Leg Press vs Smith Machine Squats

[15AM]

I'm going to start Jason Blaha's 5x5 routine and my gym doesn't have a squat rack but it has a smith machine and leg press machine. I cannot join another gym before anyone recommends that as an option. Which of the two exercises would you recommend?

[CommitmentRulz]

I'm going to start Jason Blaha's 5x5 routine and my gym doesn't have a squat rack but it has a smith machine and leg press machine. I cannot join another gym before anyone recommends that as an option. Which of the two exercises would you recommend?

Before anyone else wastes a lot of time answering this. Here is OP's "other" post:

I'm going to start Jason Blaha's 5x5 routine and my gym doesn't have a straight bar to do deadlifts. Even though it sucks, I cannot join another gym before anyone recommends that as an option. What exercise would you recommend as a substitute?

OP, why can't you go to a real gym?

[15AM]

I'm a student and this gym which is in my school is the cheapest and most convenient to go to between study sessions

[gcoulson]

If you can't squat or dead, perhaps need to think about doing a different program?

[15AM]

May I ask, what's so bad about replacing Squats with Leg Press? They're both compound exercises and surely I'll build some muscle by doing them right, even if it's not as much as I could do by squatting? As for Deadlifts, can't I just make do with Dumbbell Deadlifts or Smith Machine Deadlifts until I'm finished with school and can move on to a better gym?

[grubman]

OP, why can't you go to a real gym?

The REAL question is, OP why the heck would you do ANYTHING that has the name Jason Blaha attached to it...the biggest joke in the fitness world.

[15AM]

Even though I've heard he's not the most respected in the fitness community, his 5x5 has been rated well.

[grubman]

May I ask, what's so bad about replacing Squats with Leg Press? They're both compound exercises and surely I'll build some muscle by doing them right, even if it's not as much as I could do by squatting? As for Deadlifts, can't I just make do with Dumbbell Deadlifts or Smith Machine Deadlifts until I'm finished with school and can move on to a better gym?

The answer is...nothing. Some excercises are fundamentally better than others for one reason or another, but all sensible excercises that stimulate the muscles will produce growth and improvement. I worked out at planet fitness for 3 years with no deadlifts or free weight squats and did just fine.

That said...don’t do deadlifts on a smith machine, it’s a recipe for a lower back injury.

I’m assuming a smith machine is all you have to work with? You can actually do pretty good quad focused squats if you get the foot position correct. Start with light weights until you get the right grove. You can also do belt squats or sumo deadlifts if you straddle the bar correctly and learn how not to smash your junk.

Good luck

[15AM]

Thanks for your reply. I'll try Leg Press/Smith Machine Squats, Sumo Deadlifts with the Smith Machine and see how it goes. Better to give them a go than to not even try and work with what's available.

[grubman]

Thanks for your reply. I'll try Leg Press/Smith Machine Squats, Sumo Deadlifts with the Smith Machine and see how it goes. Better to give them a go than to not even try and work with what's available.

For what it’s worth, you can do vertical leg presses with a smith machine as well, if your leg press sucks ass. You need good stiff rubber soled shoes though, not those cheap foam soled ones.

It’s actually pretty amazing the amount of excercises you can do with barebones equipment if you are properly motivated.

[ZackNusser]

That said...don’t do deadlifts on a smith machine, it’s a recipe for a lower back injury.

I'm curious as to why you think this is. Not saying you're wrong, but the bar path of a deadlift should be straight, so why would a fixed bar path be harmful?

[UnkleDolan]

My vote would go to Leg Press. I attributed most of my legs development doing it. Yes, I don't do conventional back squats because of my back problems and my legs are bigger than most people who can squat a ton. Conventional back squats aren't necessary for legs hypertrophy, although it is arguably the best strength building exercise.

[grubman]

I'm curious as to why you think this is. Not saying you're wrong, but the bar path of a deadlift should be straight, so why would a fixed bar path be harmful?

Many people, especially someone fairly new to training, probably isn’t going to have good form as it is. If form or position is off AND the bar is locked, I could see bad things happening, especially if someone is trying to force up heavy weight...and the back is usually the hapless victim. MHO

[BenMcLeodNZ]

They're both good exercises in their place, but I imagine if you learned on them without ever doing squats you may screw up your motor patterns, muscle balance etc, then have to un-learn a few things before you squat properly again.

But if it's one or the other, def leg press over the smith machine.