How To Do A 45 Degree Leg Press (2024)

FAQs

How do you do a 45 degree leg press? ›

Take a deep breath, extend your legs, and unlock the safeties. Lower the weight under control until the legs are roughly 45 degrees or slightly below. Drive the weight back to the starting position by extending the knees but don't forcefully lockout. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Engage the core then lower the plate until your knees are between 45 and 90 degrees, ensuring your glutes and lower back stay still throughout. This is your starting position. Press the plate up by extending your legs out straight, taking care not to lock your knees.

45-degree leg press machines are suitable for individuals looking for a more extensive range of motion and greater muscle engagement. They may require more space and have a higher cost, but they offer a more effective workout due to the direct resistance applied to the legs.

The BodyKore G277 leg press is our best 45-degree leg press machine because, while pricey, it offers insanely great features.

This is a tremendous feat as the World record for the heaviest leg press is 1,367 kg which belongs to bodybuilder Paul Meeker.

Sit with your feet hip-width apart on the foot plate with a 90 degree angle at the knees. Push out and straighten your legs, leaving a slight bend at the knees. Slowly return to the start position being careful not to allow the weights in the stack to touch to maintain the resistance on your muscles.

What many people like about the leg press machine is that it is very stable and great to start with, therefore being ideal for beginners. It's also pretty easy to lift a whole lot of weight on a leg press machine, which makes many people feel really good about themselves.

Extend with slow control rather than with an explosive movement. Pause at the top of the movement. Do not lock out your knees, and ensure that they are not bowing out or in. While inhaling, return the footplate to the starting position by gradually bending the knees.

Cons of the Leg Press

It doesn't build your abs or other stabilizing muscles. It's easy to shorten your range of motion by using heavier weights, not working the muscles to their full extent. Different gyms have different leg press machines and variations in how they work your muscles.

The ideal leg press weight for adult males varies depending on factors such as fitness level and age. For an intermediate male lifter (50th percentile), a comfortable leg press weight is around 191 kg (425 lb). Beginners should start with a weight that's 50 to 75 percent of their total body weight.

What is the starting weight for the 45 degree leg press? ›

The starting weight of a leg press machine is generally around 50-150 lbs. including the weight sled or footplate.

As a rule of thumb, novices should start out using half their body weight. People with more experience can start at three quarters of their body weight. Wherever you start, getting the full range of motion out of your reps on the machine should be your goal. Don't just focus on pressing the most weight you can!

Taking a bench angle of 45 degrees will result in high activation of both the front delts and upper chest. Then, as you continue to increase the bench angle, the front delt's activation will become more and more pronounced. For a shoulder-focused press, we'd recommend a bench angle of around 80 degrees.

In the US they use 45 lb bars and plates. So one plate (per side) is 135 lbs, two plates is 225 lbs, three plates is 315 lbs, four plates is 405 lbs, five is 495 lbs, six is 585, seven is 675 and so forth. We don't use that terminology much here in Europe.

Narrow Stance 45 Degree Leg Press Tips

In order to emphasize the glutes more, push through the heels. In order to emphasize the quads more, push through the balls of the feet. Don't allow the hips to posteriorly tilt and roll off the pad. Keep your low back flat against the pad throughout the movement.