Sled 45 Leg Wide Press

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit firmly in the leg press machine with your back and head pressed flat against the padded support.
2. Place your feet high on the platform with a stance significantly wider than shoulder-width.
3. Point your toes outward at approximately a 45-degree angle to align with your natural hip structure.
4. Grasp the side handles for stability and disengage the safety locks by extending your legs slightly.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly lower the sled by bending your knees, ensuring your lower back remains glued to the seat.
2. Lower the weight until your thighs are just past parallel to the footplate or until your knees reach a 90-degree angle.
3. Exhale and drive the platform upward by pushing through your heels and mid-foot, focusing on the glutes and inner thighs.
4. Stop the ascent just before your knees lock out to maintain constant tension on the target muscles.

Form checklist

• Keep your lower back and sacrum pressed firmly against the backpad at all times.
• Ensure your knees track in the same direction as your toes and do not cave inward.
• Maintain full contact between your heels and the platform throughout the entire rep.
• Avoid 'butt wink' or the rounding of the lower spine at the bottom of the movement.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'spreading the platform apart' with your feet during the ascent to maximize glute and adductor recruitment.
• Use a controlled 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase mechanical tension and muscle fiber recruitment.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second isometric pause at the bottom of each rep to eliminate momentum and increase difficulty.
• Perform 1.5 reps by going all the way down, coming halfway up, going back down, and then finishing the full extension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the sled 45 leg wide press work?

The sled 45 leg wide press primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors, calves, and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the sled 45 leg wide press?

The sled 45 leg wide press uses sled machine.

Is the sled 45 leg wide press good for beginners?

The sled 45 leg wide press is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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