Barbell Leg press wisdom

[Hung]

People of Strongfirst, I would like to hear your wisdom about how to use the leg press properly and powerfully.

It could be in terms of increase squat/deadlift, build muscle or increase overall athleticism.

 

[Spartan Agoge]

First squat at lower rep ranges(1-5 reps per set), then leg press at higher rep ranges(10+ reps per set).

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

Depending on the how the machine is designed/set-up, they can be really useful for isolating and overloading certain parts of the squat movement (drive out of the bottom, through the sticking point etc.) provided the positions you can get into in the machine mimic that of the squat (a good example is presented here) and I particularly like using them for calf-raises.

As long as it supports your deadlift/squat training rather than replaces it, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Hung]

I'm planning to use it to increase my squat; but I'm not sure I'm on the right path. My backs squat is 140 kg , front squat at 130 kg (training max) so probably my quad is not a weak point but my glute. But I have a feeling that using leg press would help at some way.

And also, I have few students under my wings asking for increasing muscle mass. Most of them are pure beginners. I teach them goblet squat, RDL, hyperextension and single leg drills like lunge or split squat; and I believe that leg press could be a powerful tool for the goal.

So I'm on here, asking questions from you guys.

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

I'm planning to use it to increase my squat; but I'm not sure I'm on the right path. My backs squat is 140 kg , front squat at 130 kg (training max) so probably my quad is not a weak point but my glute. But I have a feeling that using leg press would help at some way.

Possibly, but just practising engaging your glutes as you train squats will help more. You can use a leg press to emphasise glutes if you're able to position your feet on the footplate as in a sumo squat and really focus on getting a strong contraction in your glutes as you press.

And also, I have few students under my wings asking for increasing muscle mass.

Leg press will work fine for that. Higher rep sets (8-12) with short rest in a typical bodybuilding style should achieve the desired results (especially for beginners, who will respond to almost any kind of training), as long as they're also eating enough and have time to recover.

 

[LukeV]

I don't squat because I refuse to engage in exercise that offends human dignity. It's such an ugly motion, heaving and puffing in such an ungainly way, like you'd hired a cheap doula. Instead I leg press (~20 rep sets) and occasionally deadlift (~5 rep sets) which are both manly exercises capable of being performed with pride. And you know what? I hang around the gym with a lot of meatheads and no-one has ever looked at my physique and commented that I "clearly" don't squat. Lower body development is absolutely fine from the leg press

 

[Spartan Agoge]

I don't squat because I refuse to engage in exercise that offends human dignity. It's such an ugly motion, heaving and puffing in such an ungainly way, like you'd hired a cheap doula. Instead I leg press (~20 rep sets) and occasionally deadlift (~5 rep sets) which are both manly exercises capable of being performed with pride. And you know what? I hang around the gym with a lot of meatheads and no-one has ever looked at my physique and commented that I "clearly" don't squat. Lower body development is absolutely fine from the leg press

For hypertrophy and bodybuilding purpose, the leg press machine is equal, or even better than squat.
BUT, for athletes like: football/rugby players, wrestlers, fighters etc(and of course powerlifters/weightlifters), the squat is irreplacable.
While the leg press enagages only the legs, the squat is a full body exercise, which forces the body to operate like a unit.

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

how to use the leg press properly and powerfully.

Leg Press

1) Quads: It places the workload on the Quads by minimizing the weak link in the Squatting Chain, the back.

2) Deadlift: The Leg Press is more effective at developing Leg Drive off the floor in the Deadlift.

While it increases Quad Strength, it does very little for the Squat.

Ascending Strength

The Leg Press is an Ascending Strength Movement; hard at the bottom, easier at the top.

That means the Legs are only overload in the first 30% of the movement. The remaining 70% is underloaded/undertrained.

Accommodating Resistance

Thus, to completely overloading the Legs in the Leg Press, anchor bands to the top of and to the bottom part of the Leg Press.

As you drive the Leg Press Sled/Platform up, the bands increase the loading through a greater range of the movement. That means the Legs are overloaded close to 100% rather than only 30%.

 

[wespom9]

This comes down to the old machine vs free weight argument. I used to be completely against machines, but have slightly changed my tune in the last couple years.

Machines obviously provide "artificial stability", meaning the body does nor learn to create the stability on it's own. If you want to learn to stabilize, don't use a machine. Of course, with artificial stabilization comes the ability to push the load. So it's one way to overload the muscles.

Machines on their own likely won't increase athleticism, unless you participate in other athletic movements. If so, training on machines could increase muscle mass/ability to contract motor neurons which could have a secondary effect on athleticism.

Long story short, don't use them on their own, could be helpful for backoff sets B2/3 exercises during hypertrophy focus.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Set it for more weight than you can budge and use it for overcoming isometrics - it is really tough to get a good MVC using an actual squat pattern.

Load it heavy and do sets using only the bottom 1/3 of the ROM, press as fast as possible, eccentric at regular pace.

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

I don't squat because I refuse to engage in exercise that offends human dignity.

How dare you! A well-performed squat is a thing of beauty... a very rare thing of beauty.

Of course if you prefer to exercise sitting down that's another matter...

 

[Timo Keskitalo]

I say that your front squat is so strong that you have to do good mornings, leg curls, hyper extension, reverse hypers, glute ham raise, sumo deadlifts, straight leg deadlifts and so on..

 

[Hung]

just practising engaging your glutes as you train squats will help more.

I still, but the progress is slow.

Thus, to completely overloading the Legs in the Leg Press, anchor bands to the top of and to the bottom part of the Leg Press.

In case that there is no band, is there any other way?
And also, I remember you had shared two post about leg press. One is about a bodybuilder uses leg press instead of squat. One is about and O-lifter use leg press as main exercise for lower body strength. Could you reshare in here please?

I say that your front squat is so strong that you have to do good mornings, leg curls, hyper extension, reverse hypers, glute ham raise, sumo deadlifts, straight leg deadlifts and so on..

It could be, but most of the drill in there (gm, straight leg deadlift, hyper extension) I find that it works my back more that my glute.

 

[JohnCaspar]

People of Strongfirst, I would like to hear your wisdom about how to use the leg press properly and powerfully.

It could be in terms of increase squat/deadlift, build muscle or increase overall athleticism.

1. Use it as a secondary lift for your legs... so start with your squat routine and then go pump out 3-4 sets of anywhere from 8-12 reps on the leg press.
2. Go heavy on the leg press- if needed get a spotter

 

[william bad butt]

At the moment I am not doing this, but...

I usually do my squat/deadlift training on Fridays or Saturdays (plus accessories). The next day I'm usually a bit sore and stiff. I like to do leg presses, leg curls, leg extensions for many sets of 10. It really helps with the DOMS. Gets the blood flowing and I feel great afterwards. I think it helps with hypertrophy too.

Then usually middle of the week, I do a lot of pulling excersises (rows, McGill pullups, shrugs, kbell snatches). I also grab a 24kg bell and do a lot of sets of 10 reps of wide, deep hinge, goblet squats (only to parallel, no deeper).