Leg Press Test

The leg press can be used to evaluate an athlete's lower body strength.

Muscle Groups

The leg press works the following muscle groups:

  • Knee extensors
  • Hip extensors

Coach's Technique Checklist

Correct technique is very important when using weights, if you wish to avoid injury.

Leg Press Leg Press
  • Hands grasping the seat's handle
  • Back straight
  • Legs parallel
  • Feet on machine rests
  • Toes pointed slightly outward
  • Pressure on balls and heel of feet
  • Knee angle reaches 90-60 degrees
  • Legs extend fully
  • Knees partially locked
  • Athlete stops momentarily
  • Weight lowered slowly back to the start position
  • Weight not bounced at the bottom
  • Athlete should not arch or twist body

Athlete inhales at the start or while the weight is being lowered and exhales as the legs are extended.

1-RM Assessment

The 1-RM leg press assesses the maximum muscular strength of the major muscles of the lower body. Your 1-RM can be determined by a trial and error approach and the maximum load calculator page can be used to determine a starting weight. After each successful lift, increase the weight by 2 to 5kg until the maximum lift is achieved. Allow 3 to 5 minutes rest between each lift.

1-RM Leg Press Assessment Calculator

The assessment calculator is based on your gender, age, body weight and 1-RM weight.

To evaluate your 1-RM leg press please enter your gender, age, body weight and 1-RM leg press weight and then select the 'Calculate' button.

Gender

 Age

Body weight

 1-RM Weight
 
Reference value -
Assessment of your 1-RM Leg Press is -

Additional Information

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page:

Associated Web Sites

The following web sites contain more information related to this topic:

Associated Books

The following books provide more information related to this topic:

  • Advanced Studies in Physical Education and Sport, P Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 4482345
  • Physical Education and the Study of Sport, B. Davis et al., ISBN 0 7234 31752
  • Essentials of Exercise Physiology, W.D. McArdle et al., ISBN 0 683 30507 7
  • Physical Education and Sport Studies, D. Roscoe et al., ISBN 1 901424 20 0
  • The World of Sport Examined, P. Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 438719 9
  • Advanced PE for Edexcel, F. Galligan et al., ISBN 0 435 50643 9
  • Examining Physical Education, K. Bizley, ISBN 0 435 50660 9
  • Sport and PE, K Wesson et al., ISBN 0 340 683821
  • PE for you, J. Honeybourne, ISBN 0 7487 3277 2