Smith Machine Leg Press
A leg press style exercise done lying on the floor under a Smith machine bar, pressing it up with your feet. It offers a supported way to load the quads without a dedicated leg press machine.
- Primary musclesQuads
- Secondary musclesCalves, Glutes, Hamstrings
- EquipmentMachine
- LevelIntermediate · compound
How to do the smith machine leg press
- Position the bar on the safeties a couple of feet off the floor and load it to an appropriate weight.
- Lie underneath the bar and place the middle of your feet against it with your knees tucked toward your chest.
- Brace your core and prepare to drive through your feet.
- Press the bar upward by extending your hips and knees, stopping just short of locking your knees out.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
- Bend your knees to lower the bar back toward your chest under control, then repeat.
Original library instructions (3 steps)
- Position a Smith machine bar a couple feet off of the ground. Ensure that it is resting on the safeties. After loading the bar to an appropriate weight, lie underneath the bar. Place the middle of your feet on the bar, tucking your knees to your chest. This will be your starting position.
- Begin the movement by driving through your feet to move the bar upward, extending the hips and knees. Do not lock out your knees.
- At the top of the motion, pause briefly before returning to the starting position.
Common mistakes
- Locking the knees out hard at the top; stop just short to keep tension on the muscle and protect the joint.
- Letting the bar drift toward your head or feet instead of straight up; keep the path consistent.
- Loading more weight than the safeties are set up to catch comfortably; check your setup before adding load.
- Rushing the lowering phase; control the bar back down instead of letting it drop quickly.
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
- Double check that the safety catches are set at a sensible height before you lie down under the bar.
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 Smith machine leg press good for beginners?
It can work for beginners with light weight, though the unusual floor position takes a little getting used to compared with a standard leg press machine.
What muscles does the Smith machine leg press work?
It mainly targets the quads, with the calves, glutes and hamstrings assisting as you press the bar away from your chest.
