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Horizontal Leg Press Strength Standards

Quick Answer Horizontal Leg Press

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level Horizontal Leg Press of 443 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 617 lbs (3.43x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results

Competition-Verified

How strong is your Horizontal Leg Press? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Calves, Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment Leg Press Machine
Data Points 71 rows

How Strong Is Your Horizontal Leg Press?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
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to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You Horizontal Leg Press?

1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 80 158 269 408 568
120 95 180 296 442 608
130 111 201 323 474 646
140 126 221 348 505 682
150 141 241 373 535 716
160 156 260 397 563 749
170 171 279 420 591 781
180 185 297 443 617 811
190 199 315 464 643 840
200 213 332 486 668 869
210 227 349 506 692 896
220 240 366 526 715 923
230 253 382 545 738 948
240 266 398 564 760 973
250 279 414 583 781 997
260 291 429 601 802 1021
270 304 444 618 822 1044
280 316 458 636 842 1066
290 328 472 652 861 1088
300 339 486 669 880 1109
310 351 500 685 899 1130

How Does Age Affect Horizontal Leg Press Strength?

How Horizontal Leg Press standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 133 231 362 523 703
20 152 264 415 598 805
25 156 271 425 614 826
30 156 271 425 614 826
35 156 271 425 614 826
40 156 271 425 614 826
45 148 257 404 582 784
50 139 242 379 547 735
55 129 223 350 506 680
60 118 204 320 461 621
65 106 184 289 417 561
70 95 165 259 374 503
75 85 148 232 335 450
80 76 132 207 299 402
85 68 118 186 268 361
90 62 107 167 242 325

What Do Horizontal Leg Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning to hit proper depth on the Horizontal Leg Press, building ankle and hip mobility, and developing the bracing pattern needed to keep your torso upright under load.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can execute the Horizontal Leg Press with consistent depth and bracing. You are adding weight session to session using linear progression and building foundational leg strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Horizontal Leg Press technique is solid through heavy loads. You use periodized programming, understand RPE-based autoregulation, and can grind through sticking points without form breakdown.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have refined your Horizontal Leg Press stance, bar position, and breathing to maximize leverage. You train with block periodization, manage fatigue across training cycles, and likely compete or train at a competitive level.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Horizontal Leg Press is at a regional or national competitive standard. You have years of structured peaking cycles behind you and have optimized every technical detail from walkout to lockout.

How to Progress Your Horizontal Leg Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Horizontal Leg Press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Horizontal Leg Press 2x per week, focusing on hitting consistent depth every rep.
  • Use linear progression: add 5 lbs each session as long as form stays solid.
  • Record sets at RPE 6-7 to build volume without excessive fatigue.
  • Prioritize ankle and hip mobility work before each session.
Track your E1RM progress →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Switch from linear to weekly periodization (e.g., light/medium/heavy days).
  • Add a Horizontal Leg Press variation (pause squats, tempo squats) for weak-point work.
  • Keep most working sets at RPE 7-8, with occasional top singles at RPE 9.
  • Start tracking your training volume (sets x reps x load) week to week.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week training blocks with planned intensity peaks and deloads.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for primary sets, RPE 7 for backoff volume.
  • Address specific sticking points with targeted accessory work.
  • Manage fatigue: total weekly sets of 12-20 for the Horizontal Leg Press movement pattern.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run structured peaking cycles (8-12 weeks) leading to maximal attempts.
  • Fine-tune technique details: walkout, descent speed, breath timing.
  • Use the RPE chart to hit precise percentages during peaking blocks.
  • Consider competing to test your Horizontal Leg Press under meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Horizontal Leg Press

  1. Sit down on the leg press machine and position your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
  2. Adjust the seat and backrest so your knees are at a 90-degree angle when starting.
  3. Grip the handles on the sides of the seat for stability.
  4. Inhale, then press the platform away by extending your legs, keeping your back flat against the seat.
  5. Exhale as you push and avoid locking your knees at the top of the movement.
  6. Slowly return to the starting position by bending your knees to a 90-degree angle, controlling the movement.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips for Horizontal Leg Press

  • Ensure your feet are placed evenly on the platform to avoid muscle imbalances.
  • Control the movement to prevent the weight from slamming down.
  • Keep your knees aligned with your toes to avoid strain on the knee joints.
  • Avoid locking your knees fully at the top of the press to maintain tension on the muscles.

Where Do These Horizontal Leg Press Standards Come From?

These Horizontal Leg Press standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.

Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.

Is Your Horizontal Leg Press Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your Horizontal Leg Press performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:

  1. Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
  2. Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
  3. Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
  4. Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Horizontal Leg Press 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Horizontal Leg Press depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training experience. As a general benchmark, an Intermediate-level lift (stronger than 50% of lifters) is a solid goal for most recreational athletes. Check the table above for your specific bodyweight.
Most lifters can reach Intermediate level on the Horizontal Leg Press within 1-2 years of consistent training with progressive overload and proper nutrition. Genetics, training program quality, and recovery all play a role.
Yes. Our standards are calculated from 2.5M+ verified competition results and community-reported data. They are adjusted for bodyweight and age to give you an accurate comparison.
These standards are based on raw (unequipped) lifts. If you use supportive equipment like a bench shirt or squat suit, your equipped numbers will be higher than these standards reflect.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

E1RM Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE