10 DIY leg press machines

The leg press is a common specialty machine in commercial gyms. In fact, it is one of the things people say they miss the most when building a home gym. There are companies that sell a version of the leg press that is a bit more home gym friendly, but it tends to be expensive and take up a lot of space. Over the last few years, the popularity of the DIY leg press has been increasing. In this article I’ll show you some of my favorite DIY leg presses that I’ve seen.


The DIY leg press is a pretty complicated project, if you would rather buy a leg press, check out current pricing on my affiliates below.

1. This is the most basic and easy to build. It is flat and sort of works like a vertical leg press.

original diy leg press

Check out the video below for more information on how to set this up.


2. The next option is a bit more difficult but also has more functionality. It is similar to the design of the Titan Fitness Stealth Leg Press. 📸 posted by @kaizendiygym

A full written tutorial can be found on Garagegymexperiment.com or you can watch the video below.


3. This one was made by following the tutorial and has a few improvements to the design. 📸 posted by @mcasaledpt


4. This one was also made using the DIY leg press tutorial with more of a natural look. 📸 posted by u/greenstar323 in r/homegym on Reddit


5. This one is a similar concept but instead of attaching the leg press to a power rack, the builder added a dedicated seat. 📸 posted by @wood_gym_l.s


6. This DIY leg press steps up the level of difficulty quite a bit but the end result is a fully functional leg machine. 📸 posted by @chmod666_

Check out the video below to see how he made it.


7. Here is another rack mounted design. This one utilizes a combination of wood and metal. 📸 posted by u/RitalTmoc in r/homegym on Reddit


8. Here’s a compact full function leg press fabricated from metal. 📸 posted by @sascha_h1895


9. When Covid 19 hit, Matt Nunan decided to build an entirely DIY gym. The vibrant colors set his gym apart from all the other’s I’ve seen. His leg press is just one of the impressive builds he’s accomplished. 📸 posted by @mattnunan

For details on the build process, check out the video below.


10. This DIY leg press could definitely pass for a manufactured piece. 📸 posted by Frederic Peter in the HomeGym / GarageGym (deutsch) group on Facebook


11. This DIY leg press is an example of someone with a vast amount of skills getting creative with design. 📸 posted by Frederic Peter in the HomeGym / GarageGym (deutsch) group on Facebook


12. Looking at this piece, it is hard to believe it is DIY equipment. 📸 posted by @lubos_javorcek


What do you think? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comment section below and I’ll add to my list.