Body Solid Compact Leg Press Review

The Body Solid compact leg press machine is here and I’m excited to put it to the test.

I’ve had a bigger leg press machine inside my garage gym and it took up a TON of space.

So I’m excited to have one that lets me workout my legs without eating up garage real estate.

Let’s check it out!

Unboxing

Even though this is considered a compact piece of equipment, it still requires two boxes.

Both boxes were packed with styrofoam, plastic, and cardboard so all the parts were well protected.

Here’s everything out of the boxes.

Not many pieces to it so I don’t foresee me taking a long time to put it together.

And here it is!

The compact leg sled is a beauty and weighing in at 256 lbs, it feels tough and very stable.

Specs

• Dimensions: 67.1”L x 47.2”W x 46.4”H

• Weight capacity: 1000 lbs

• Product weight: 228 lbs

• Material: Heavy gauge steel, commercial rated

• Adjustable: Seat adjusts in 3 levels

• Weight horns: Chrome, 12″ long

• Uses: Leg press and calf raise machine

Feature

Size

With this being a compact leg press machine, it takes up less space than a regular leg press machine.

The leg press hack squat combo machine I previously reviewed is 7 feet long by 4 feet wide, which is a lot for any garage gym.

And even though Body Solid’s compact leg press is not as small as a vertical leg press machine, it’s sized so that it doesn’t eat up half of my garage so that’s a plus.

Linear Bearings

With any leg press machine, I wanna make sure that it glides up and down without any jerky motions.

Body Solid’s carriage glides on linear bearings over chrome rods which feels really smooth even when loading it up with a lot of weight.

The chrome rods are long so people of different heights can use this without having any limitations on range of motion.

Locking Mechanism

On the right side of the seat there’s a handle that locks the carriage to the frame of the machine.

I went under the seat to show you the two hooks where the carriage can lock.

When it’s unlocked, both hooks are visible.

The lowest hook is closer to the footplate so it can be used by shorter people.

And here’s what it looks like when the sled is in the locked position.

The handle is connect to a rod that goes into the hooks and keeps the carriage from gliding down.

When the handle is more vertical it’s locked, when it is angled forward it is unlocked.

Seat & Back Pad

The seat is about 2″ thick and feels very comfortable.

Upholstery and stitching is right on point.

The back pad is the same as the seat in thickness and upholstery.

I’ll take you behind the back pad so you can see how I tilt it.

Right behind the back pad there’s a pull knob with 3 settings so I can tilt it at different angles.

Here are the 3 angles…

I don’t know the exact measurements but I prefer the first one on the left.

And the best part of it all is that I don’t feel any lower back compression like when I do barbell squats.

Handles

Right next to the seat there’s a pair of rubber coated handles.

I don’t have to hold the handles to use the machine but I feels it gives me more stability.

Weight Horns

The weight horns are chrome so that reduces weight plate scratches.

And right at the end of each weight horn there’s a rubber bumper so weight plates aren’t directly in contact with metal.

Not that it matters to me much but it’s good for those who like to keep their equipment scratch-free.

With the rubber bumper on, the weight horns are 11″ long so there’s plenty of room to load them up.

I threw on a whole set of competition bumper plates and still have room for more.

Of course, bumper plates take up more space then regular weight plates but I just wanted to show you there’s lots of space.

I added one of my thin weight plates on so you can see how much space bumper plates take.

Footplate

I like that the footplate is diamond plated to give me better grip and spacious at 23 5/8″ L x 19.5″ H.

This gives me plenty of space to place my feet at different widths and heights to hit my legs from different angles.

Right at the bottom of the footplate there’s a downward lip and that’s designed to make calf raises easier on my feet.

Instead of having a straight edge pressing against the bottom of my foot, the curve on the footplate makes it more comfortable at the bottom of a calf raise.

Same on the way up…

My feet go over the curve without digging into me.

Stability

The hind legs on the compact leg sled are 67″ wide so they give it very good stability.

Here’s a close up of one leg where you can see a hole.

That’s there for people who want to bolt down the machine for added stability.

And here are the front legs.

They’re less wide than the legs in the back but there’s zero wobble on the machine.

What Is The Difference Between A Leg Press and Compact Leg Press?

The biggest difference between a regular leg press machine and a compact leg press is you guessed it… size.

Other than that, with a leg press you’re moving the weight away from you.

With Body Solid’s compact leg press you move with the weight.

What Muscles Do Compact Leg Sleds Work?

Muscles worked with the compact leg press are quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Smooth: Linear bearings give the sled a smooth motion

• Stability: Wide base and a weight of 228 lbs give the compact leg press very good stability (I haven’t felt any wobble at all)

• Build: Heavy duty, commercial grade steel frame

• Weight capacity: High weight capacity (1000 lbs) so this can be used by people of all types of fitness levels

• Footprint: Takes up less space than a traditional leg press machine

• No spine compression: Unlike barbell squats, I feel no pressure on my lower back

Cons

• Footprint: Yes it’s compact, but still takes up some floor space so it may not be a good option for small home gyms

Body Solid Discount Code

The Body Solid compact leg press machine retails for $950 which is a fair price for a commercial grade machine.

But I’ve negotiated a discount for my readers so that it takes a little pressure off your wallet.

Click the red button below to reveal the coupon code.

Is the Body Solid Compact Leg Press Machine Worth It?

After I read through Body Solid’s warranty, the compact leg press machine is definitely worth it especially if you’re a home gym owner.

Body Solid covers the entire machine for life and they’ve been around since 1989 so they’re not going anywhere.

They even have a decent “Light Commercial Use” warranty for those with facilities that don’t see a ton of traffic.

Body Solid Compact Leg Press Machine Review

I like being able to have a leg press machine in a garage gym without it eating up a lot of space.

Body Solid’s compact leg press has commercial grade quality, glides smoothly, and has a high weight capacity to light up my legs.

Throw in Body Solid’s lifetime home gym warranty on all parts, I can’t think of a better deal for home gym owners.

Click Here To Check Out The Compact Leg Press