Lying Machine Squat
A machine based leg exercise performed lying face up, pressing a platform away with your feet through a squat like range. It suits lifters wanting a supported way to load the quads heavily.
- Primary musclesQuads
- Secondary musclesCalves, Glutes, Hamstrings
- EquipmentMachine
- LevelIntermediate · compound
How to do the lying machine squat
- Lie face up in the machine with your back and shoulders pressed under the pads.
- Set your feet shoulder width apart on the platform with your knees bent and thighs slightly below parallel.
- Press through the balls of your feet to straighten your body and squeeze your quads at the top.
- Hold the contraction for a second before beginning the next rep.
- Bend your knees to lower under control, stopping once your thighs reach parallel to the platform.
- Repeat for the rest of your set without locking your knees out hard at the top.
Original library instructions (6 steps)
- Adjust the leg machine to a height that will allow you to get inside it with your knees bent and the thighs slightly below parallel.
- Once you select the weight, position yourself inside the machine face up with the knees bent and thighs slightly below parallel to the platform. Make sure that the knees do not go past the toes. The angle created between the hamstrings and the calves should be one that is slightly less than 90 degrees (since your starting position requires you to start slightly below parallel). Your back and your head should be resting on the machine while your shoulders are pressed under the shoulder pads.
- Place your hands by the handles and position your feet slightly pointing out at a shoulder width position. This will be your starting position.
- While pressing with the balls of the feet as you breathe out, make your whole body erect as you squeeze the quads. Hold the contracted position for a second. Tip: Since you are starting below parallel, you can opt to use your hands to help you up by pressing on your thighs only on the first repetition.
- Slowly squat down as you inhale but instead of going all the way down to the starting position, just stop once your thighs are parallel to the platform. The angle between your hamstrings and calves should be a 90-degree angle.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Common mistakes
- Letting the knees travel past the toes, which shifts stress onto the knee joint; keep them tracking over the feet.
- Dropping too far below parallel, which the machine is not set up for; stop at parallel each rep.
- Slamming into the top position instead of squeezing; pause briefly with control instead.
- Using your hands to push the platform on every rep instead of just the first one out of the hole.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds to 2 minutes rest |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps, 60 to 90 seconds rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps, 45 to 60 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Adjust the machine so your knees sit at roughly a right angle at the bottom before you add much weight.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the lying machine squat good for beginners?
Yes. The machine supports your back and guides the movement, which makes it a reasonably safe way to learn a squat like leg press pattern.
What muscles does the lying machine squat work?
It mainly targets the quads, with the calves, glutes and hamstrings helping through the pressing and lowering phases.
