Vertical Leg Press

Vertical leg press: lying under a platform that moves straight up.

• Compound
• Machine
• Beginner

How to do it

• Lie under the platform with the knees toward the chest at the bottom and the lower back supported
• Keep the back and hips pressed into the backrest throughout
• Lower until the pelvis starts to lift off and press without snapping the knees into lockout

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 10–15 reps · 0–2 RIR

Tempo: Lower 2–3 s until your pelvis starts to tuck, press without locking your knees out

Common mistakes

• Going so deep that the pelvis curls and lifts off the backrest
• Letting the platform drop on the way down without braking it

Muscles worked

Primary

• Quads
• Glutes

Secondary

• Hamstrings

Alternatives

• Leg Press
• Barbell Back Squat
• Hack Squat (machine)
• Alternating Dumbbell Forward Lunge