How to Do a Glute-Focused Leg Press: The Ultimate Guide

Growing your glutes can be surprisingly tricky, and a lot of people hit plateaus without realizing why. Everyone’s body anatomy is different. Bone structure, hip width, flexibility and and muscle insertion etc. can range drastically from person to person. Your anatomy can have a big impact on how your glutes develop and how they look as they grow. That’s why it is important pin-point what works best for YOU.

You can build strong, well rounded glutes no matter your body type—it just might take some personalized tweaks in your form, exercise selection, and programming to get the best results.

The leg press is an underrated gem when it comes to glute training—especially when done with the right form. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to target your glutes when using the leg press, what mistakes to avoid, and how to get the best results from this go-to lower body move.

Now let’s dive in!! 👇

I’m Struggling to Grow My Glutes

Let’s be real—glute gains can be frustrating. You’re training hard, showing up consistently, and doing all the “right” exercises, but your glutes just aren’t growing the way you hoped. Sound familiar? You’re definitely not alone. Growing strong, shapely glutes isn’t always as straightforward as it seems, and there are a few common mistakes that can quietly hold back your progress. In this section, we’re diving into the real reasons your glutes might be lagging—and how to fix them so you can finally start seeing results. Here are some of the top reasons people struggle to build their glutes:

• Poor mind-muscle connection: If you’re not really feeling your glutes working during exercises, other muscles (like your quads or lower back) might be taking over. Learning to activate your glutes properly is key.

• Not using enough resistance: Your glutes are strong muscles, and they need progressive overload (increasing weight or resistance over time) to grow. If you’re sticking to light weights or high reps without challenge, you might stall your progress.

• Lack of variety: Doing only squats or relying on one or two exercises won’t cut it. The glutes have multiple functions—hip extension, abduction, and external rotation—so they need a mix of movements like hip thrusts, deadlifts, lunges, and abductions.

• Training inconsistently: Like any muscle group, the glutes need regular and consistent stimulus to grow. Infrequent or random workouts make it hard to see real progress.

• Not recovering properly: Growth happens during recovery. If you’re not eating enough, sleeping well, or giving your glutes time to recover between sessions, you might be sabotaging your own results.

• Poor form: Doing the right exercises the wrong way can limit glute activation. Even small tweaks in form—like foot placement or range of motion—can make a huge difference.

Benefits of a Glute-Focused Leg Press

When done with intention, the leg press can be an incredible tool for glute growth, offering a safer, more controlled way to load your lower body without beating up your lower back or joints. In this section, we’ll break down the benefits of a glute-focused leg press, why it deserves a spot in your routine, and how a few simple tweaks can help you get way more out of each rep.

Why should you adjust the leg press to target your glutes more effectively? Here are some of the top benefits:

• Isolate the Glutes: Great for people who want to build a rounder, stronger backside.
• Reduced Knee Stress: Compared to squats, the leg press places less pressure on the knees.
• Improved Glute Engagement: Allows for heavy, controlled glute activation without balance being an issue.
• Beginner Friendly: A stable machine with simple mechanics, perfect for learning and progressing.

Glute Focused Leg Press Video

Proper Form for Glute-Focused Leg Press:

If you want to get the most out of the leg press for glute growth, proper form is everything. It’s not just about loading up weight and pushing—it’s about how you set up, how you move, and which muscles you’re actually using during each rep.

👉 Pro Tip:, adjusting the seat up (bringing the backrest more upright) on a glute-focused leg press impacts your hip flexion—and it’s actually a great way to help target the glutes more effectively. Not every leg press has an adjustable seat, but if you can find one at your gym that does – even better!

How Adjusting the Seat Helps:

1. More Hip Flexion at the Bottom: A more upright seat increases the angle between your torso and thighs when your knees are bent. This allows for greater hip flexion at the bottom of the movement.

2. Greater Glute Stretch: More hip flexion = a deeper stretch in the glutes, especially when your feet are placed high and wide on the platform. This stretch puts the glutes in a more mechanically advantageous position to contract during the press.

3. Less Quad Dominance: By increasing the seat angle and moving your feet higher on the platform, you reduce the involvement of the quads and shift the focus toward the posterior chain—glutes and hamstrings.

1. Foot Placement: Higher on the Platform

Placing your feet higher up on the platform shifts the emphasis from your quads to your glutes and hamstrings. Think of it like changing the angle of attack—by moving your feet up, you increase the hip flexion at the bottom of the movement, which activates the glutes more as you press through.

👉 Tip: Your heels should stay flat, and your knees should still track over your toes—no crazy angles.

2. Wider Stance – Toes Slightly Outward

A slightly wider stance can help recruit more of the glute muscles, especially the glute medius (the outer part that helps with hip stability and that rounded shape). It also allows you to get deeper into the movement without your knees caving in. Shoot for just slightly wider than shoulder with and adjust to find the sweet spot specific for you.

👉 Tip: Imagine pushing the platform apart with your legs, not just up—that mental cue can help engage the outer glutes.

3. Push Through Your Heels

It’s a simple cue, but it makes a big difference. Pushing through your heels instead of your toes shifts the tension away from your quads and more into your glutes and hamstrings.

👉 Try this: Wiggle your toes slightly during a rep—if you can do that while still pushing strong, you’re pressing through your heels correctly.

4. Controlled, Full Range of Motion

Don’t short-change your reps. Lower the platform until your knees are close to a 90-degree angle (or a little deeper if your mobility allows), then press back up with control—no bouncing.

👉 Think about: Stretching the glutes at the bottom and squeezing hard at the top. Tempo matters here: slow down the descent and pause briefly before pressing up.

5. Mind-Muscle Connection

You’d be surprised how much more you feel the glutes when you mentally focus on them. Don’t just go through the motions—actively think about squeezing your glutes on every rep.

👉 Pro move: Try one warm-up set with light weight and really concentrate on the glute contraction. It’ll carry over to your heavier sets.

Common Mistakes:

Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to miss the mark when trying to target your glutes on the leg press. A few small mistakes—like foot placement, range of motion, or ego-lifting too much weight—can quietly shift the focus away from your glutes and onto other muscles, like your quads or lower back. The good news? These mistakes are super common and totally fixable.

1. Placing Your Feet Too Low on the Platform

The problem: A low foot placement shifts the focus to your quads, not your glutes. It also limits how far your hips can move, which reduces glute activation.

👉 The fix: Move your feet higher on the platform so your knees and hips both bend more deeply at the bottom of the movement. You should feel your glutes stretch at the bottom and drive the movement as you push back up.

2. Letting Your Knees Cave In

The problem: When your knees collapse inward, you take tension off the glutes and put unnecessary stress on your joints. It’s also a sign your glute medius isn’t firing properly.

👉 The fix: Keep your knees in line with your toes throughout the entire rep. Think about driving them slightly outward as you press—this keeps the glutes engaged and protects your knees.

3. Going Too Shallow

The problem: Half reps = half the results. Not going deep enough means you’re not fully stretching the glutes, which limits their activation and growth potential.

👉 The fix: Lower the platform until your knees are at least at a 90-degree angle (or a bit deeper, if your mobility allows). You should feel a strong stretch in your glutes before pressing back up.

4. Locking Out Your Knees at the Top

The problem: Locking your knees takes the tension off your muscles and puts unnecessary strain on your joints. It also gives your glutes a break—exactly what you don’t want.

👉 The fix: Stop just short of locking out. Keep a slight bend in your knees at the top of the rep to maintain continuous tension on your glutes.

5. Rushing Through Reps

The problem: Speeding through the movement with no control turns your leg press into a momentum game. You’ll miss out on that deep glute engagement.

👉 The fix: Slow down. Use a controlled tempo, especially on the way down, and squeeze your glutes as you press up. Quality over quantity every time.

6. Not Engaging Your Core or Arching Your Back

The problem: An overly arched back or flared ribs can mess with your alignment and reduce glute activation. Plus, it puts pressure on your lower back.

👉 The fix: Keep your back flat against the pad, engage your core, and avoid excessive arching. Your torso should stay stable and supported from start to finish.

7. Lifting Your Hips Off the Seat

The problem: If your hips come off the seat, you’re likely going too deep or loading too heavy—this can lead to lower back pain or injury.

👉 The fix: Only go as deep as you can while keeping your hips firmly planted on the seat. If they start lifting, shorten the range slightly and work on improving mobility.

8. Using Too Much Weight

The problem: Ego lifting with too much weight often leads to poor form, limited range of motion, and minimal glute activation.

👉 The fix: Choose a weight that challenges you while still allowing proper form. Quality over quantity—your glutes respond best to controlled, intentional movement.

Wrapping Up

The glute-focused leg press is more than just a tweak to your workout—it’s a game-changer. Whether you’re a beginner figuring out your groove or a seasoned lifter looking to fine-tune results, mastering this movement can make a serious difference.

Start applying these tips next session, stay consistent, and trust the process. And hey—if this helped you out, share it with a workout buddy who could use a glute glow-up too.