The leg press is an excellent exercise for developing leg muscles. Here’s a breakdown of the top leg press machines for your home gym.
The leg press machine is a popular way to build lower body muscle and improve strength.
Load it up with some weight and push it up or horizontally.
While the leg press isn’t as super-duper as the barbell squat for athletic performance [1], the machine does a GREAT job at building leg muscle.
The cool thing about the leg press is that simply varying where your feet are on the footplate you can emphasize the quads, glutes, inner or outer thighs [2].
The leg press is also an excellent alternative for gymgoers and athletes returning from injury and want a fixed-position exercise.
When it comes to picking out the best leg press machine for your home gym, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Okie dokie.
Now that we’ve covered some of the benefits of leg press and put down a foundation of what to look for, let’s get to the best leg press machines for your home gym.
Read on and let’s get to building some monster legs.
Force USA Monster Leg Press + Hack Squat Combo
The Force USA Monster Leg Press machine is a versatile, heavy-duty leg press for home gyms. And honestly, it would fare well in most commercial gyms, too, simply because it is so much more than just a leg press.
You can do hack squats, calf raises, leg press, and with five racking positions and five safety lock positions, the machine can accommodate lifters of varying heights (up to 7 feet tall).
The machine can handle up to 1,000lbs of weight. Has pegs for banded resistance. Four sleeves for weight plate storage between workouts and reps. Framed with powder-coated, heavy-duty steel, the Force USA Monster lives up to its name.
Powertec Fitness Leg Press
The Powertec Fitness Leg Press machine is a pure leg press, and in my experience, the best option for those looking for a leg press machine for a home or garage gym.
Load the four weight pegs with up to 1,000lbs and do work.
The back pad is easily adjustable, a handle on top of the footplate makes climbing in and out of the machine a piece of cake, and the footplate is large to accommodate a variety of foot stances. Double-stitched vinyl pads keep you comfortable and are a breeze to wipe down after working out.
The usual leg press refinements are all here: safety levers, handles next to the seat for when you are white-knuckling through a hard set, and the sled rolls smoothly through the roller system.
In total, the Powertec Fitness Leg Press packs a ton of punch at a price that comes in at around half of comparable stations and combo units.
Rogue Iso Leg Press
Rogue makes industrial-strength fitness equipment. Whether you are after a flat weight bench, trap bar, or an Olympic barbell, Rogue makes gear that is insanely durable, looks good, and is designed for work.
The Rogue Iso Leg Press is a next level leg press that is better than the ones you will find in most commercial gyms. Seriously.
Two footplates offer athletes the opportunity to train with single or both legs. The foot decks are treaded with diamond-patterned steel for a secure and stable foot grip. The lumbar pad is adjustable, four weight pegs carry the weight plates when leg pressing, and the Rogue Iso Leg Press has an extra four pegs for storage.
Total weight capacity on the sled is just under 2,500-pounds, making it by far the most heavy-duty and weight-bearing option on this list of the top leg press machines.
The cost of this absurdly awesome list of features? Welp, if you have around $4,700 to invest in your home gym, this absolute tank of a leg press machine is yours. On the plus side, that nearly $5k investment means you get shipped a fully assembled leg press machine.
In summary, the Rogue Iso Leg Press is better than the leg presses machines you will find in your neighborhood gym. If you are serious about leg pressin’ and have the space (98” by 64”) and the budget for it, the Rogue Iso Leg Press is quite possibly the best leg press machine available.
Valor Fitness Vertical Leg Press
The vertical leg press isn’t for everyone. It can be a little disconcerting pushing lots of weight straight up into the air.
I get that.
But there are some benefits to this kind of set-up.
For starters, the machine itself is smaller, making it suitable for home gyms that have a limited amount of space (in other words, almost all of them). They are also cheaper compared to the nearly commercial-grade leg press machines.
The Valor Fitness Vertical Leg Press Machine is built of solid steel and has a wide base for added stability. The machine is rated for up to 400lbs of weight.
Vinyl-wrapped pads are easy to wipe down and are durable. The weight sleeves can stack both Olympic and non-Olympic plates.
Body-Solid LVLP Horizontal Leg Press
For lifters and home gym owners who prefer a horizontal press, the Body-Solid is a heavy-duty option that is backed by a lifetime warranty (“Forever. Period.”)
Constructed with 11-gauge steel and covered in a silver-powder coating, the press has a pivoting footplate that keeps your legs and feet in proper position throughout the press.
While it is built with the commercial gym in mind, if you have space, this leg press, with its double-stitched upholstery and fully adjustable back pad is an absolute beast.
TDS 4-Way Hip Sled and Leg Press
The TDS 4-Way Leg Press machine is another combination station that can be used for leg press, hack squats, calf raises.
Rated for a total weight capacity of 1000-lbs, it provides a taste of a commercial gym station in the comfort of your own home. Thick shoulder pads make hack squats comfortable, heavy steel tube construction keeps the station from wobbling or sliding, and a variety of lockout heights are provided.
One negative with this machine is the foot base is not very wide. If you are looking to do wider stance hack squats (or you are simply a wider than average human), this might not be the machine for you.