Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Sled 45 Degrees One Leg Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The sled 45 degrees one leg press is a lower body exercise performed on a sled machine at a 45-degree angle, focusing on one leg at a time to target the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It helps build unilateral leg strength and muscle balance.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Calves , Quads , Hamstrings
Equipment
Sled Machine
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the sled 45 degrees one leg press
Front view: muscles worked by the sled 45 degrees one leg press. Primary: glutes. Secondary: calves, quads and hamstrings.
Back view: muscles worked by the sled 45 degrees one leg press. Primary: glutes. Secondary: calves, quads and hamstrings.
Primary Secondary

How to do the sled 45 degrees one leg press

  1. Step 1: Adjust the sled machine to a 45-degree angle.
  2. Step 2: Sit on the sled machine with your back against the pad and your feet on the footplate.
  3. Step 3: Place one foot on the footplate and extend your leg, pushing the sled away from you.
  4. Step 4: Slowly bend your knee and lower the sled back to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat with the other leg.
  6. Step 6: Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the sled 45 degrees 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.

Sled 45 Degrees One Leg Press alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

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.