Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Smith Leg Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The smith leg press is a lower body exercise performed on a smith machine, targeting the glutes with secondary emphasis on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It involves pressing a footplate away from the body while seated, using the legs to extend and flex at the knees and hips.

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

How to do the smith leg press

  1. Step 1: Adjust the seat and footplate of the smith machine to a comfortable position.
  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: Grasp the handles or sides of the machine for stability.
  4. Step 4: Push the footplate away from you by extending your legs, keeping your back against the backrest.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the fully extended position.
  6. Step 6: Slowly bend your knees and lower the footplate back towards you, returning to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the smith 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.

Smith 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.