Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredMachine
- MechanicsCompound
- Force TypePush (Bilateral)
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
Adductors, Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back
Target Muscle Group
Quads
Wide Stance 45 Degree Leg Press Overview
The wide stance leg press exercise is a variation of the leg press and an exercise used to build the muscles of the legs. It’ll primarily focus on building the muscles of the quadriceps, but also target the hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
The wide stance used during the exercise puts a greater amount of tension on the inner quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
This exercise can be incorporated into your leg days or full body days.
Wide Stance 45 Degree Leg Press Instructions
- Load the machine with the desired weight and take a seat.
- Sit down and position your feet on the sled outside of shoulder width.
- 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.
Wide Stance 45 Degree Leg Press Tips
- To keep tension on the quads, keep the knees just shy of lockout.
- 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.
- Maintain a neutral head position by not looking up or down excessively.
- Self spotting is possible by simply applying pressure to the knees with the hands. Use only when necessary.
- Toe angle is individual and will depend upon each individual’s hip anatomy and ankle mobility - experiment and adjust based upon feel.
2 Comments
What's the difference in narrow and wide stance on the leg press? does it matter if you turn the toes in or out? Thanks.
My gym doesn't have that type of a machine, are there any other exercises that would give similar results?