting, proper form and movement execution are essential to avoid injury and increase gains. The leg press is a great machine to work your lower body and reduce strain. The 7 most common leg press mistakes include;

1. Improper Foot Position 
2. Improper Back Position
3. Improper Range of Motion 
4. Locking Out Your Knees 
5. Using Too Much Weight
6. Using Too Little Weight
7. Partial Reps 

How to Fix The Most Common Leg Press Mistakes for Better Gains

1. Fix Foot Position on the Leg Press

Foot position will affect the lower body muscles you work. Typically, you place your feet shoulder-width apart on the high-to-mid range of the footplate. 

You can adjust it for different muscles, position your feet higher on the foot pad to target your glutes and hamstrings or place the balls of your feet on the bottom of the footplate to target your calves.

Widening your stance will promote strengthening weak hip abductors.

It's important that you aren't turning your feet too far outward or inward and that your knees don't cave in toward each other when you lower the weight. Knees may also splay out at the bottom of the movement if your toes are pointed too far out. 

2. Proper Back Position

Another benefit of leg press is that, unlike squats or lunges, your lumbar spine is supported by the bench. This allows you to focus on strengthening your lower body without straining your back, if you use proper form that is.

When getting into the starting position, ensure your back is flat against the bench.

Do not arch your lower back at any time during the exercise. If you feel your back lifting off the bench during your reps, you need to reduce the weight. Keep your core engaged through the movement as part of protecting your back. 

When you move the weight, don't lift your back off the pad at any point during these exercises. Remember- Good form before lbs!

3. Proper Range of Motion for Leg Press 

Improper range of motion is a common leg press mistake. Too often, the lifter will make the mistake of lowering the sled too far which increases the risk of injury to their knees. 

Lower the weight with a back flat against the bench until your knees reach a 90-degree angle. From there, push the weight back to the starting position. 

Stopping at 90 degrees is key for using the leg press. Your shins should also be at a 90-degree angle with your foot lowered. 

4. Protect Your Knees 

Like most lower body workouts, proper form must be a focus to protect ourselves from injury, especially the knee joints. Once you've lowered the weight to the 90-degree angle, you push the weight back up, straightening your legs. The key is to straighten them until you slightly bend your knees. 

Avoid locking out your knees, doing so increases the strain and the chance of knee problems. 

At no point should your knees cave inward or outward; this causes a lot of string on your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). 

5. Don't Use Too Much Weight on the Leg Press

Unlike squats, leg press is a movement that supports your back and doesn't put as much pressure on your knees. I love to go heavy on leg press because I don't have to worry about balance or stabilization, I can really target my lower body and push my muscles to fatigue.

One of the worst leg press mistakes is that a weight lifter can become too confident and will use too much weight on the leg press. This very common mistake can result in injury and diminish gains.

Push yourself on the leg press, but do so in a controlled manner. 

6. Push Yourself- Don't Use Too Little Weight

On the flip side, some lifters can look at leg press as an "easy" lower body workout and use too little weight.

Remember, to maximize your gains, you should be doing progressive overload, pushing your body a little at a time. Using too little weight is a common mistake, not just on leg presses but other exercises too. 

If you don't feel resistance when lowering the sled, it's time to add more weight. 

7. Partial Reps 

The final common leg press mistake is completing partial reps; this means not lowering the weight low enough or pushing the weight back up to a full extension.

While you will still "feel the burn" with partial reps, you aren't using the full range of motion and therefore, not maximizing your gains from the exercise. 

Key Things to Remember 

• Ensure correct foot position to target the desired muscle groups.
• Keep your lower back flat against the back pad throughout the exercise.
• Maintain a full range of motion by lowering the sled to a 90-degree angle.
• Avoid locking your knees at full extension.
• Use a weight that challenges you but still allows for good form.
• Avoid partial reps to maximize your gains.

Whether you're aiming to enhance your leg press technique or just starting with this exercise, mastering these fundamentals will help you build muscle more effectively and reduce your risk of injury.