Your thoughts on leg presses.

[Powermoloch]

After finishing my 1st quarter in the RN program, I haven't gotten any real meaningful exercise since then. But at the end of the quarter, I'm beginning to use the gym more often now at the start of the holidays (really enjoying it !). And I've been using those leg press contraptions, and I want your guys thoughts on it vs a squat. So far I'm starting low 250 lbs...but my goal was to hit 400 lbs by the end of the year or early of next year.

I really want to have a strong back and legs, so I've been adding other exercises as well to work on those groups. And of course reading the 5x5SL ^_^

5'10" 179 lb morning weight.

 

[rcpratt]

Leg presses are far more isolated than squats, obviously. I try to avoid it but with my shoulder issues I haven't been able to squat for the last few weeks, weirdly enough.

I know squatting sucks, but it's probably the most important thing you can do.

 

[YoungGun21]

By the end of this year? So in 2 weeks you want to leg press 150lbs more than you do now. That is a heck of a goal.

Squats with weight, squat jumps, lunge jumps, air sits.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

It's good to add in with squats but definitely not a replacement. I mainly just do squats and running for my legs and not to brag but my legs look f@cking ripped. I'll occasionally add a few other things but I attribute 99% of it to squats. If you like playing pickup basketball or anything competitive you need to do squats. It's amazing to see the difference they make. I notice it when playing basketball I just have a level of explosiveness that is on another level than the other guys there. It's like they are starting to make their move and I've already done exploded and I rip the ball out of the sky.

In case I didn't make it clear enough. Squats are the sh*t! Best single weightlifting exercise and the second best is not even in the same stratosphere.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I always figure it like this: leg press is either for the injured or the bodybuilders. If you do squats for strength, adding leg press is only going to decrease your recovery time. Also, 250lbs on leg press is much, much different than a 250lb squat. I've seen people leg press 800lbs, but have trouble squatting over 300lbs. Personally, I squat about 335lbs, but leg press almost 600lbs because I'm not very good at it. I'd say stick to squats unless 1) you have an injury disabling you from squatting (i.e. shoulder issue, calf issue, etc) or 2) you just want to get bigger, less useful legs (less useful than just squatting).

 

[Spamela]

IMHO, they're strictly for rehab

 

[Lamont Burns]

I like them with lower weight, higher reps, if I do them at all.

I remember reading an article about speed skaters who would do sets of like 50 at 500 lbs at multiple sets at the end of a day or something.

 

[Eric62]

The strength you develop from squatting will transfer over to real life situations. The strength you develop from the leg press will not.
I recently added two 15 rep sets of leg press after I've reached my max single rep squat for the day. So far I like it...

 

[Whisper]

The strength you develop from squatting will transfer over to real life situations. The strength you develop from the leg press will not.
I recently added two 15 rep sets of leg press after I've reached my max single rep squat for the day. So far I like it...

I'd buy that to an extent, although in the end (and also to an extent), strength is strength, whether or not you've developed the level of coordination necessary to properly use it. I'm not saying that "all strength is equal," as obviously squats will work some different muscle groups in different ways than leg presses. However, the leg press still works muscle(s), and thus that muscle has the potential to be used in real life situations.

 

[TallBill]

I did leg presses while recovering from a minor back injury instead of squats. Just went back to squatting last night and had my best lift in a long while. I wouldn't do them all the time, but better than nothing I guess.

 

[Bulldog13]

The only people I have ever known to seriously do leg presses are one amateur body builder and people who's bodies are too wrecked from lifting to do squats (some 35+ years old). My personal opinion is my quads get big enough from squats (so irritating finding pants that fight right...Always try pants on, don't just go by waist size. Some are sewn for Justin Bieber fans) why even bother with the leg presses, unless they are part of a super set routine for your legs.

They also seem more dangerous, I can always dump a too heavy squat bar, just flip her back. But if you miss that last "rung" on a leg press and no one is around...

I don't know how true this is, but my highschool lifting coach believed they weren't too good for the lower back because of the angle and pressure put on it. Can someone more knowledgeable confirm or deny?

 

[MrEgo]

I don't know how true this is, but my highschool lifting coach believed they weren't too good for the lower back because of the angle and pressure put on it. Can someone more knowledgeable confirm or deny?

Funny you mention that, because the only serious back injury that I've incurred was from leg press. I tried to press too much weight, my knees went right into my chest, and my lower back curled up. I stood up from the machine and I couldn't move, and that injury has been nagging me for the past 2 years. I finally went to PT and got it 99% healed in the last few months... but that's my story on leg press. I'm extremely cautious now if/when I ever use that machine.

As others have mentioned, I can leg press about 750lbs, but I have trouble squatting 275. It's a world of difference, and I seem much more exhausted after squatting 275 than I do leg pressing 750.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Funny you mention that, because the only serious back injury that I've incurred was from leg press. I tried to press too much weight, my knees went right into my chest, and my lower back curled up. I stood up from the machine and I couldn't move, and that injury has been nagging me for the past 2 years. I finally went to PT and got it 99% healed in the last few months... but that's my story on leg press. I'm extremely cautious now if/when I ever use that machine.

As others have mentioned, I can leg press about 750lbs, but I have trouble squatting 275. It's a world of difference, and I seem much more exhausted after squatting 275 than I do leg pressing 750.

Seems like the same thing would happen in a squat as well. This is why you need to leave your ego at the door when in the gym.

 

[brikis98]

Since most of us have a limited amount of time to train, you should build your routine out of exercises that give the best bang for the buck. For the vast majority of goals, most free weight exercises will be MUCH more effective than anything with a machine. For example, I'd pick the squat over the leg press any day: it works far more muscles, has a longer range of motion, and transfers much better to real world activities. Likewise, I'd get a much better workout by filling my routine with the likes of deadlifts, cleans, snatches, lunges, and step-ups before finding time for leg extensions, hamstring curls, calf raises, etc.

The only exceptions to this would be if you are injured (in which case machines may make it possible to do certain exercises you otherwise couldn't) or are an advanced bodybuilder (ie, MANY years of experience) trying to build size in a very specific muscle group (ie, the leg press could be a good choice if you are just trying to get huge quads). In just about all other cases, a free weight exercise is a better choice.

 

[MrEgo]

Seems like the same thing would happen in a squat as well. This is why you need to leave your ego at the door when in the gym.

The same thing could definitely happen with a squat, and probably worse. I was just pointing out to anyone that thinks leg press is injury-free that it's definitely not.

I wasn't trying to be billy badass when I hurt my back. I thought I had a reasonable max on there at the time.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

The same thing could definitely happen with a squat, and probably worse. I was just pointing out to anyone that thinks leg press is injury-free that it's definitely not.

I wasn't trying to be billy badass when I hurt my back. I thought I had a reasonable max on there at the time.

Right, it's a good point.

Ah, gotcha. From a 1RM calculator or something? Or just from knowledge of your training weights? I always use a 1RM calc and hit a max 40lbs under it, 20 lbs under it, and then gauge what I'll go for next after that. Helps me avoid hurting myself.

 

[Powermoloch]

Thanks for the input guys

I'm mixing it up with machines and free weights (reg squats, deadlifts, cleans). And I'm getting the hang with the good ol' squat, and by far it's kicking my ass =)

 

[MrEgo]

Right, it's a good point.

Ah, gotcha. From a 1RM calculator or something? Or just from knowledge of your training weights? I always use a 1RM calc and hit a max 40lbs under it, 20 lbs under it, and then gauge what I'll go for next after that. Helps me avoid hurting myself.

I usually have a pretty good feel for what I can do based on how I felt during my previous 1RM, and also by gauging the difficulty of my sets leading up to the 1RM. Unfortunately, I was wrong that time. I ended up pressing the weight, but at the cost of severely injuring my lower back muscles associated with my L4/L5. The weight was just too heavy to control properly.

Live and learn..

 

[Xcobra]

Damn, this reminds me, I need to go back to squatting. Good info!