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Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.

Leg press machine

Loaded sled you press away with your feet, seated or on an angle

You sit or lie back and drive a loaded sled away with your feet. Because nothing rests on the spine, most people press far more than they squat, and shifting foot position moves the work between quads, glutes and hamstrings. Sled versions run on rails at an angle; horizontal versions use a stack or plates on a lever arm.

Who backs it

Sorted by strength of stance

  • Bodybuilder · Six-time Classic Physique Mr. Olympia

    Two Cybex machines handle his lower-body pressing: a conventional 45 degree leg press and a squat press that travels on an angle, which he says lets him reach more depth on the eccentric. He credited that second machine with his 2023 Olympia win and said he used it in every leg session going into the show.

    Source: BarBend: Chris Bumstead Gives a Full Tour of His Personal Gym
  • Coach and IFBB pro · Harder Than Last Time

    Heavy rows did less for his sumo deadlift than the leg press, he said, since what carries over is strong legs and a lower back that is still fresh. Hip surgery changed how he uses the machine: after reinjuring the hip he stopped bringing the weight down to parallel.

    Source: Fit World Blog: Q&A With IFBB Pro Greg Doucette
  • Sam SulekDoes it

    Bodybuilder and YouTuber · Spring Bulk gym vlogs

    The sled leg press is the third of the machines he names as his quad bread and butter, with the hack squat and the pendulum hip press. There are plenty of leg machines in the garage, by his own count, and he singles out these three from the rest.

    Source: Fitness Volt: Sam Sulek Reveals Inside Look at His Private Garage Gym Setup

Other entries filed under fitness.

  • Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.

    Home gym

    A private training space at home, from a garage rack to a fully equipped room

    Backed by 7 of 62 stacks: 5 do it, 2 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
  • Gear$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.

    Kettlebell

    One implement covering swings, carries and presses in a small space

    Backed by 6 of 62 stacks: 3 do it, 2 recommend it, 1 have discussed it
  • Gear$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.

    Resistance bands

    Loop and tube bands for activation work, mobility drills and travel training

    Backed by 6 of 62 stacks: 4 do it, 1 recommend it, 1 have discussed it
  • Gear$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.

    WHOOP

    WHOOP

    Screenless wrist strap tracking strain, recovery and sleep

    Backed by 6 of 62 stacks: 4 do it, 1 recommend it, 1 have discussed it
  • Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.

    Cold plunge tub

    Chilled tub that holds cold water ready, instead of hauling bags of ice

    Backed by 4 of 62 stacks: 4 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
  • Gear$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.

    Heart rate monitor

    Chest strap or watch that logs heart rate and estimates calories burned

    Backed by 4 of 62 stacks: 2 do it, 2 recommend it, 0 have discussed it

Gear entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.