Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Lever Alternate Leg Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The lever alternate leg press is a machine-based exercise targeting the quadriceps, with secondary emphasis on the hamstrings and glutes. It involves pressing one leg at a time against a foot platform, providing a controlled environment for building lower body strength.

Primary muscles
Quads
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Glutes
Equipment
Leverage Machine
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the lever alternate leg press
Front view: muscles worked by the lever alternate leg press. Primary: quads. Secondary: hamstrings and glutes.
Back view: muscles worked by the lever alternate leg press. Primary: quads. Secondary: hamstrings and glutes.
Primary Secondary

How to do the lever alternate leg press

  1. Step 1: Adjust the seat and foot platform of the leverage machine to your desired position.
  2. Step 2: Sit on the machine with your back against the backrest and your feet on the foot platform.
  3. Step 3: Place your hands on the handles or sides of the machine for stability.
  4. Step 4: Push one foot against the foot platform, extending your leg until it is almost fully straight.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment, then slowly bend your leg and return to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat with the other leg.
  7. Step 7: Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the lever alternate leg press by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Lever Alternate Leg Press alternatives

More exercises that train the quads as their main target:

More quads exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.