Side Lunge vs One Leg Press
Maximizing Your Leg Workout Plan
Contents
Side Lunge is the easier place to start — difficulty 2 of 5 vs 5. Compare Leg form cues and when to progress.
Customize Your Leg Workout: Explore the Benefits of Side Lunge and One Leg Press for Better Comparison.
Planfit Users' Choice about Side Lunge vs One Leg Press : Which is Better?
Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Side Lunge more often — 2,021 sessions compared to 1,391 for One Leg Press.
Popularity is not the whole answer. Side Lunge and One Leg Press differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.
How Side Lunge and One Leg Press Differ
| What differs | Side Lunge | One Leg Press |
|---|---|---|
| Muscles worked | quads, glutes, and outer thighs | quads, hamstrings, and glutes |
| Equipment | bodyweight only | a machine |
| Difficulty | 2 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Sessions logged by Planfit users | 2,021 sessions | 1,391 sessions |
How to Side Lunge
Side Lunge muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Move one foot to the side and shift your weight.
- 2. Bend the knee of the moved leg and keep the opposite leg straight.
- 3. Apply pressure to the center of the bent knee and slowly rise back to the starting position.
- 4. Repeat the same on the opposite side.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to lean your upper body forward.
- 2. Please make sure that your center of gravity does not shift too much to the side.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Side Lunge, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Side Lunge Guide page of our blog!
How to One Leg Press
One Leg Press muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Please bend from the hip joint to the knee while keeping your abdomen tight.
- 2. Go down until your thigh is perpendicular to your body.
- 3. Push while extending the hip joint, but only until the knee is slightly bent.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to fully extend your knees.
- 2. Please be careful not to let your knees spread apart.
- 3. Please be careful not to lift your hips off the equipment.
If you want to know a detailed guide to One Leg Press, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the One Leg Press Guide page of our blog!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for Leg, Side Lunge or One Leg Press?
Neither is clearly ahead — Planfit users log both at a similar rate. They both train Leg, so the choice comes down to the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.
Do Side Lunge and One Leg Press work the same muscles?
Not quite. Side Lunge loads quads, glutes, and outer thighs, and One Leg Press loads quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
What equipment do Side Lunge and One Leg Press need?
Side Lunge needs bodyweight only, and One Leg Press needs a machine.
Which is easier to start with?
Side Lunge is the easier place to start. Move to One Leg Press once your form holds up.
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