# Legpress or Squat?



## plouffe (Jul 21, 2004)

A few weeks ago at a MSU football invitation I got into a dispute with one of my coach's about horizantal leg press and squating. He was telling me that horizantal leg press produce the same if not more overall leg devolpment if you were to souly use either one or the other movements? What do you guys think? I kept telling him squats, but I'm still not 100% sure.


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## Jodi (Jul 21, 2004)

And there is even a comparison?  

Squats all the way!


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## Vital Signs (Jul 21, 2004)

Nothing can compare to squats,... and I hate squats..!


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## P-funk (Jul 22, 2004)

Depends on what we are arguing.  The Vertivcal leg presses will allow you to focus on just using your legs (much more effectivly that the other leg presses machines) which will allow you to handle more weight while taking the rest of your body out of the exercise. The squats are a total body exericise so it may be more difficult to focus on JUST you legs.

That said, I still think squats are the greatest thing you can do.  A freind of mine is a strength coach at the University of Colorado and they are big on squats and the olympic lifts there.  Some colleges, so he tells me, are against those exercises, claiming they are "to dangerous".  So they train their players like bodybuilders.  Hypertrophy does shit for you on the field though.  Strength and explosivness are were it is at.  SQUAT SQUAT SQUAT!


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## Pepper (Jul 22, 2004)

I think the leg press is great and should be a part of you let routine...however, if you can only do one or the other, squats are king.


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## trHawT (Jul 22, 2004)

I would have to go with squats.


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## eskimo515 (Jul 22, 2004)

Squats is the king of not only leg exercises, but ALL exercises, so there really isnt a comparison.


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## LAM (Jul 22, 2004)

based on your question of leg development IMO the leg press can be just as effective.  it is almost impossible to focus on the eccentric portion of a back squat while keeping perfect form and using big weights...

plain and simple heavy eccentric training builds bigger muscles than heavy concentric training...


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## gopro (Jul 22, 2004)

plouffe said:
			
		

> A few weeks ago at a MSU football invitation I got into a dispute with one of my coach's about horizantal leg press and squating. He was telling me that horizantal leg press produce the same if not more overall leg devolpment if you were to souly use either one or the other movements? What do you guys think? I kept telling him squats, but I'm still not 100% sure.



I get more leg development out of the leg press...no doubt. You cannot say as a generalization for everyone that squats are superior to leg press, bench presses superior to machine presses, or military presses superior to upright rows. There are too many variables to consider.


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## kvyd (Jul 22, 2004)

I like leg press.  Mostly cuz i dont have a spot.


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## trHawT (Jul 22, 2004)

Found a short thread: Posted by: Maki Riddington

Originally posted by Supreme,

I don't think squats are essential.
Let's take a look at the benefits of squats over other exercises of the kind (hack's, leg press, etc)...

Larger hormonal response

More stabilizer activation

Trains lower body through full ROM (assuming you go ATF)

That's all I can think of off the top of my head...

Now, if we were to combine deadlifts and leg press to compensate for the lack of squats...

Deads and squats share statistically equal hormonal effects

Deads involve just about the same amount of stabilizer activation

Leg press trains the lower body in pretty much the same ROM as squats.

The only thing that I can see that makes squats superior here is efficeincy, which isn't a huge deal.

*** "Pretty much the same ROM" needs to be distiguished since the sticking point as Supreme pointed out in another post plays a big factor in Squats. The leg press really does not have a sticking point unless you go through the full ROM which varies between individuals. Therefore it must be distiguished what the full ROM is.

The role the pelvis plays in stabilizing the spine would depend on the ROM carried out in both movements. After a certain point in the Leg Press the pelvis will posteriorly rotate. This is not nessicarily harmful but can be if done excessively.


I know this is off the topic, but which would you consider better: high-velocity reps, or low-velocity reps?


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## kvyd (Jul 22, 2004)

Hmmm,  I would think in a high velocity rep you would end up using momentum,so not getting full muscle contration/stimulation.


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## trHawT (Jul 22, 2004)

kvyd said:
			
		

> Hmmm,  I would think in a high velocity rep you would end up using momentum,so not getting full muscle contration/stimulation.




I think high velocity reps might impede on form.  Personally, I stick with lower velocity.  As far as contraction, the slower is the better for me.  I do think low-velocity reps stimulate the muscle(s) better.  I see lots of people @ the gym incorporating high velocity reps, though.  I guess it is depends on preferred training technique of the individual.    Dunno!


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## Monolith (Jul 22, 2004)

I think a football coach advocating a leg press over a squat is retarded.  For something like bodybuilding, sure, because who cares about functional power or explosiveness.  For football (or any sport), though... the leg press is way overrated imo.


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## Dipsh!t (Jul 22, 2004)

Far as i know, squat trains many different muscle groups in the body, while leg press only benefits one area.


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## madden player (Jul 22, 2004)

"...machines keep the resistance working along one plane only, meaning the muscle has to do things the machine's way or no way at all.  With no need to balance and control the resistance, you end up with less muscle."
-Arnold Schwarzenegger

The legpress machine is good but it doesn't come close to a squat.  Squats are much more effective.


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## Cinnabon (Jul 22, 2004)

Jodi...

What would be the ideal set and rep range for squats q/ dumbells ( 2- 10lbs.)? I do 3 sets of 20 going wide and deep on each. 

Thanks,
 Mars


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## trHawT (Jul 22, 2004)

Yeah, balancing and controlling the weight would incorporate more muscle fibers (i.e., free weights), instead of a controlled movement by the use of a machine.


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## gopro (Jul 22, 2004)

madden player said:
			
		

> "...machines keep the resistance working along one plane only, meaning the muscle has to do things the machine's way or no way at all.  With no need to balance and control the resistance, you end up with less muscle."
> -Arnold Schwarzenegger
> 
> The legpress machine is good but it doesn't come close to a squat.  Squats are much more effective.



For muscular development...completely wrong.

For carryover to sports performance...correct.


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 22, 2004)

> Deads and squats share statistically equal hormonal effects



I've heard a lot of bullshit in my day, but this is just golden.


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## trHawT (Jul 22, 2004)

gopro said:
			
		

> For muscular development...completely wrong.
> 
> For carryover to sports performance...correct.




Please elaborate.  I'm interested!


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## trHawT (Jul 22, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> I've heard a lot of bullshit in my day, but this is just golden.




Yeah, I've never heard of that, either.  But, you always have to consider the source.  I was just posting a thread.


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## Saturday Fever (Jul 22, 2004)

Oh I wasn't mocking you by any means. I was simply pointing out the hilarity of the post you were citing.


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## Mudge (Jul 22, 2004)

Squats cover more of the body than a leg press ever will. There is no core strength requirement with a leg press.


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## trHawT (Jul 22, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> Oh I wasn't mocking you by any means. I was simply pointing out the hilarity of the post you were citing.




It's cool.  I just saw the post, and I had to include it in the thread.


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## gopro (Jul 22, 2004)

trHawT said:
			
		

> Please elaborate.  I'm interested!



For sports performance I believe squats to be superior simply because many more muscles are involved, including the very important stabilizer muscles, as well as balance, and far more focus and coordination is necessary. In addition, whenever you do a movement where you "move you body through space" you will excite the nervous system to a greater degree...and this will be compounded by the "danger" factor of squats. Squats is also a natural movement that takes place in many sports, while leg pressing will not occur anywhere really except for maybe in cage fighting when you might need to push a competitor off of you with your legs.

For bodybuilding, however, you cannot say that squats are superior or that leg presses are superior. Stabilizer muscles and balance has nothing to do with whether you are stimulating the "target" muscle to hypertrophy, which in this case is the quads. In fact, it could be argued that the greater "isolation" of machine movements may allow greater recruitment of the target muscle than movements when many more muscles are forced into play. Some get tons of growth out of squats, but some others, very little. I have been training for the better part of my life and have never gotten more out of a squat workout than a leg press workout.


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## Tank316 (Jul 22, 2004)

gopro said:
			
		

> For sports performance I believe squats to be superior simply because many more muscles are involved, including the very important stabilizer muscles, as well as balance, and far more focus and coordination is necessary. In addition, whenever you do a movement where you "move you body through space" you will excite the nervous system to a greater degree...and this will be compounded by the "danger" factor of squats. Squats is also a natural movement that takes place in many sports, while leg pressing will not occur anywhere really except for maybe in cage fighting when you might need to push a competitor off of you with your legs.
> 
> For bodybuilding, however, you cannot say that squats are superior or that leg presses are superior. Stabilizer muscles and balance has nothing to do with whether you are stimulating the "target" muscle to hypertrophy, which in this case is the quads. In fact, it could be argued that the greater "isolation" of machine movements may allow greater recruitment of the target muscle than movements when many more muscles are forced into play. Some get tons of growth out of squats, but some others, very little. I have been training for the better part of my life and have never gotten more out of a squat workout than a leg press workout.


very well put GP!!!!!!


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## gopro (Jul 22, 2004)

Tank316 said:
			
		

> very well put GP!!!!!!



Thanks your tankishness!!


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## madden player (Jul 22, 2004)

Mudge said:
			
		

> Squats cover more of the body than a leg press ever will. There is no core strength requirement with a leg press.


Exactly...Squats add pounds and inches everywhere.


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## JerseyDevil (Jul 22, 2004)

gopro said:
			
		

> In addition, whenever you do a movement where you "move you body through space" you will excite the nervous system to a greater degree...and this will be compounded by the "danger" factor of squats.


Exactly.  Well said gopro.  Those 'body through space' movements, like squats, deadlifts, weighted dips, chins, pull-ups, even weighted push-ups, etc have no equal in building strength, but not necessarily size.


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

Definetely parallel to the floor squats.

But as my 2nd quad exercise I will usually do hack squats even over leg press.

Hack squats are much better than leg presses.


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## gopro (Jul 23, 2004)

Johnnny said:
			
		

> Hack squats are much better than leg presses.



For YOU maybe, but do not generalize to everyone.


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

Gopro



> For YOU maybe, but do not generalize to everyone.



I'm not trying to generalize, I'm just giving my experiences that I've had with leg presses.

Don't get me wrong I've done them many times & still do & I do like them, but hack squats I think give a much greater range of motion allowing you to squat all the way down to the bottom causing greater stimulation.

After all I see it time & time again guys will throw on 800lbs on the leg press & only do half reps, yet when they do squats they can't squat much more than 275lbs. Something is wrong there. Normally someone who can properly do 800lbs on leg press should be able to squat 315-405lbs pretty cleanly

Wouldn't you agree?

This is why I've found hack squats are better than leg press as there is less cheating. Same goes for squats if you're doing parallel squats properly than your full leg press & full hack squat should be strong as well.

But I wouldn't rely on leg presses as a primary quad builder though.


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## LAM (Jul 23, 2004)

but just like the leg press most people don't do hack squats properly which is why they do not get much out of them. 90% of the people at my gym load up the hack squat machine with too much weight and do partials with the upper quad not even breaking parallel...

people are idiots...


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

Lam



> but just like the leg press most people don't do hack squats properly which is why they do not get much out of them. 90% of the people at my gym load up the hack squat machine with too much weight and do partials with the upper quad not even breaking parallel...
> 
> people are idiots




A lot of ppl don't break the parallel level with barbell squats as they might have knee problems or injuries. For some individuals squatting below parallel I'm told could run injury problems depending on the individual especially running the risk of your knees getting tired & being stuck in that position.

But for hack sqauts I do squat all the way to the bottom with my ass touching the foot platform but for normal squats I just keep it at parallel as when I used to do below parallel I've felt my knees tiring & almost couldn't get the 405lb weight I was using back up. Even 315lbs below parallel squat is damn hard & heavy.

But Hack squats I always do a below parallel with about 3 45lbers on the side for a good 5 reps & then I gradually lower the weight each set & hit it with intense higher reps. I feel my legs burning much more doing this.

But you're right, I will never understand some ppl who don't ever hit the parallel level especially for barbell squats. 

I use a bench under me as a guide so I know how low to go & it never fails.


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## LAM (Jul 23, 2004)

you can believe that if you want but 90% of the people out there do not have knee injuries they just have no clue about proper form for maximum fiber recruitment...


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

Lam



> you can believe that if you want but 90% of the people out there do not have knee injuries they just have no clue about proper form for maximum fiber recruitment...



I'm not saying everyone has knee injuries. 

What I meant was that some ppl's knees are more sensitive & weaker than other ppl's knees.

I know that palying football weakend my knees a lot, but I've regained my knee stregth from parallel barbell squats & all the way down hack squats as well as leg extensions.

But I do have friends that have torn their ACL while playing football & they now can't do full squats even though it's full healed & their quads have built back up. 

They can't do them as their knee will never be the same.

& some ppl who don't know they tore their ACL may think either they're wimps or don't know what they're doing.

But I do agree with you that many ppl who've never injured their knee or who have strong knees really don't know how to squat or do a complete range of motion for legs.


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## P-funk (Jul 23, 2004)

Johnnny said:
			
		

> Lam
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Actually squating below parallel on a barbell squat is great for strengthening ligaments and tendons over the knee.  I rehab some people that have just had knee surgery and we always squat to parallel at least.  Most physical therapists will tell you the same thing.

The hack squat however is not the best idea, especially to take it below parallel because of the way that you are angled, causing a shift in center of gravity and making you drive through a false center.  This can place great shearing forces on the hip and lower back.  Use cauition there.


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

P-Funk



> Actually squating below parallel on a barbell squat is great for strengthening ligaments and tendons over the knee. I rehab some people that have just had knee surgery and we always squat to parallel at least. Most physical therapists will tell you the same thing.
> 
> The hack squat however is not the best idea, especially to take it below parallel because of the way that you are angled, causing a shift in center of gravity and making you drive through a false center. This can place great shearing forces on the hip and lower back. Use cauition there.



I'm having a hard time understanding why ppl who've torn their ACL in football or hockey or whatever usually are affraid to go all out in their squats & variations & don't usually go to hardcore or all the way down but still parallel.

But as for hack squats I don't feel them at all if I don't go all the way down, I won't feel my legs working or the burn.

I like the vertical leg more than the standard leg press as you have the foot platform in a vertical angle right in front of you so you have to push the weight away from your chest with your quads.


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## gopro (Jul 23, 2004)

P-funk said:
			
		

> Actually squating below parallel on a barbell squat is great for strengthening ligaments and tendons over the knee.  I rehab some people that have just had knee surgery and we always squat to parallel at least.  Most physical therapists will tell you the same thing.
> 
> The hack squat however is not the best idea, especially to take it below parallel because of the way that you are angled, causing a shift in center of gravity and making you drive through a false center.  This can place great shearing forces on the hip and lower back.  Use cauition there.



I have been hack squatting to maximum depth with huge poundages for years and years without a single problem. I must emphasize, however, that  perform the eccentric portion of the rep very very slowly with these, which is one of main reasons I have avoided any injuries on hacks.


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## LAM (Jul 23, 2004)

gopro said:
			
		

> I have been hack squatting to maximum depth with huge poundages for years and years without a single problem. I must emphasize, however, that  perform the eccentric portion of the rep very very slowly with these, which is one of main reasons I have avoided any injuries on hacks.



ditto...

on another note I was watching this guy this morning locking out his knees after the completion of every rep, that shit just makes me cringe...


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

Gopro



> I have been hack squatting to maximum depth with huge poundages for years and years without a single problem. I must emphasize, however, that perform the eccentric portion of the rep very very slowly with these, which is one of main reasons I have avoided any injuries on hacks.



LAM



> ditto...
> 
> on another note I was watching this guy this morning locking out his knees after the completion of every rep, that shit just makes me cringe...



I see I'm not the only one doing full below parallel hack squats as I've never had any problems with it either.

But Lam I hear you about locking out your knees at the top of each movement.

I never lock out my knees with hack squats.

I asked this one guy who was doing his hack squats & locking out his knees with 3 45lbers aside & I asked him why he locks out his knees?

He said b/c he "feels a better muscular contraction".

I hope he doesn't hurt himself.


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## Erik (Jul 23, 2004)

I totally agree with GOPRO . As a former athlete/soldier I have to say that if you only had the time, or the ability to do one exercise....squats or press, it would hands down be the squat. 
   I am not going to support my supposition with an example or an argument, its already been done.
   A football player NEEDS squats.
   And why the "F" are you listening to an MSU football coach?


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

ERIK



> I totally agree with GOPRO . As a former athlete/soldier I have to say that if you only had the time, or the ability to do one exercise....squats or press, it would hands down be the squat.
> I am not going to support my supposition with an example or an argument, its already been done.
> A football player NEEDS squats.
> And why the "F" are you listening to an MSU football coach?



Who is listening to an MSU football coach?

But being an ex football player I damn well agree with you. For me squats where essential.

But you're damn right about football & I guess you could include rugby players needing squats.

It is by far the superior leg builder.


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## Erik (Jul 23, 2004)

Wellllllllll?....I want to almost agree with you....
what I wanted to say was that squats are better for football, but for building up the legs, I might lean toward the press. 
Anyway...the guy who started the post mentioned an MSU coach told him the leg press was better then the squat....
I am thinking that I am going to send Earl Campbell, or Jerome Bettis and get their opinion.


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

ERIK



> Wellllllllll?....I want to almost agree with you....
> what I wanted to say was that squats are better for football, but for building up the legs, I might lean toward the press.
> Anyway...the guy who started the post mentioned an MSU coach told him the leg press was better then the squat....
> I am thinking that I am going to send Earl Campbell, or Jerome Bettis and get their opinion.




You can get in touch with Earl Campbell & Jerome Bettis?

That's cool. I love those guys as running backs. I also love fullbacks as I was an Tail Back

To play Tail Back you really have to have strong powerful legs.

Don't get me wrong they made us do alot of leg press as well which also helped a great deal. But our coach (also an unknown powerlifter) told us squats were more important than leg press alone, but you needed leg press & squats COMBINED to build strong, big legs.

I do agree with you that leg presses are important. I always keep squats, but for my 2nd quad exercise, it will either be leg press or hack squats.

Erik, you know what's really fn' hard? Doing squats, but with really tight & solid elastics on both ends of the bar attached to the bottom of the squatting rack.

Basically with this as you squat upwards you have to fight the extra resitance of the bands.


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## Erik (Jul 23, 2004)

Sorry, I was being sarcastic about Campbell or Bettis, I cant even get in touch with myself. But it would be cool to hear what they did to get wheels like that


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

Erik



> Sorry, I was being sarcastic about Campbell or Bettis, I cant even get in touch with myself. But it would be cool to hear what they did to get wheels like that



Well you never know who ppl know now a days.

My cousin a few years ago personally knew the St.Louis blues team captain in 1999-2000 which was really cool.


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## JerseyDevil (Jul 23, 2004)

Erik said:
			
		

> And why the "F" are you listening to an MSU football coach?


Let's expand that to WHY would you listen to ANY coach from the state of Michigan?

GO BUCKEYES!  

(see Erik, I got it   )


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## Johnnny (Jul 23, 2004)

JerseyDevil




> Let's expand that to WHY would you listen to ANY coach from the state of Michigan?
> 
> GO BUCKEYES!
> 
> (see Erik, I got it  )



They are one of my favorite teams.

I have so many favorite teams especially Notre Dame. The Montreal Alouttes have Autry Denson from Notre Dame who was in the NFL for about 5yrs.


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## Deadly13 (Jul 23, 2004)

(Whats Your Opinon On My Advance Workout Program)  Can I Get Some Opinons In that Thread


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## P-funk (Jul 23, 2004)

JerseyDevil said:
			
		

> Let's expand that to WHY would you listen to ANY coach from the state of Michigan?
> 
> GO BUCKEYES!
> 
> (see Erik, I got it   )




AMEN JD!!!  I was born and grew up in Ohio (cleveland).....Buckeyes 4 life


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## JerseyDevil (Jul 24, 2004)

I grew up in the Washington, DC area, but later moved to Dayton, OH.  Lived there for 17 years before moving to Jersey.  Became a huge Buckeye fan while there, and will be for life!


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## juggernaut (Jul 24, 2004)

I use both. Nothing beats the hell out of it yet. Can make you puke though watch out!


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## trHawT (Jul 24, 2004)

gopro said:
			
		

> For sports performance I believe squats to be superior simply because many more muscles are involved, including the very important stabilizer muscles, as well as balance, and far more focus and coordination is necessary. In addition, whenever you do a movement where you "move you body through space" you will excite the nervous system to a greater degree...and this will be compounded by the "danger" factor of squats. Squats is also a natural movement that takes place in many sports, while leg pressing will not occur anywhere really except for maybe in cage fighting when you might need to push a competitor off of you with your legs.
> 
> For bodybuilding, however, you cannot say that squats are superior or that leg presses are superior. Stabilizer muscles and balance has nothing to do with whether you are stimulating the "target" muscle to hypertrophy, which in this case is the quads. In fact, it could be argued that the greater "isolation" of machine movements may allow greater recruitment of the target muscle than movements when many more muscles are forced into play. Some get tons of growth out of squats, but some others, very little. I have been training for the better part of my life and have never gotten more out of a squat workout than a leg press workout.




Thanks, gropro!


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## CowPimp (Jul 24, 2004)

If you squat like a powerlifter, then leg press is probably better at developing the quads.  If you squat like a bodybuilder, then squats are more effective from my experience and that of my friends who weight train.  I think it is highly dependant on the person, but I thought I would throw in my experience.


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## gopro (Jul 24, 2004)

trHawT said:
			
		

> Thanks, gropro!



Glad to help.


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## Johnnny (Jul 24, 2004)

Cowpimp

You are exactly right about the squatting form.

Powerlifters (& football players, ruby, wrestlers & probably hockey) use a much wider stance to just  explode the weight up much more.

The bodybuilders squat stance has the legs more closer together with feet about shoulder width apart. & sometimes bb's put something on the back end of their heels to make it harder & develop the legs more.

Then there's the squat where the bar is infront of you resting on your shoulders & your hands crossed infront of you.

This way is damn hard & heavy. & when I see these bb's using 415lbs in this method, I wonder how much they could do in regular bb stanced squats?


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## truth (Jul 26, 2004)

..since when are hack squats alternatives to the leg press?

hack squats target your quads, whereas the leg press is an alternative to a traditional squat which target your quads, hams, glutes....


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## LAM (Jul 26, 2004)

you can vary your foot placment on the platform in such a way that makes the leg press a very quad dominant exercise, much like the hack squat...


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## gopro (Jul 26, 2004)

LAM said:
			
		

> you can vary your foot placment on the platform in such a way that makes the leg press a very quad dominant exercise, much like the hack squat...



Tis true.


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## aztecwolf (Jul 26, 2004)

LAM said:
			
		

> people are idiots...



 , LAM has the understatement of the year


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## SquatBenchDead (Aug 2, 2004)

Squat is easily the best choice here.

I can't believe a coach would waste precious training time on an exercise like the leg press when you have the best overall leg and posterior developer.


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## gopro (Aug 2, 2004)

SquatBenchDead said:
			
		

> Squat is easily the best choice here.
> 
> I can't believe a coach would waste precious training time on an exercise like the leg press when you have the best overall leg and posterior developer.



Best for sports, but not necessarily the best for muscular hypertrophy of the quads.


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## Arnold (Aug 2, 2004)

I have used both squats an leg press for years, in my old age I am now doing more leg press than squats.


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## SquatBenchDead (Aug 3, 2004)

We're talking about a college football coach here, not a BBing coach.  For any sport players need to be efficient with their gym time.  Squat is the exercise of choice.

I guess if we're talking about just "leg development", then legpress would be better.  I just hate to think they might be using them in place of squats.


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## Johnnny (Aug 3, 2004)

SquatBenchDead



> We're talking about a college football coach here, not a BBing coach. For any sport players need to be efficient with their gym time. Squat is the exercise of choice.
> 
> I guess if we're talking about just "leg development", then legpress would be better. I just hate to think they might be using them in place of squats.



I agree as having played football myself squats were so important. They never took the place of leg press or even hack squats. Sometimes if we were strapped for time, we'd just do several sets of squats & that was enough. But we usually had to do either hack squats or leg press.

Robert DiMaggio



> I have used both squats an leg press for years, in my old age I am now doing more leg press than squats.



How come you don't do squats as much now? Did you have an injury problem?

I'm just curious.


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## gopro (Aug 3, 2004)

SquatBenchDead said:
			
		

> We're talking about a college football coach here, not a BBing coach.  For any sport players need to be efficient with their gym time.  Squat is the exercise of choice.
> 
> I guess if we're talking about just "leg development", then legpress would be better.  I just hate to think they might be using them in place of squats.



Well, yes, you were going back to the original question...and I couldn't agree more...the squat is a better exercise than the leg press for sport related applications. Still, even for sports, the leg press can be valuable at times as a secondary exercise.


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## Saturday Fever (Aug 3, 2004)

There's a misconception going on here, I think.

Yes, a bigger muscle is a stronger muscle. However, no, for sports applications you shouldn't be squatting like a bodybuilder and hence you'd see no carryover between leg presses and squats. So while the leg press may be better for creating larger quads, which would produce stronger quads, proper squatting for strength and explosion would use the posterior, as it applies to most sports. Olympic lifting being one quick exception I can think of off the top of my head.


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## gopro (Aug 3, 2004)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> There's a misconception going on here, I think.
> 
> Yes, a bigger muscle is a stronger muscle. However, no, for sports applications you shouldn't be squatting like a bodybuilder and hence you'd see no carryover between leg presses and squats. So while the leg press may be better for creating larger quads, which would produce stronger quads, proper squatting for strength and explosion would use the posterior, as it applies to most sports. Olympic lifting being one quick exception I can think of off the top of my head.



Agree and disagree. While you would be better off NOT squatting like a bodybuilder for sports application, still, even a "bodybuilder" squat is better for sports training than the leg press, and still useful. You cannot 100% isolate the quads no matter how you squat and will engage the posterior amongst other muscle groups even when squatting like a bber. Some guys actually hold dual goals of building their physiques as well as improving sports performance.


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## Arnold (Aug 3, 2004)

Johnnny said:
			
		

> How come you don't do squats as much now? Did you have an injury problem?
> 
> I'm just curious.



I cannot really answer that cause I will end up contradicting myself! 

Basically my ass is big enough, and I am seeing a chiropractor now trying to get my spine straightened out and it's just not conducive for me to be doing heavy squats.

I may do them more again in the future.


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## bigtam (Aug 3, 2004)

leg press because of a knee problems squats tent to hurt and i cheat and strain when doing them


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## GFR (Jan 3, 2006)

Saturday Fever said:
			
		

> I've heard a lot of bullshit in my day, but this is just golden.


Why is that??? I agree with him for the most part.


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## The13ig13adWolf (Jan 3, 2006)

ForemanRules said:
			
		

> Why is that??? I agree with him for the most part.


you realize that you dug this up from 2004?


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## GFR (Jan 3, 2006)

The13ig13adWolf said:
			
		

> you realize that you dug this up from 2004?


It is a poll,  and I did not dig it up, when a person votes on a poll it pulls it back up to the top of the new posts list.


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## Arnold (Jan 3, 2006)

lol 

I think people do this because of the "similar threads" feature at the bottom of thread pages.


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## The13ig13adWolf (Jan 3, 2006)

ForemanRules said:
			
		

> It is a poll,  and I did not dig it up, when a person votes on a poll it pulls it back up to the top of the new posts list.


fair enough. as you were...


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## Arnold (Jan 3, 2006)

ahhhh...so someone else "dug it up" by voting.


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## GFR (Jan 3, 2006)

Yes, but it's still an interesting topic and I'm sure it's not the last thread that will be made about this.


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## SuperFlex (Jan 3, 2006)

Squat is the single greatest exercise in existence...


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## Arnold (Jan 3, 2006)

SuperFlex said:
			
		

> Squat is the single greatest exercise in existence...



until you have a herniated disc.


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## Squaggleboggin (Jan 3, 2006)

Robert DiMaggio said:
			
		

> until you have a herniated disc.


Or until you try weightlifting, namely the C&J.


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## SuperFlex (Jan 3, 2006)

Robert DiMaggio said:
			
		

> until you have a herniated disc.


 
Is that what happened to you?


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## Arnold (Jan 3, 2006)

SuperFlex said:
			
		

> Is that what happened to you?



Yes, my S1/L5 disc is herniated, it was pretty bad a month ago, getting better now...I am not saying squats caused it, but I will never squat again.


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## Seanp156 (Jan 3, 2006)

Squats for sure... I don't even really bother with legpress lately.


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## SuperFlex (Jan 4, 2006)

Robert DiMaggio said:
			
		

> Yes, my S1/L5 disc is herniated, it was pretty bad a month ago, getting better now...I am not saying squats caused it, but I will never squat again.


 
That sucks man... Sorry to hear that. I saw where you were recovering but missed why you were hurt. Hope you have a full recovery. I'm sure you will...


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## The Monkey Man (Jan 5, 2006)

P-funk said:
			
		

> Some colleges, so he tells me, are against those exercises, claiming they are "to dangerous". So they train their players like bodybuilders. Hypertrophy does shit for you on the field though. Strength and explosivness are were it is at. SQUAT SQUAT SQUAT!


 
This being said...

The Detroit Lions went to Bodybuilding type training equipment (Nautilus, Etc) at the begining of the "Matt Millan" era...

And look at the record of Injury's and losses...

Working an individual muscle will not help you much overall, out on the field


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## bulldogge (Jan 16, 2006)

squats get my vote


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## Super Hulk (Jan 17, 2006)

isnt all that weight too much for your back muscles ?
400-500 pounds and any forward or back movement will pull a muscle/injure your back


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## DOMS (Jan 17, 2006)

Super Hulk said:
			
		

> isnt all that weight too much for your back muscles ?
> 400-500 pounds and any forward or back movement will pull a muscle/injure your back



One would hope that, by the time you reached that level, that you'd know proper form.  You can damage your back with nothing more than an empty bar if you form is bad enough.

Genetics and simple bad luck are also key factors.


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## Jasomat (Jan 17, 2006)

LAM said:
			
		

> you can vary your foot placment on the platform in such a way that makes the leg press a very quad dominant exercise, much like the hack squat...



So if I was trying to focus on my glutes, how should I place my feet on the leg press?


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## CowPimp (Jan 17, 2006)

Jasomat said:
			
		

> So if I was trying to focus on my glutes, how should I place my feet on the leg press?



You want to place your legs higher and with a wider stance on the sled to activate the posterior chain more; you want to place your legs lower and with a more narrow stance (Be reasonable with how narrow) to emphasize the quads.


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## leg_press (Jan 20, 2006)

I used to *love* leg presses, hence my *name*, because the gym I started training at when I was 16 said I was too small to bench or squat, but now I do both squats and leg presses on leg and abs day, though I think squats work more than just your legs, as deadlifts do. Maybe I am wrong.


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## jakeluvspunk (Jan 20, 2006)

Squats Are the king of lifts...and dead lifts come in second.  This is coming from a guy who hates working lower body.


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## jwg (Jan 20, 2006)

Squats

Leg Presses are cool cause you can do a ton of weight on them, but nothing beats squats.


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## njc (Jan 20, 2006)

I cant believe leg press got 7 votes lol


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## phreak (Feb 27, 2006)

squats.


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## gopro (Feb 27, 2006)

Since day 1 I have gotten more benefit (hypertrophy wise) from leg presses than regular back squats. But that is just me. 

Personally I don't think squats are AS important as everyone thinks for growth, however, as a "functional lift" it cannot be beat. Those that play sports should always squat before leg pressing.


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## LexusGS (Feb 27, 2006)

Sorry to hear about your disk Rob, this is mainly why I keep my squats reletively light and focus on perfect form. Again, sorry to hear about your disc.


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## RippedNYLifter (Feb 28, 2006)

"Comparing legpress to squats, is like comparing jerking off to sex. Something you probably woulden't brag to your friends about"-ukstrongman


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## gopro (Feb 28, 2006)

RippedNYLifter said:
			
		

> "Comparing legpress to squats, is like comparing jerking off to sex. Something you probably woulden't brag to your friends about"-ukstrongman



Cute quote...message not neccessarily true...but cute.


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