Something for Everyone

• The leg press is a common lower-body exercise for all types of weight lifters from casual trainers to endurance athletes to bodybuilders. The leg press is both the name of the exercise and the name of the machine used to perform it.
  
  

Hits a Lot of Muscles

• A compound exercise, the leg press involves movement around multiple joints. This one exercise works the quadriceps and gluteus primarily and the hamstrings and calves secondarily. It's an excellent exercise for building mass and strength or tightening and toning the legs, depending on the number of repetitions and amount of weight used.
  
  

Compared with Leg Extensions

• The advantage of the leg press versus seated leg extensions is that the press recruits more muscles and is an overall better strength-building exercise.
  
  

Compared with Squats

• Compared with the squat, the leg press is preferable for people who are apprehensive about squatting. For those with poor squatting form or who have suffered a back or knee injury, the leg press might be a preferable movement.
  
  

Variety

• For the best results, perform a variety of exercises. The leg press can be an integral part of your overall leg strength and development program.