Powertec Compact Leg Sled P-CLS
The Powertec Compact Leg Press would have to be one of my favourite leg machines. It was a shame that it took so long for people to catch on. But once people try them, they realise that they are a great alternative to a 45 degree leg press machine.
Early Leg Sled Issues
The first generation of these machines had steel rollers with a rubber coating. Eventually the coating would wear off and it would be metal on metal. They then replaced these with nylon rollers. These were an improvement, but not bullet proof. Under heavy loads they would eventually wear out.
In 2008 this was solved by the addition of wider and thicker rollers. This new update made the machine a beast. With this set up these little sleds saw all sorts of service in PT studios and gyms in Australia. For the space and functionality they were hard to beat. I still have one in my office gym in 2024. The machine would be getting near 15 years old.
This was the model that Lee Priest had in his home gym for many years. If you follow his training methods on the Powertec Compact Leg Sled you will get the best results. Yes you can lift a lot of weight without isolating the quads. But if you target the quads you can really set them on fire with some high reps.
Below is great demo that Brad Turnbull did years ago for us. Sorry about the poor quality! It was nearly 20 years ago. But the message is great.
My Original Powetec Compact Leg Sled Promo
The Powertec Compact Leg Sled is a great alternative to the 45 degree Leg Press. A good quality 45 degree Leg Press is not only very costly they also have a large footprint. Often the space and budget required for such a machine is not warranted for a machine that does one exercise.
Here is a video of Lee Priest training on the leg sled. He actually prefers the Powertec Sled to a lot of leg presses because it takes the strain off his knees.
The Powertec Leg Sled lets you perform the same pressing movement but at a fraction of the cost and space. This machine is also great for performing lunges which really engage the glutes. Powertec have also added a removable calf block allowing you to perform calf raises making this a great all round leg machine.
The adjustable footplate and back rest enable you to set the Powertec Leg Sled up specifically for your body shape. The sled rides on reinforced nylon bearing driven wheels which gives it a smooth and silent operation.
Unfortunately Powertec did not develop the machine much more while I was still selling them. They were still great but they did look a bit dated. Megatec copied the machine and came out with the MT-CLP-640. It had thicker guide rails and bearings.
In the latest evolution, ATX have released the ATX-CLP-700 Compact Leg Press. The level of refinements and improvements are breath taking. The concept is the same, but the build quality and features put it into another level compared to the old Powertec machine.