leg press vs Squats?

[Rink]

I've heard of all the magical things that squats can apparently do for you, my only fear is that lack of blance will screw my back up, I know of quite a few ppl who have done substanstial damage to their back due to to improper form.

The big question? are leg press's just as good as squats? increasing your test levels, and general mass gainer?

The other problem is when doing squats I am afraid of adding more then a 45lb plate on each side, though on the leg press machine I have no fear adding 3 45's on each side...

I used to do a lot of weight on the smith machine squats but I was told it puts your back in a werid position and it's quite bad for you.


Thanks!

[Adam2433]

nohting is as good as squats. simple as that. if you take the time to learn the correct form adn pracitce it with light weight youll do fine. yes you can do leg presses they're ok. adn youll end up with ok legs too. dont knwo about you but ok will never be good enough.

[GeneticSpecimen]

Do not do squats on a smith-machine... If you have lower back problems stick w/ leg presses, but it's not going to give you the same benfits as the squat...

[nWo]

You should definetely do both...Squats first and leg press right after. Here's my leg workout:
Squats: 2 warmup sets of 10-12 reps, 4 sets of 6-8 reps
Leg press: 4 heavy sets in the 6-8 reps range
For squats and leg press concentrate on pushing through with your heels.
SL deadlifts: 4 sets of 8 reps
Leg extension: 4 sets of 8 reps
Seated or Standing calve raises: 5-6 sets of 10-12 reps
I agree with the others, do not do Smith machine squats...puts too much unnatural pressure on your joints.

[Nocean]

Originally posted by nWo
You should definetely do both...Squats first and leg press right after.

Bump on this.

Nothing finishes off your quads and glutes like supersetting squats with seated leg press. I usually get my legs really close to my body in the leg press (past perpendicular) to pump my glutes (if I'm not deadlifting after).

[Fang]

Definitely do both if you can. My back is shot to hell because of disc problems. But I saw crazy results while squating and once you master the correct form and start raising the weight, you will fall in love with it. Now that I pretty much do leg presses exclusively, my leg mass has gone down dramatically, but it's better than having a ****ed up back in my opinion. So if you can do squats then do them because nothing's better and I know you ain't scared of a little old exercise like the squat!

[HIT is best]

Originally posted by GeneticSpecimen
Do not do squats on a smith-machine... If you have lower back problems stick w/ leg presses, but it's not going to give you the same benfits as the squat...

Finally some sensible advice. Trap bar deadlifts (bent legged) are an equal alternative to the conventional barbell squat. Whatever you do keep your form tight, absolutely no cheating and never let your lower back round.

Peace

[peterb]

Leg press is excellent for building muscle in the quads, hams and glutes. The benefits from squats go well beyond building muscle in these areas. They place tremendous stress on the torso as well. Using leg press from time to time is fine, but you should be squatting(if possible) 75% of the time or more.

Also, it's not necessary to do both in the same session. If you have the resources left after squats to do heavy leg presses, you didn't use the proper intensity when squatting.
pb

[Rink]

I guess I 'll just have to strap on a belt (to save my back), and find some one who has better form than I do to give me a hang of how to do my squats.

nWo I agree, pushing with your heels really helps .....

Another question, do you have to make a point not to have your knees ever lean infront of your toes? .... should your knees always be behind your toes?

thanks!!

[peterb]

Rink
It's a myth that a belt will save your back.
Do some research on the problems associated with using a belt for suppport.
Just cautioning you. Check it out.
pb

[Psikilla]

Originally posted by Rink


Another question, do you have to make a point not to have your knees ever lean infront of your toes? .... should your knees always be behind your toes?

I'd like to know this too!

Thanks.

[Nocean]

Originally posted by Rink

Another question, do you have to make a point not to have your knees ever lean infront of your toes? .... should your knees always be behind your toes?

It could depend on your body, but I think the answer is YES. It's really important that the weight doesn't move forward as you bend your knees, which causes you to round your back. You should feel the weight in your heels. When you get to parallel, drive up through your heels, but NEVER lift your hips faster than your shoulders.

When I'm squatting, all I'm thinking about it sticking my ass out to not round my back going down and keeping the weight over my heels coming up.

Remeber: start VERY light. You can mess your back up worse than you'd ever want to know.

[Telly]

Rink,

Use a belt at all times! I have a bad back, and using a belt assists greatly. Make sure if you're doing squats, that you incorporate deadlifts as well. It is important to progressively strengthen your lower back as your squatting weights increase and deadlifts are the best way to do this.

If you you're worried about your knees travelling over your toes, use a wider stance when squatting. This will give you more control over the movement and prevent you from overbalancing

[Rink]

A wider stance definately sounds like a good idea, yeah .. i do both squats and dead lifts ......

I gota love the dead lifts ... really improved my posture ...

any one know what the big difference is between straight/bent legged dead lifts ... obviously other than how u do them ... I am interested in thier benefits.

[Telly]

Essentially the amount of weight you can handle, which translates to greater mass potential from doing regular deadlifts. Stiff legs transfers a greater amount of the stress onto the hammies and glutes, which is fine if that's what you want from them, but for sheer all-round mass and strength, regular deadlifts are the go.

[Retardo-pex]

I've always heard that any excersize where your body is moving through space is more beneficial for size and strength, such as pull-ups, dips, and yes squats. Leg presses are good for size and strength as well but I feel they aren't as taxing on the body because of the angle of full body support.

[upandcomin]

I hear alot of ppl sayin that squat is the king of all free weight movements and for years that was my belief.

Free Weights:
Partial squat 655lbs x 27 reps 30% range of motion 3 min rest/sets
parallel squat come up to just before lockout 435 x 27 3 min rest/sets
front parallel squat come up to just before lockout 275 x 27 3 min rest/sets

the above #s are my personal best for a single workout! all 9 sets done as shown.

I am clean as well but used alot of carb drinks, creatine, glutamine, and essential fats to accomplish that at a body weight of 215lbs, 5 foot ten inches.

My nickname was quad zilla at the YMCA in ST. Catharines Ontario, Canada.

Now what I am about to say is my experience only and does not necessarily apply to any one elses experience.

Squats are great for overall power and lower body density. I found that High reps work best for me. But what I truly found was that the next day or two following my lower body routine I was knocked down systematically and central nervous systemly.

I have trained for 15 years from 14 to age 29 and have always squatted not because from my experienced results but because I was led to believe that they are the be all and end of of movements hence the king!

What I have learned is that leg press allows me to train my quads more thoroughly and to a higher level of exhaustion then any squat movement ever has. and I go rock bottom in the leg press. I train hamstrings fresh then hit the leg press and my hams are fried the next day. If anyone thinks that leg press does not hit the glutes, take 2 weeks off from your leg training then go back and do full leg press and I promise that if you use a good weight for say 20/16/12/8 your goint to feel the same soreness in your quad as u did squatting only you low back will feel better the next day!

The other advantages of leg press are that if you follow a each body part twice in 6 days then you will be able to recover. Squats as like deadlifts are two taxing and require too much recovery to build the body symetrically and that is another reason why I stopped squatting after 15 years.

I found that my upper body lagged and I mean really lagged compared to my lower body mass. My goal is a physique that is balanced, symmetrical, ripped and has great mass.

Since stopping squatting and deadlifting and focusing on functional strength movements I have greatly even out my physique. By the way I am also preaching that dumbells are best for most movements for the upper body, and that barbells should be used sparingly. Dips and Chins are my core power movements for my upper body followed by Dumbell presses and lying dumbell rows (both arms at the same time) Cables are the best and I mean best! for isolating muscles due to constant tension at peak contraction.

dumbells are not good for isolation but great for strengthening.

Anyway this is my experience and may or may not be yours. I do want to say that it is better to find what works for your body type and not be led off to years of wasted time and effort using exercises such as squats if they hurt you or slow progress down in you body.

By the way some believe squats to be great for fat loss due to the upper body involvement.

You burn very few calories in a set of squats. and another thing to consider is if I do 200lbs for 10 reps that is 2000lbs of work. If I do the same weight ion the leg press for 10 reps that is 2000lbs of work as well. Now most guys are able to leg press the same weight as they can all out squat for probably double the reps. Therefore in the end both burn the same energy. By the way it is easier to increase your work capacity leg pressing then squatting so in the long run you will increase your metabolism faster leg pressing then squatting.

If you don't believe me then find out for yourself by experience. That is my only teacher and should be yours not what I say.

Until next time good luck and train hard.

AL

[shakey999]

It could depend on your body, but I think the answer is YES. It's really important that the weight doesn't move forward as you bend your knees, which causes you to round your back. You should feel the weight in your heels. When you get to parallel, drive up through your heels, but NEVER lift your hips faster than your shoulders.

When I'm squatting, all I'm thinking about it sticking my ass out to not round my back going down and keeping the weight over my heels coming up.

Remeber: start VERY light. You can mess your back up worse than you'd ever want to know.

Nope, the knees should be slightly ahead of the toes, Mark Rippetoe does a good job explaining this. Everything else you've said is basically right.

[cemetarygates31]

leg press is good for hypertrophy
but no so much for strength

squats are obviously superior

do both

[Lencho]

Nope, the knees should be slightly ahead of the toes, Mark Rippetoe does a good job explaining this. Everything else you've said is basically right.

You do realize this thread is seven years old?

[danklord]

lol u cant replace squats with leg presses lol @ u

[Lencho]

lol u cant replace squats with leg presses lol @ u

...

You do realize this thread is seven years old?

[TheStender]

You do realize this thread is seven years old?

LOL. Nothing like bumping a thread from 2002 to make a guy feel good.

[Pull-Up]

You can build better legs using squats only than all other exercises without squats.

[Lencho]

GOOD CHRIST, PEOPLE, STOP REPLYING! THIS THRAD IS ELEVENTYBAJILLION YEARS OLD!1!




CEASE AND DESIST, plox!

[bango skank]

Now most guys are able to leg press the same weight as they can all out squat for probably double the reps. Therefore in the end both burn the same energy. By the way it is easier to increase your work capacity leg pressing then squatting so in the long run you will increase your metabolism faster leg pressing then squatting.

*wonders why you bumped a thread from 2002 to say this*

Most guys are able to do twice the reps on a leg press because the weight they are moving is half as much (less than half probably). The leg press is angled, therefore you don't have to work against gravity as much as you would in a full squat.

If you put 200# on a leg press and stuck a bathroom scale in between your feet and the sled, it would read <100# probably.

[bango skank]

CHRIST IS OLD!1!

Oh, Hai!

[Real00]

Do not do squats on a smith-machine... If you have lower back problems stick w/ leg presses, but it's not going to give you the same benfits as the squat...

Nobody has a weak and painfull back like me as I do,but in the 22 years I have been doing Squats I never got even slightly injured doing them.The Leg Press I feel like Im suffocating down there.I only do Squats with good form for Legs.

[Lencho]

Nobody has a weak and painfull back like me as I do,but in the 22 years I have been doing Squats I never got even slightly injured doing them.The Leg Press I feel like Im suffocating down there.I only do Squats with good form for Legs.

Maybe you should send GeneticSpecimen a PM. I'm sure he'd respond promptly, considering his last post on this site was only... oh, let me see...





























almost seven f*cking years ago!1!!







Knock it off, plox.

[donaldo490]

I have had lower back problems ever since I grew. I'm 6 foot 4. I've found that leg presses can hurt your back just as much as squats