Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Lever Horizontal One Leg Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The lever horizontal one leg press is a lower body strength exercise performed on a leverage machine. It primarily targets the glutes, with secondary emphasis on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.

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

How to do the lever horizontal one leg press

  1. Step 1: Adjust the seat of the machine so that your knees are at a 90-degree angle when your feet are on the footplate.
  2. Step 2: Sit on the machine with your back against the backrest and your feet shoulder-width apart on the footplate.
  3. Step 3: Place your hands on the handles or sides of the machine for stability.
  4. Step 4: Push the footplate away from your body by extending your leg, keeping your back against the backrest.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the fully extended position, then slowly bend your leg to return to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the lever horizontal one 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 Horizontal One Leg Press alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes 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.