10 Best Sled 45° Leg Press Alternatives for Home Gyms

What can you do instead of Sled 45° Leg Press (side Pov)? Use exercises that reproduce hip- and knee-extension torque: barbell hip thrusts, Bulgarian split squats, Romanian deadlifts, heavy step-ups, or hack squats. For example, perform Bulgarian split squats with a tall torso, descend until the front thigh is parallel, and drive through the heel to bias the glutes.

Original Exercise: Sled 45° Leg Press

Sled 45° Leg Press
Primary Muscle
Glutes
Equipment
Sled
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves
How to Perform Sled 45° Leg Press
  1. Adjust the seat of the sled machine so that your knees are at a 90-degree angle when your feet are on the footplate.
  2. Sit on the sled machine with your back flat against the backrest and your feet shoulder-width apart on the footplate.
  3. Grip the handles on the sides of the seat for stability.
  4. Push against the footplate to extend your legs, straightening them completely.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly bend your knees to lower the footplate back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Sled 45° Leg Press Alternatives

Best Match
Sled 45° Leg Press (back Pov)

1. Sled 45° Leg Press (back Pov)

99.9% Match
Glutes Sled Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat of the sled machine so that your knees are at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Sit on the sled machine with your back against the backrest and your feet shoulder-width apart on the footplate.
  3. Grip the handles on the sides of the seat for stability.
  4. Push the footplate away from your body by extending your legs, keeping your heels on the footplate.
  5. Pause for a moment at the fully extended position.
Sled 45° Leg Press

2. Sled 45° Leg Press

96% Match
Glutes Sled Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat and footplate of the sled machine to a comfortable position.
  2. Sit on the sled machine with your back against the backrest and your feet shoulder-width apart on the footplate.
  3. Grip the handles on the sides of the seat for stability.
  4. Push the footplate away from your body by extending your legs, keeping your heels on the footplate.
  5. Continue pushing until your legs are almost fully extended, but without locking your knees.
Sled Lying Squat

3. Sled Lying Squat

96% Match
Glutes Sled Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the sled machine to a comfortable weight.
  2. Lie on your back on the sled machine with your feet on the footplate.
  3. Position your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled outwards.
  4. Grip the handles of the sled machine for stability.
  5. Engage your glutes and core muscles.
Smith Sumo Squat

4. Smith Sumo Squat

91.4% Match
Glutes Smith-machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up the smith machine with the barbell at hip height.
  2. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outwards.
  3. Position yourself under the barbell, resting it on your upper back and shoulders.
  4. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down into a squat position, pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
  5. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
Smith Hack Squat

5. Smith Hack Squat

91.2% Match
Glutes Smith-machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the barbell on the smith machine to an appropriate height for your body.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed outwards.
  3. Position yourself under the barbell, resting it on your upper traps and shoulders.
  4. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  5. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you unrack the barbell.
Sled 45° Leg Wide Press

6. Sled 45° Leg Wide Press

91% Match
Glutes Sled Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the sled machine to a 45-degree angle.
  2. Sit on the sled machine with your back against the pad and your feet on the foot platform.
  3. Position your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Push against the foot platform to extend your legs and straighten your knees.
  5. Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, then slowly bend your knees to return to the starting position.
Sled Hack Squat

7. Sled Hack Squat

90.7% Match
Glutes Sled Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the sled machine to a comfortable position for your height.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform, toes slightly pointed outwards.
  3. Hold onto the handles or bars for stability.
  4. Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
  5. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
Smith Leg Press

8. Smith Leg Press

90.7% Match
Glutes Smith-machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat and footplate of the smith machine to a comfortable position.
  2. Sit on the machine with your back against the backrest and your feet shoulder-width apart on the footplate.
  3. Grasp the handles or sides of the machine for stability.
  4. Push the footplate away from you by extending your legs, keeping your back against the backrest.
  5. Pause for a moment at the fully extended position.
Smith Full Squat

9. Smith Full Squat

87.4% Match
Glutes Smith-machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up the smith machine with the barbell at shoulder height.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
  3. Step under the bar and position it across your upper back, resting on your traps.
  4. Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  5. Unrack the bar and take a step back, maintaining a stable stance.
Sled Closer Hack Squat

10. Sled Closer Hack Squat

86.7% Match
Glutes Sled Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the sled machine to a comfortable weight and position yourself with your back against the pad.
  2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform, toes slightly pointed outwards.
  3. Grip the handles on the sides of the machine for stability.
  4. Engage your core and slowly lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your back straight.
  5. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.

Why You Might Need a Sled 45° Leg Press Alternative

You might substitute the sled leg press because you lack a sled, have knee or lower-back irritation, or prefer unilateral loading. Alternatives let you maintain glute hypertrophy and horizontal/vertical force transfer while reducing joint stress. Choose movements that preserve hip-extension range and allow progressive overload, e.g., barbell hip thrusts with a controlled eccentric and full hip squeeze to maximize gluteus maximus activation, or split squats that force single-leg stability and load the glute medius.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on available equipment, pain or injury limitations, and the movement pattern you need. If you have a barbell, choose hip thrusts and load with chains or plates; cue: press through the heels, extend hips to full lockout and maintain a tucked chin. If you need a unilateral option, pick Bulgarian split squats, keep torso upright, lower until the front thigh is parallel and push through the front heel to emphasize glute recruitment. For minimal equipment, use heavy step-ups onto a knee-high box, driving the hip up while avoiding lumbar hyperextension.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Sled 45° Leg Press (side Pov) work?

The movement primarily targets the gluteus maximus and quadriceps via combined hip extension and knee extension. Secondary muscles include the hamstrings and adductors; pushing through the heel increases posterior-chain (glute/hamstring) activation while a more midfoot emphasis shifts load to the quads.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Sled 45° Leg Press (side Pov)?

Bulgarian split squats are the top bodyweight substitute: position the rear foot on a bench, keep your torso tall, descend until the front thigh is parallel, and drive through the front heel to maximize glute engagement. Perform slow eccentrics and add tempo or a weighted vest to increase load.

Can I build muscle without doing Sled 45° Leg Press (side Pov)?

Yes. You can achieve equal or greater hypertrophy with progressive overload on alternatives like barbell hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, and split squats. Focus on progressive loading, full hip extension, and deliberate time under tension to drive glute and quad growth.

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