Squats vs. Leg Press for Development

Training Bodybuilding
41

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Rippemanewone wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Rippemanewone wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
Are hamburgers better than hot dogs?

Or did you miss the fact that different people respond differently to certain movements.

OR! an even crazier idea just popped into my head…

Spend time doing each and find out for yourself.

Why are you so sarcastic towards people? You seriously are an asshole. It is not like he said…

HEY ASSHOLES ARE FUCKIN SQUATS BETTER THEN FUCKIN LEG PRESS?

Ok. He made a little jibe and you freak out?
The op posted a beginner question which has dozens of threads devoted to it already… And he did so in the bb forum instead of the beginner forum…
Add to that: Bone’s advice wasn’t bad at all? In fact, he actually gave some instead of just posting a sarcastic remark?

Do you want some blanket statement like “Squats. Always.” ?

K but he didnt have to get an attitude with people, you expect everyone to go through every page and find the squat topics? Why dont you post something up on the front of the page then saying “Make sure you read every topic before posting the same one”. Give people a break, jesus.

Judging from your post history, the only real problem you have is that he replied with a not-so-friendly comment to one of your threads. Ok.

I’m actually amazed at the fact that “use the search engine” has gone out of style as a response here… People apparently got tired of telling others even that…

“Go through every page”, huh?
How about “Site Search” or “Advanced Search” ?

Why do you think we have those options on the upper right? To make the site look prettier or something?
[/quote]

Yeah, a quick search with the key words “squats vs. leg press” would have turned up tons of threads/posts. It doesn’t take all that much time to do either.

Of course someone is not expected to read through hundreds of pages of threads to find the answer to their question(s), but not even trying the search function to see if your question has already been answered shows a lack of effort on the OP’s part.

BONEZ’s original post may have been with a sarcastic tone, but he actually gave good advice. I don’t see why people jumped down his throat for it.

42

Use both, but I wouldn’t tell people about my leg press weights be they big or small.
Squats are the ones I’d focus on.
It might be like that old line about nobody ever says on their deathbed " I wish I’d worked at the office more!" I also don’t think anyone would say " Damn! If only I’d never squatted so much!"

43

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Yeah.
That’s why I mentioned it specifically… You gotta mention every detail on the net as common sense is usually absent here.
[/quote]
Good point.

Now that we are mentioning details around here, I’d like to add in that leg (and bar) positioning is much more important than the leg press vs. squat debate. You can do all variants with both exercises anyways, so it will be a matter of personal preferences.

Leg press:
Feet high = More glute/ham activation
Feet low = More quad activation
Wide stance = More adductor activation
Narrow stance = More quad activation

Squats:
Back squat = More glute/ham activation
Front squat = More quad activation
Wide stance = More adductor activation
Narrow stance = More quad activation

So if you have just done SLDLs or leg curls, it would be a wise choice going for low stance leg press/front squat, with your feet more closely together.

44

[quote]pinkponyz wrote:
Leg press:
Feet high = More glute/ham activation
Feet low = More quad activation
Wide stance = More adductor activation
Narrow stance = More quad activation
[/quote]

Great addition.

I’ve found that using wide stance in the leg press is a great tool for increasing the range of depth that my hips will allow. By that I mean with much less weight than I can LP, I use it as a mobility tool. I think it’s helped my squat mobility as I have a tendency for my right hip to ‘lock up’.

45

Damn what a bunch of fucking pussies in here. We are supposed to be MEN. Guys talks shit, say sarcastic stuff to each other etc…and you are expected to take it then dish it back out. You are not supposed to get all upset and cry as you bleed from your ladyparts. Fuck my GF talks shit with my guy friends and doesn’t get sensitive.

Bonez gave some sarcasm and some good advice, stfu and just take the advice.

46

[quote]josh86 wrote:
Damn what a bunch of fucking pussies in here. We are supposed to be MEN. Guys talks shit, say sarcastic stuff to each other etc…and you are expected to take it then dish it back out. You are not supposed to get all upset and cry as you bleed from your ladyparts. Fuck my GF talks shit with my guy friends and doesn’t get sensitive.

Bonez gave some sarcasm and some good advice, stfu and just take the advice.[/quote]

lol

47

[quote]josh86 wrote:
You are not supposed to get all upset and cry as you bleed from your ladyparts.[/quote]

that made me laugh.
Back and front squats for me. My current gym doesn’t have a hack squat but I would include those.
As an experiment, I recently switched out squats for leg press for 6 weeks. I got stronger in leg press but it just doesn’t give me the same growth results as squats.

48

[quote]Rippemanewone wrote:
Wow we got a hardass on the forums, dont kill me with your sarcasm and insulting Bonez. Im shaking in my boots.[/quote]

You’re soft. We get it.

Write a poem about it or something.

49

[quote]Rippemanewone wrote:

Why are you so sarcastic towards people? You seriously are an asshole. It is not like he said…

HEY ASSHOLES ARE FUCKIN SQUATS BETTER THEN FUCKIN LEG PRESS?

[/quote]

No one took you seriously when you showed up with your MySpace avatar. Nothing has changed now that you’re sporting a picture of Brad Pitt as Achilles. Coming out of the closet so soon?

I find BONEZ217 to be one of the better members on the Forums in terms of knowledge. I also have an uncanny ability to cut through sarcasm.

You sir, do not.

50

Without a doubt squats are superior to leg lifts when it comes to leg development. Any movement where your whole body moves through space will benefit the body way more than sitting on a machine.

For example, a pushup would be superior to the bench press except for the fact that there is no real effective way to add progressive resistance to the push up. If there were some way to add 300 pounds to your back to do a push up, you would get far better development than doing a 300 pound bench press.

51

[quote]JimmyLee09 wrote:
Without a doubt squats are superior to leg lifts when it comes to leg development. Any movement where your whole body moves through space will benefit the body way more than sitting on a machine.

For example, a pushup would be superior to the bench press except for the fact that there is no real effective way to add progressive resistance to the push up. If there were some way to add 300 pounds to your back to do a push up, you would get far better development than doing a 300 pound bench press.[/quote]

By what logic? Using what evidence?

Some guys with huge legs prefer the squat (Platz), others with huge legs prefer the leg press (Yates). Both work. Which is superior is dependent on the individual using them.

52

[quote]JimmyLee09 wrote:
Any movement where your whole body moves through space will benefit the body way more than sitting on a machine.[/quote]

Let me guess… you never took a physics/mechanics course at some university?

I think you might have been trying to refer to isolation vs compound movements (?), but the leg press is no isolation movement. If someone starts a “Squat vs. Leg Extension”, or “SLDL vs. Seated Leg Curl” thread, I’d understand you posting that argument.

53

[quote]pinkponyz wrote:
JimmyLee09 wrote:
Any movement where your whole body moves through space will benefit the body way more than sitting on a machine.

Let me guess… you never took a physics/mechanics course at some university?

I think you might have been trying to refer to isolation vs compound movements (?), but the leg press is no isolation movement. If someone starts a “Squat vs. Leg Extension”, or “SLDL vs. Seated Leg Curl” thread, I’d understand you posting that argument.[/quote]

He was actually refering to open chain vs closed chain exercises. There is some research on this if you care to look it up. I havent read too much into it so I can’t say I support wat he says, but there is something behind it.

54

[quote]Doyle wrote:
He was actually refering to open chain vs closed chain exercises. There is some research on this if you care to look it up. I havent read too much into it so I can’t say I support wat he says, but there is something behind it.[/quote]

That makes more sense, but I still would not write off the leg press… It is just like a squat where you keep the weight on your whole back, and you keep your back at an angle during the whole lift. A great lift if you have trouble doing squats for some reason, or you need big ass leg movement that doesn’t tax your back.

By the way:
*A squat is considered a closed chain kinetic exercise.
*The leg press is best defined as a closed chain kinetic exercise, with a fixed plane of motion. (open for discussion)

So what you could get out of a squat that you cannot from the leg press, objectively, is some back taxation and core stabilizing work.
All in all, the leg press vs squat debate depends much more on subjective preferences, body structure, purpose of your training, and the other exercises included in your workout.

55

[quote]pinkponyz wrote:
Doyle wrote:
He was actually refering to open chain vs closed chain exercises. There is some research on this if you care to look it up. I havent read too much into it so I can’t say I support wat he says, but there is something behind it.

That makes more sense, but I still would not write off the leg press… It is just like a squat where you keep the weight on your whole back, and you keep your back at an angle during the whole lift. A great lift if you have trouble doing squats for some reason, or you need big ass leg movement that doesn’t tax your back.

By the way:
*A squat is considered a closed chain kinetic exercise.
*The leg press is best defined as a closed chain kinetic exercise, with a fixed plane of motion. (open for discussion)

So what you could get out of a squat that you cannot from the leg press, objectively, is some back taxation and core stabilizing work.
All in all, the leg press vs squat debate depends much more on subjective preferences, body structure, purpose of your training, and the other exercises included in your workout.
[/quote]

Actually the leg press would be an open chain movement. In simple terms an open chain movement is one in which the body stays stationary and you push/pull something away/towards it (like a bench press, leg press, lat pulldown, etc…). A closed chain movement is one in which the hands/feet/whatever is fixed and your body moves through space (squat, push-up, pull-ups, etc…).

Your last statement is spot on though.

56

Although I recognize that the leg press “could” be used to develop the legs on par with squats(I love the leg press and include it in every leg workout); I still come back to the fact that in over twenty years of training; I have ‘NEVER’ seen a lifter with decent legs that didn’t squat. I’m not saying they don’t exist, only that I have never met them personally.(Yates prefered presses, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t squat)

When I’m asked this question it’s because a guy is looking for a reason to avoid squatting-not because he is interested in mastering the leg press.

Early on there was a post that said something like…
“I’ve never looked at a loaded leg press and got butterflies in my stomach, followed by the desire to kill it before it kills me”. I believe a lifters preference is “Fight or Flight” related.

57

[quote]Rippemanewone wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
Are hamburgers better than hot dogs?

Or did you miss the fact that different people respond differently to certain movements.

OR! an even crazier idea just popped into my head…

Spend time doing each and find out for yourself.

Why are you so sarcastic towards people? You seriously are an asshole. It is not like he said…

HEY ASSHOLES ARE FUCKIN SQUATS BETTER THEN FUCKIN LEG PRESS?

[/quote]

Exactly. It really wasn’t such a begginer’s question. The original question was asking which was better for development, not which was simply “better”. I am assuming they meant as opposed to maximal strength.

Even Charles Poliquin has made the distinction that Squats are generally better for strength than for size as compared to leg press.

58

[quote]JimmyLee09 wrote:
Without a doubt squats are superior to leg lifts when it comes to leg development. Any movement where your whole body moves through space will benefit the body way more than sitting on a machine.

For example, a pushup would be superior to the bench press except for the fact that there is no real effective way to add progressive resistance to the push up. If there were some way to add 300 pounds to your back to do a push up, you would get far better development than doing a 300 pound bench press.[/quote]

Pushups are always a closed chain movement for Chuck Norris.

59

[quote]MytchBucanan wrote:
JimmyLee09 wrote:
Without a doubt squats are superior to leg lifts when it comes to leg development. Any movement where your whole body moves through space will benefit the body way more than sitting on a machine.

For example, a pushup would be superior to the bench press except for the fact that there is no real effective way to add progressive resistance to the push up. If there were some way to add 300 pounds to your back to do a push up, you would get far better development than doing a 300 pound bench press.

Pushups are always a closed chain movement for Chuck Norris.

[/quote]

No, no they’re open chain. He pushes the earth down. smacks forehead :stuck_out_tongue:

60

[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
Although I recognize that the leg press “could” be used to develop the legs on par with squats(I love the leg press and include it in every leg workout); I still come back to the fact that in over twenty years of training; I have ‘NEVER’ seen a lifter with decent legs that didn’t squat.

I’m not saying they don’t exist, only that I have never met them personally.(Yates prefered presses, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t squat)
[/quote]

But Yates did say that he didn’t really get much in the way or quad growth until he started leg pressing, then his legs blew up.

No one is saying that squats are a bad exercise, but in terms of what builds the maximal amount of muscle, they might not be superior to the leg press depending on the individual’s body structure.

Of course using both is probably still the best option.

[quote]
When I’m asked this question it’s because a guy is looking for a reason to avoid squatting-not because he is interested in mastering the leg press.

Early on there was a post that said something like…
“I’ve never looked at a loaded leg press and got butterflies in my stomach, followed by the desire to kill it before it kills me”. I believe a lifters preference is “Fight or Flight” related. [/quote]

Interesting insight. If someone is avoiding the squat because they’re less scared of the leg press, and not because they have found that leg press works better for building their legs, then yeah, that’s a poor reason not to squat.