Who wants multiple ways to grow that booty and shape those legs?!

Here’s FOUR+ ways to use ONE machine and have an amazing leg day. Using the leg press, either plate-loaded or using the machine with the pins, you can work different parts of your lower half by simply adjusting your foot position.

1. TOP LEFT – High foot placement: This position activates the hamstrings and glutes. Good substitute for deadlifts or hamstring curls!

2. TOP RIGHT –  Low foot placement: Placing the feet lower on the foot pad shifts the weight to the quadriceps. This is a good substitute for squats, but be careful if you suffer from knee pain!

3. BOTTOM LEFT – Wide foot placement: This position works the inner thigh muscles, helping to develop the “teardrop”. Another variation would be to point the toes outward towards the corner, also activating the glutes. Think sumo and goblet squat here, but on the leg press.

4. BOTTOM RIGHT – Narrow foot placement: Placing the feet close together activates the outer quad muscles, giving you the beloved quad “sweep”.

5. Not pictured: Standard foot placement, aka feet hip-width apart in the center of the platform. This is for overall leg development and the best place to start if you’re new to the leg press machine!

Now as you can see, there are many variations to leg press workouts. Challenge yourself further by using a wide stance higher on the foot pad to activate inner thighs, glutes, and hammies. Or, go lower on the foot pad with feet close together to really activate those quad muscles! Ready for another challenge?! Take it up an extra notch by either pressing with the ball of your foot or your heel. The ball of your foot will put the focus more on your quads, while the heel activates the glutes.

Feeling motivated to try out these new positions yet?! Let me know which ones your favorite- and share with someone who needs to try this with you!