Single-Leg Leg Press

Transform your leg workouts with the single-leg leg press for enhanced muscle precision.

Unlock Your Strength and Balance

Discover the power of the single-leg leg press to build strength, improve balance, and correct muscle imbalances for all fitness levels.

The single-leg leg press is an underrated gem for building strong, balanced legs. By working one leg at a time on the leg press machine, you can target specific muscles and iron out strength imbalances that often go unnoticed with bilateral exercises. This engaging movement not only challenges your quads and glutes but also calls on your stabilizing muscles to keep you steady. In this article, we’ll explore the advantages of the single-leg leg press, discuss which muscles it activates (backed by science), highlight exercise variations, point out common mistakes to avoid, and give tips for beginners to get started confidently. A lifter performing a single-leg leg press on a 45° leg press machine. Unilateral leg presses allow you to focus on one leg at a time, helping build balanced strength and muscle development.

The single-leg leg press provides a unique stimulus by isolating each leg. Unlike the traditional leg press where both legs share the load, this unilateral version forces your left and right legs to work independently. That means your stronger side can’t compensate for your weaker side – a huge benefit for correcting muscle imbalances and preventing one leg from lagging behind pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Many real-life movements and sports (think running or climbing stairs) are performed one leg at a time, so training unilaterally can improve functional strength and balance that carry over to daily activities. An added perk is that single-leg presses typically require using less total weight than two-leg presses, allowing you to build strengthwithoutthe excessive strain or spinal loading that sometimes comes with maximal bilateral lifts. This makes it a joint-friendly way to push your limits. As you practice the movement, you’ll likely notice improved coordination and core engagement – keeping your torso stable against the machine works your abs and lower back isometrically for support.

Over time, this can translate to better balance and injury resilience. In fact, research shows that incorporating single-leg training can boost leg strength effectively: one study found five weeks of unilateral leg press workouts produced strength gains comparable to regular two-legged training, and even greater one-legged strength improvements pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. In short, the single-leg leg press is a powerful tool to build equal strength in both legs, enhance stability, and target your lower body muscles in a safe, focused manner.

Muscles Worked and Activation Benefits

When you perform a single-leg leg press, you’ll work all the major muscles of your lower body. It’s a compound exercise, meaning multiple joints and muscle groups are involved in the movement. Here are the key muscles activated:

Quadriceps (Front Thigh): These are the primary drivers of the leg press. The quad muscles (particularly the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis) generate the force to extend your knee and press the weight away pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. In fact, EMG studies show the leg press elicits very high activation in the quadriceps, which increases the deeper you bend your knee during the descent. This means a full range of motion (bringing your knee toward your chest) really fires up those thigh muscles. If you’re looking to build strong quads, the single-leg press will deliver.
Glutes (Buttocks): Your gluteus maximus contributes significantly, especially as you push through the top half of the movement to straighten your hip. Because you can bring your thigh closer to your torso with one leg, the glutes get a good stretch and strong contraction on each rep. Placing your foot a bit higher on the platform can further emphasize glute activation pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Think of the single-leg press as part squat, part step-up – your glutes are definitely working to extend your hip and stabilize your leg.
Hamstrings (Back of Thigh): The hamstrings play a supporting role. They act as hip extensors along with the glutes and also help stabilize the knee joint. Interestingly, as you approach full leg extension at the top, hamstring activation tends to increase (partly to help decelerate the leg and support the knee). So while they’re not the prime movers here, your hammies are certainly engaged, especially during the transition from the bottom position to pushing back up.
Calves (Lower Leg): Your calf muscles assist in the leg press as well. The gastrocnemius (the larger calf muscle that crosses the knee) becomes more active when your leg is nearly extended. It helps stabilize the knee and contributes a bit to pushing through the forefoot. You might not feel a burn in your calves like you would with calf raises, but they do contract to keep your foot planted and transmit force into the platform.
Core and Stabilizers: Although the leg press machine provides back support, doing the exercise one-legged will make you aware of your core and hip stabilizers. Your abdominals and obliques engage to prevent your torso from twisting, and the muscles around your hip (including glute medius and adductors) work to keep your pelvis from tilting. This is a subtle benefit – the single-leg press teaches you to brace your midsection and maintain control as one side of your body handles the load. Over time, this can improve overall stability and balance.

Beyond simply working these muscles, the single-leg press offers some activation advantages. Because you’re using one leg, you can often achieve a greater range of motion than with two legs (since your free leg isn’t in the way). More range can mean a deeper stimulus for the glutes and quads, if flexibility allows. Unilateral pressing also tends to recruit stabilizer muscles to keep the movement path straight. All of this contributes to functional strength. Scientific reviews confirm that the leg press (in various forms) is highly effective at activating the quads – with vastus lateralis and medialis leading the charge – while also engaging the glutes and hamstrings significantly during different phases of the motion pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

And if you want to shift the emphasis, small tweaks in how you perform the exercise can target different muscles: for example,placing your foot higher on the plate will generally hit more glute and hamstring, whereas a lower foot position emphasizes the quads pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. (Not all experts agree on how drastic these differences are, but it’s a commonly observed pattern.) The bottom line is that the single-leg leg press is a comprehensive lower-body move– it effectively works your thighs, hips, and even calves in one controlled motion, making it a great choice for building muscle and strength in the lower body.

Variations of the Single-Leg Leg Press

One reason the single-leg press is beloved by many lifters is its versatility. You can perform this exercise in a variety of ways to change the stimulus or accommodate what equipment you have. Here are some popular variations and alternatives to keep your leg training fresh:

45-Degree Sled vs. Horizontal vs. Vertical Leg Press: Leg press machines come in different designs. The 45-degree leg press (angled sled) is most common – you sit in a reclined seat and press the sled upward at an angle. This version provides a balanced engagement of all the leg muscles. A vertical leg press (where you lie on your back and press the weight plate straight up above you) shifts more emphasis to the posterior chain, hitting the hamstrings and glutes harder. In contrast, a seated horizontal leg press (where you push the platform forward from a seated position) tends to put more load on the quads. You can perform single-leg presses on any of these machines. The movement pattern is similar, but the muscle focus changes slightly: for example, a vertical single-leg press will really work your glutes, while a horizontal machine will make your quads feel the burn.
Foot Placement Tweaks: Even within the same machine, you can target muscles by adjusting your foot position. As mentioned, a high foot placement (toward the top of the sled) in a single-leg press increases hip bend and typically boosts glute max activation, along with more hamstring involvement. A low foot placement (toward the bottom of the platform) means more knee bend, emphasizing the quads (especially the rectus femoris). You can also place your foot slightly outward or inward to change the emphasis – for instance, turning your foot out a bit might engage inner quads and adductors more. Always ensure your knee tracks in line with your toes for safety. These foot position variations are a useful way to “customize” the single-leg press to your goals – whether you want to hit your glutes or focus on your thighs, a simple shift in stance can make a difference.
Resistance Band or Cable Single-Leg Press: No leg press machine? No problem. You can mimic the movement with other equipment. One option is using a heavy resistance band anchored behind you – lie on the floor or a bench, put one foot in the band, and press it away similar to a leg press motion. Another alternative is a cable machine single-leg press: attach a foot harness or handle to the low pulley, lie on your back on the floor, and press one foot out against the cable resistance. These alternatives require more stabilization but can be effective substitutes to train one leg at a time.
Unilateral Leg Press Alternatives (No Machine): If you don’t have any machinery available, you can fall back on classic one-legged exercises that provide similar benefits. Two great choices are the single-leg squat (pistol squat)and step-ups onto a bench or box. These bodyweight or free-weight movements also work each leg in isolation and challenge your balance and coordination, much like the single-leg press does. For example, doing a step-up with dumbbells will engage the same muscles (quads, glutes, hamstrings) and help identify any left-right strength differences. Bulgarian split squats (rear-foot-elevated split squats) are another tough unilateral leg exercise that can build similar strength and stability. While these aren’t the leg press per se, they are variations in the sense of achieving the same unilateral training effect. They can be used on days you can’t access a leg press machine, or simply rotated into your routine for variety.

In short, the single-leg press isn’t a one-trick pony – you can modify the angle, foot position, or equipment to emphasize different muscles or to work around what you have available. Feel free to experiment with these variations as you advance. For instance, you might start with the standard 45° single-leg press, then occasionally try a vertical press for a glute-focused session, or throw in banded single-leg presses at home. Just remember that proper form comes first, regardless of variation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

As effective as the single-leg leg press is, it’s important to perform it correctly. Because the machine guides your path, people sometimes get a false sense of security and load up too much weight or slack on form – which can lead to poor results or even injury. Keep an eye out for these common mistakes and avoid them in your training:

Letting the Knee Collapse Inward (Valgus). When pressing with one leg, there’s a tendency for the knee to cave toward the midline, especially if your glutes or hip stabilizers are weak. This inward collapse puts a lot of stress on the knee joint. Make a conscious effort to keep your knee tracking in line with your foot. Think about driving through your heel and keeping your knee pointing the same direction as your toes throughout the movement. If you struggle with this, you might need to strengthen your outer glutes/hip muscles which help control knee position.
Locking Out the Knee at the Top. Avoid slamming your knee to full extension when you press the sled away. Locking out completely can momentarily take tension off the muscles and place it on your knee joint structure, increasing injury risk. It’s also not necessary for muscle building – you want to keep constant tension on the leg muscles by stopping just short of a hard lockout. So, extend your leg until it’s almost straight, but maintain a slight bend in the knee rather than snapping it into a locked position. This keeps the work on your quads and glutes and spares your joints.
Heels Lifting Off the Platform. Watch your foot pressure during the exercise. A frequent mistake is having the heel come off the footplate (especially if your foot is placed low or if your ankle mobility is limited). Pushing through the ball of your foot with your heel hanging can strain your knees and shift the work away from the powerful glutes and hamstrings. Make sure your entire foot – heel and toes – stays firmly planted on the platform as you press. If you find your heel popping up at the bottom of the rep, try moving your foot a little higher on the plate or reduce the range of motion slightly until your flexibility improves. Driving through the heel and mid-foot will ensure proper muscle engagement and safer force transfer.
Lowering the Sled Too Far (Butt Lifting). While a good range of motion is beneficial, you must maintain contact with the seat/backpad. A common error is descending so far that your lower back and glutes peel off the pad. This typically happens if you bring your thigh down beyond your flexibility limit or have the seat too close. When the hips roll off the seat, it causes the lower back to round (posterior pelvic tilt), which can strain your spine. To avoid this, control the descent and stop when you feel your tailbone just about to lift. Your leg should ideally form roughly a 90-degree angle (or a bit more) at the knee in the bottom position, but not much tighter if it means your butt comes up. Keeping your glutes glued to the pad ensures the stress stays on your legs and off your back.
Using Too Much Weight & Doing Partial Reps. Ego lifting on the leg press is all too common – loading far more weight than you can handle properly. With one-leg presses, the risk is thinking you should use the same weight as you do with two legs (you shouldn’t!). Excess weight often leads to shallow, partial reps where you barely bend your knee. This defeats the purpose, as the muscles don’t get worked through the full range. It’s far better to reduce the load and perform full repetitions – bringing the sled down until your thigh is at least around parallel to the footplate (about 90° at the knee). Partial reps with a gigantic weight might feed your pride, but they won’t effectively build strength.
Check your ego, use a challenging but reasonable weight, and aim for quality reps. You’ll gain more muscle and protect your joints by doing so.
Twisting or Shifting Your Hips. Because only one side is working, you need to be careful not to twist your body on the seat. Sometimes people will rotate their torso or let one hip lift higher than the other to try to push extra hard – this is not good form. Keep your back and hips flat against the pad, shoulders even, and use the side handles to stabilize yourself. Engage your core to resist any rotational force. The movement should feel straight up and down on the working leg, not corkscrewing. If you notice the machine wobbling or your body tilting, reduce the weight and focus on a smooth, controlled push. A stable torso will ensure the force is going through your leg muscles properly and not via some awkward twist.

By avoiding these pitfalls, you’ll make the single-leg leg press safer and more effective. Good form is key: keep the movement controlled, the alignment correct, and the muscle tension where it belongs. If in doubt, have a trainer or experienced lifter watch your form, or even film yourself to catch any of the above issues. Nail the technique, and your legs will reap the full benefit of this exercise.

Tips and Recommendations for Beginners

Ready to add the single-leg leg press to your routine? If you’re new to this exercise (or to leg training in general), follow these tips to get started on the right foot – literally! These recommendations will help you perform the exercise correctly and progress safely:

Master the Basic Leg Press First (If Possible). If you have never done leg presses at all, it might help to first get comfortable with the two-legged version. This lets you learn the machine setup and range of motion with more stability. Once you can do a proper bilateral leg press, transition to single-leg versions to further challenge yourself. Beginners can incorporate the single-leg press early on, but ensure you at least understand the fundamentals of foot placement and machine operation via the regular leg press.
Start with Lighter Weight and Full Range of Motion. As a rule of thumb, don’t go too heavy too soon. One guideline for the leg press machine is that novices might start around half their body weight in load (for both legs)– for single-leg, you’ll use much less since one limb is lifting it. The priority at first is perfect form through a complete range of motion, not the amount of weight. Lower the sled until your working leg’s knee is about at a right angle (or slightly more bent if comfortable) and then press up, without short, choppy motions. A full range rep ensures you’re engaging the target muscles effectively. Piling on plates with poor form gets you nowhere. So, pick a modest weight that you can control for 10–15 reps, and focus on feeling the muscles work through each rep. You can always increase the load gradually as you get stronger.
Set Up the Machine to Fit Your Body. Proper setup makes a huge difference, especially for shorter or taller individuals. Adjust the seat position so that when you place one foot on the platform, your knee can bend to about 90° (or slightly more) at the bottom of the rep without your lower back lifting. If the seat is too close, you’ll jam your knee into your chest; too far and you won’t get enough range. Ensure your foot is centered on the plate so the pressure is balanced through your foot. Use the backrest angle that is comfortable and always check that the safety stops or pins are in place (in case you need to stop the weight’s descent). Taking a moment to set up correctly will enhance your form and protect your knees and back.
Use a Controlled Tempo and Focus on Form. When you’re learning, perform the exercise with a slow, controlled pace. Avoid the temptation to bounce the weight or rush through reps. A beginner mistake is to drop the weight quickly and then try to rebound it up – this reduces muscle work and can be unsafe. Instead, take ~2 seconds to lower the sled, pause briefly at the bottom, and 1–2 seconds to press back up. This controlled approach maximizes muscle engagement and teaches you how to maintain tension throughout the rep. It’s okay to move a bit faster on the concentric (pressing up) once you’re confident, but never at the expense of control. Quality over quantity (or speed) is the name of the game.
Train Both Legs Evenly (Start with Your Weak Side). With unilateral exercises, it’s important to work both sides evenly to avoid creating new imbalances. Do the same number of reps for each leg, and use the same weight. A good strategy is to begin with your weaker or non-dominant leg, perform your target reps, and then match that with the other leg. For example, if your left leg is slightly weaker and can comfortably do 10 reps, do 10 on the left first, then do 10 on the right (even if the right could do more). This way, you ensure both legs get equal training stimulus and the weaker side can gradually catch up. Also, avoid doing extra sets for your “strong” leg – it doesn’t need it. Symmetry is one main goal of single-leg work, so be diligent about equal workload.
Progress Gradually with Weight and Volume. Once your form is solid and you can do, say, 12–15 reps per leg with ease, you can start increasing the weight a bit. Add small increments (e.g. one plate at a time) and see if you can still perform good reps in an 8–12 rep range. Another way to progress is to add a set or do more reps at the same weight before adding load. The key is gradual progressive overload, while always maintaining good technique. If at any point you increase weight and notice your range of motion shortens or form falters, drop back down. Patience pays off in strength training. Over a few weeks and months, those small increments add up to big gains. As a beginner, you might be surprised how quickly you get stronger with consistent training – just keep the progression sensible.
Listen to Your Body and Stay Safe. Pay attention to any discomfort in your knees, hips, or back. Mild muscle soreness is normal, but sharp joint pain is a red flag. If you have a history of knee issues, you might want to be cautious with deep knee flexion or get clearance from a professional. Always engage the safety lock or pins when you set up, and know your limits – it’s better to do a few quality sets and stop than to push far into fatigue with shaky form as a newbie. Also, don’t neglect the rest of your training: include hamstring curls, calf raises, or free weight leg exercises in your routine so that you develop balanced strength around the knee and hip. A well-rounded leg program alongside the single-leg press will yield the best results. And of course, ensure you warm up properly before jumping into heavy sets (leg swings, light two-legged presses, or dynamic stretches can get the blood flowing). By following these tips, beginners can confidently incorporate the single-leg leg press into their workouts. Remember that every expert lifter was once a beginner too – focus on consistent, smart training and you’ll soon reap the rewards of stronger, more balanced legs.

Conclusion

The single-leg leg press is a challenging but highly rewarding exercise for anyone looking to improve their lower-body training. By isolating each leg, it helps you build strength evenly on both sides, engage all the major muscles of the legs (quads, glutes, hamstrings, and more), and enhance your balance and stability in the process. Science and experience both back up its benefits – from correcting muscle imbalances to effectively increasing leg strength and power. Plus, it’s adaptable to different machines and home setups, making it accessible whether you’re in a big gym or a small home gym. As you add this exercise to your routine, keep good form at the forefront: avoid the common mistakes, start with manageable weights, and progress gradually. With time and practice, the single-leg leg press can become a secret weapon in your leg day arsenal, helping you achieve lower-body strength and muscle development that carries over to better athletic performance and everyday functional movement. So next time you’re at the leg press machine, try going unilateral – your legs might just thank you with newfound strength and growth!

Sources:

Wilk et al. (2020). Evaluation of the Lower Limb Muscles’ Electromyographic Activity during the Leg Press Exercise and Its Variants: A Systematic Review. Sports Biomech. – Findings highlight high quadriceps activation on leg press, increasing with deeper knee flexion.
Nuckols, G. (2021). Foot positioning doesn’t affect muscle activation in the leg press. Stronger By Science. – Notes that foot placement (high vs low) may shift emphasis slightly (glutes vs quads), but overall quad activation remains high across variations pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Thompson et al. (2023). Unilateral vs. Bilateral Leg Press Training in Adolescent Athletes. J. Strength Cond. Res.– Single-leg press training was as effective as two-leg training for building strength, and more effective for one-leg strength gains.
Bompa & Carrera (2019). Training Functional Strength. – Unilateral exercises mimic real-life movements, improving balance and addressing asymmetries.
ISSA Blog (2021). Leg Press Exercise Guide, Plus Common Mistakes. – Outlines key leg press mistakes such as knee valgus, locking out, heels rising, excessive depth, and partial reps.
GymGear (2022). Leg Press Variations for Maximum Results. – Recommends single-leg press benefits (fixing imbalances, improving unilateral strength) and tips (start light, controlled reps, equal work per leg).

Single-Leg Leg Press

Unilateral Power for Lower Body Strength

The single-leg leg press transformed my workouts! I've gained strength and improved my balance significantly. Highly recommend for anyone serious about fitness.

Alex R.