Narrow Stance Leg Press
How to: Narrow Stance Leg Press
Primary Muscles Used:Upper Legs, Glutes, Gluteals, Quads, Hamstrings
Exercise Families:Squat
Equipment:Leg Press
Trainer:Kayla Itsines
- Sit in the leg press and plant your feet on the foot plate, together or up to a fist-width apart, whichever is most comfortable. Press the foot plate away from your torso and release the leg press from its locked position. This is your starting position.
- Inhale. Bend your knees and lower the foot plate towards your torso until your knees almost touch your chest.
- Exhale. Extend your knees and press the foot plate away to return to the starting position, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes at all times. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions before returning the leg press to its locked position.
The leg press definitely has a place among the most popular lower body machines in the gym, and for good reasons. One such reason is the machine’s surprising versatility. By simply making subtle changes to your foot placement on the leg press, you can switch up which leg muscles you target and how.
One of the most useful variations is the narrow stance leg press. This variation involves placing your feet closer together than a normal leg press. This is what creates the “narrow stance”. With your feet closer together, the narrow leg stance places more emphasis on the outer quad muscles, while continuing to work your hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
If you’re looking to build lower body strength in the gym, the narrow stance leg press can be a useful alternative to barbell narrow stance squats. Using the leg press machine offers the benefits of guiding the range of motion for you, while allowing you to use heavier weights more safely than with the barbell across your back.
Conversely, the narrow stance squat - with or without weights - is a great alternative to using a leg press machine if you’re working out at home.
Alternative Exercises for Quadriceps
* Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. Sweat assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.
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