Leg Press (or Squats)
The leg press is a machine exercise in which you push a loaded sled away from the body with both legs, and the squat is its free-weight equivalent, lowering the body under a bar and standing back up. The NSW guide lists them as alternatives, and either one is the main quadriceps and glute builder in the lower body list.
How to Perform It
On the leg press, sit with the back and hips flat against the pad and the feet about shoulder width on the platform. Lower the sled until the knees reach roughly 90 degrees without letting the lower back roll off the pad, then press back to just short of lockout. For squats, set a bar across the upper back, brace the trunk, and sit down between the hips by bending the knees and hips together until the thighs are about parallel, keeping the heels down and the chest up, then stand. The guide's prescription is one set of 8 to 12 reps with a weight that cannot be lifted more than 8 to 12 times with proper technique.
Why It Matters for BUD/S
The quadriceps and glutes are the engine for every run, every set of stairs, every berm, and every climb out of the surf. Two-legged pressing builds those muscles with more total load than lunges allow, and it is the extension movement that the guide asks you to pair with flexion work such as the leg curl. Stronger legs also make each stride on the 1.5-mile run cost less effort, which leaves more in reserve for the swim and the calisthenics events. The guide's caution about high-skill exercises applies here: the leg press is the safer choice for candidates without a coach, and the squat is the better choice for those who have learned it.
Where It Sits in the 26-Week Plan
The leg press or squat belongs to the Lower/Push-Sit-Pull sessions on Tuesday and Saturday. Sessions follow the guide's format of 8 to 12 exercises, one working set each, and only enough rest to load the next station. As the heaviest two-legged push in the list, it usually comes first or right after the dead lift. Progress across the 26 weeks by adding weight once 12 clean reps are possible, and use the guide's option of an occasional heavier 4 to 6 rep set once form is stable. Because the lower body days follow LSD and CHI runs, keep the depth consistent and the load honest instead of chasing numbers.
Keep the whole foot planted and the knees tracking over the toes. Depth with control matters more than the number on the sled.
Related Terms
Lower body strength training in the NSW preparation program builds the leg and posterior chain strength needed for running, swimming kicks, load carriage, and the high-volume physical demands of BUD/S. These sessions target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves through compound movements.
The lunge is a single-leg exercise in which you step forward, lower until both knees are bent to about 90 degrees, and push back to standing. It builds the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings one leg at a time and opens the NSW guide's lower body exercise list.
The leg curl is a machine exercise that bends the knee against resistance to isolate the hamstrings. It is listed in the NSW guide's lower body exercises and balances the quadriceps-dominant work of the leg press, squat, and lunge.
The 1.5-mile run is the final event of the Physical Screening Test (PST) and measures a candidate's running speed and cardiovascular endurance. Performed after the swim and calisthenics events, it tests the ability to produce a fast run effort on fatigued legs — a skill directly relevant to BUD/S demands.
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