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Horizontal Leg Press strength standards

What is a good Horizontal Leg Press?

The Intermediate Horizontal Leg Press standard is about 443 lb (2.46x bodyweight) for a 180 lb man and 252 lb for a 140 lb woman. Advanced starts around 617 lb for men and 374 lb for women. Enter your bodyweight below for your exact standard. These are estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, not averages of what people lift in the gym.

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Horizontal Leg Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

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

The Horizontal Leg Press standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Horizontal Leg Press Standards by Age

How the Horizontal Leg Press standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

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

The Horizontal Leg Press standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Horizontal Leg Press Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 443 lbs (2.46x bodyweight) on the Horizontal Leg Press is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

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What the Horizontal Leg Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

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

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

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

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 progress with the one rep max calculator →
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

Primary Muscles Calves, Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment Leg Press Machine
  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

  • 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?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Horizontal Leg Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Horizontal Leg Press itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Horizontal Leg Press depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Horizontal Leg Press after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Horizontal Leg Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.