Side-Lying Leg Press

oec:side-lying-leg-press

A unilateral leg press variation performed lying sideways on the backrest to bias the gluteal musculature.

Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.

Also called: Single-Leg Side Leg Press, Side Leg Press, Single-Leg Side Glute Press

How to do it

Sit on the leg press machine and turn your torso sideways, resting on one hip and the side of your torso against the backrest.
Place the foot of your top or working leg high and centered on the footplate, angled slightly outwards.
Grip the machine handle or edge of the seat with your hands to anchor your torso firmly in place.
Disengage the safety catches while supporting the sled with your working leg.

Lower the sled smoothly by flexing your working hip and knee, allowing the knee to track in line with your toes.
Descend until your hip and knee reach approximately a 90-degree angle without letting your pelvis twist or peel off the pad.
Press through your whole foot and heel to extend the leg and drive the sled back up.
Stop just short of knee lockout to maintain tension on the glutes before beginning the next repetition.
Complete the desired repetitions, re-engage the safety mechanism, and repeat on the opposite side.

Inhale as you lower the sled under control; exhale forcefully as you drive through your heel to press the platform away.

Allowing the working knee to collapse inward into valgus during the press.: Actively track the knee over the lateral edge of the foot throughout the descent and drive.
Excessive spinal twisting or rolling off the back pad under load.: Hold firmly onto the machine handles and brace the torso against the pad to stabilize your pelvis.
Hyperextending and locking out the knee violently at the top.: Maintain a soft knee bend at peak extension to keep constant mechanical tension on the glutes and protect the joint.

Set the safety stoppers on the leg press sled to a height that catches the weight if full depth cannot be recovered.
Use significantly less load than in a standard bilateral leg press due to the unilateral mechanics and torso position.

This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.