Squats vs. Leg press for Size and Strength

[lylemcd]

Q&A on the main site

[hexx]

So I know this article was to challenge the axiom that squats are always the superior choice, and that is refreshing. So I guess it would make sense that the article mainly stressed the pros of the leg press for the mechanically disadvantaged.

But apart from what body-building pseudo-science website say, why is in some ways the squat superior?

[lylemcd]

Offhand, few jump to mind that wouldn't come across as macho posturing or personal bias.

Frankly, given how badly 99% of trainees squat, a properly done leg press would be the superior movement. I rarely taught squats for personal training clients, the chances to screw up form is just too high.

Simply, unless
a. the trainer knows what they are doing (and most don't)
b. they can train the trainee for long enough to really teach good form (which is often not the case)
c. the trainee doesn't have their head up their butt (e.g. they are going to throw on too much weight and let their form go to hell)

Squats are a usually a losing proposition.

[banderbe]

FWIW, I bought Starting Strength and read the Squat chapter about a dozen times while doing Starting Strength, and video taping myself squatting at each workout and comparing mechanics to the book. I also had Mark Rippetoe critique my videos, and eventually I got my form nailed down. Of course, his way is but one way to squat but it's certainly one correct way.

[lylemcd]

No disagreement. However, that level of effort does not describe most trainees; most won't spend that much time getting it right.

And that's what most tend to forget when this type of topic comes up.

The average dedicated trainee/bodybuidler is already willing to put far more effort into things than everybody else. then again, 99% of back squats I still see are done utterly poorly, bodybuilder or not. OF course, the same goes for leg press and everything else too.

[lookcloser]

Good stuff. My legs grew more on my most recent bulk than they ever have before, and I credit it to finally giving up on squats completely and having the leg press (both 2 leg and 1 leg) and split squats (plus RDLs and leg curls) make up my entire leg training.

Sooo should have done this years ago.

[lylemcd]

I should have put this with the article. this is how guys used to 'leg press'

[wabashaw]

Lyle,

Do you find your clients (or people in general) do better with learning the front squat as opposed to back?

[lylemcd]

As noted, with general clients, I never bothered trying to teach either so I can't comment.

And with the folks who I was going to work with long enough to teach either, I'd usually teach both.

Front squat is just as easy to screw up (various idiocy currently on the internet notwithstanding) and due to issues with upper body fatigue, has even bigger problems in terms of leg training.

Most trainees will have their upper body fatigue long before they come close to training their legs. so why bother.

There's no magic to squatting, front or back. there's no magic to any exercise, again despite what the Internets will tell you. It's all about progressive tension overload and what exercise lets an individual trainee best apply that.

[Pikku]

Good article, would something like deadlift + bulgarian splitsquat combo be a decent replacement for squats? I dont have access to a leg rpess, and im definately not built for squatting