Any value in the leg press machine -- if you already do deadlifts and dumbbell squats?

[xboxist]

Seems redundant, but I wanted to make sure before I completely write off making it part of my legs routine. Thanks!

 

[brikis98]

It's not that the leg press has no value, but simply that there are far more effective exercises you could do. For example, cleans, snatches, weighted lunges, weighted step ups, weighted pistols and so on. Of course, whether you need "more" for your legs routine after dumbbell squats and deadlifts depends on (a) your goals, (b) your experience level and (c) what your entire routine looks like already.

 

[xboxist]

Ok thanks. As usual, that makes sense.

The reason I asked is because after doing deadlifts the other night, I went over the the leg press machine and it felt like I was hitting the exact same muscles in the leg, and couldn't press very much weight at all because of fatigue.

 

[Lamont Burns]

After I squat and deadlift in the same day, I have zero interest in more leg work. Fatigue!

 

[TheNinja]

It can be a decent replacement for squats if you feel like chaning it up. I also like it once in a while b/c much like machine-assisted bench.....you can really load that thing up and really press some heavy weights. You don't have to worry about balacing or not being able to do it, or needing a spotter. It's nice to just press really heavy once in a while. I certainly would not do deads, squats, and leg press the same day though.

 

[Kipper]

Originally posted by: TheNinja
It can be a decent replacement for squats if you feel like chaning it up. I also like it once in a while b/c much like machine-assisted bench.....you can really load that thing up and really press some heavy weights. You don't have to worry about balacing or not being able to do it, or needing a spotter. It's nice to just press really heavy once in a while. I certainly would not do deads, squats, and leg press the same day though.

Do you mean a Smith press? Not a particularly big fan, I can't stand how it "forces" your body into a certain stance (often unnatural) to lift. Leg press is a completely different beast, IMO...there, you are in a seated position with very little ability to assume any other position. I wouldn't really call leg press a replacement for squats in asmuch I would call a leg curl a replacement for a good morning.

 

[TheNinja]

Originally posted by: Kipper

Originally posted by: TheNinja
It can be a decent replacement for squats if you feel like chaning it up. I also like it once in a while b/c much like machine-assisted bench.....you can really load that thing up and really press some heavy weights. You don't have to worry about balacing or not being able to do it, or needing a spotter. It's nice to just press really heavy once in a while. I certainly would not do deads, squats, and leg press the same day though.

Do you mean a Smith press? Not a particularly big fan, I can't stand how it "forces" your body into a certain stance (often unnatural) to lift. Leg press is a completely different beast, IMO...there, you are in a seated position with very little ability to assume any other position. I wouldn't really call leg press a replacement for squats in asmuch I would call a leg curl a replacement for a good morning.

By leg press, I mean something like this.

http://www.gain-weight-muscle-...age-files/legpress.jpg

I'm not a big fan of Smith press for anything actually....except like I said, once in a while on bench. I used to use only Smith for Incline press....now my left shoulder is messed up, don't know if it's related but I think it might be.

 

[Kipper]

Originally posted by: TheNinja

By leg press, I mean something like this.

http://www.gain-weight-muscle-...age-files/legpress.jpg

I'm not a big fan of Smith press for anything actually....except like I said, once in a while on bench. I used to use only Smith for Incline press....now my left shoulder is messed up, don't know if it's related but I think it might be.

I know what a leg press is. I'm wondering what you meant by a "machine-assisted bench" - and you answered my question.

 

[TheVrolok]

I back squat/front squat/deadlift and still use leg press from time to time. It engages/isolates my quads a bit better than the others do. I would never leg press in place of the three, though.

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I back squat/front squat/deadlift and still use leg press from time to time. It engages/isolates my quads a bit better than the others do. I would never leg press in place of the three, though.

How you find energy for all of those things, I'll never know. My legs are blasted after a few sets of deadlifts, and it's an absolute struggle to get some good-form squats in afterward.

 

[xboxist]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: xboxist

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I back squat/front squat/deadlift and still use leg press from time to time. It engages/isolates my quads a bit better than the others do. I would never leg press in place of the three, though.

How you find energy for all of those things, I'll never know. My legs are blasted after a few sets of deadlifts, and it's an absolute struggle to get some good-form squats in afterward.

I don't DL/Squat on the same day. Right now I felt like a change of pace so I moved from my own split to follow Wendler's 5/3/1 (with some modifications) for some structure/something new. So I'll back squat(warmup + 5(or whatever the cycle dictates)x3), front squat (added for fun, like 3-4x8-12), and then leg press(15x4) on the squat day. Then I'll do some leg extensions/leg curls, hypers, maybe some bi's if I feel like it. Definitely a killer on the legs, especially the quads. I don't even dare do cardio for fear of my legs giving out

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: xboxist

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I back squat/front squat/deadlift and still use leg press from time to time. It engages/isolates my quads a bit better than the others do. I would never leg press in place of the three, though.

How you find energy for all of those things, I'll never know. My legs are blasted after a few sets of deadlifts, and it's an absolute struggle to get some good-form squats in afterward.

I don't know what you classify yourself

but if you are a novice (training for less than 9 months) this might help you (from starting strength wiki) http://startingstrength.wikia....d_to_squat_everyday.3F:

Can I deadlift first, instead of doing squats first? Do I really need to squat everyday?

Deadlifts are an outstanding exercise, however, squatting before deadlifting is necessary for a variety of reasons

Squats serve as a more efficient and general "warmup" and preparation for your weight training sessions than deadlifts. Deadlifts will fatigue the upper and especially the lower back muscles prior to beginning the squats, which can definitely be hazardous to the health of a trainee, especially a new trainee. The last thing you want while squatting is a set of spinal erectors that are unable to bear the load. You can still frequently deadlift to near-limit poundages after squatting, but you will NOT be able to do that on your squats if you deadlift first.

Squatting first and squatting everyday is also ideal because it sends a strong growth signal to the entire body.

 

[xboxist]

Thank you, that's excellent information. I appreciate it.

 

[Czar]

I have a personal trainer right now and today was leg day.

We did loads of very very heavy reps in the leg press machine and then afterward we drained the legs of all the energy they had left by doing normal squats.
Last leg day it was the other way around.

Squats, helps balance, build up those stabilizing muscles that are all over the place.
Leg Press, pure strength, allows you to push yourself way further than you can with squats because you can always help a little bit by pressing on your knees with your arms.

Do both, the more varied you are the less chance your body has to adapt.. which is exactly what we want.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Czar
I have a personal trainer right now and today was leg day.

We did loads of very very heavy reps in the leg press machine and then afterward we drained the legs of all the energy they had left by doing normal squats.
Last leg day it was the other way around.

Squats, helps balance, build up those stabilizing muscles that are all over the place.
Leg Press, pure strength, allows you to push yourself way further than you can with squats because you can always help a little bit by pressing on your knees with your arms.

Do both, the more varied you are the less chance your body has to adapt.. which is exactly what we want.

Honestly, personal trainers always use machines and they could always be substituted with a better movement. Leg press is not pure strength. It is an isolation movement. A 3x5 or a 5x3 of heavy squats would do more for you than any for of leg press ever could. Honestly you can mix it up with so many better exercises than leg press: front squat, squat cleans, snatch, overhead squats, overhead lunges, etc. Honestly, leg press isn't very functional and the only thing I ever use it for is to stretch my glutes.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: Czar
I have a personal trainer right now and today was leg day.

We did loads of very very heavy reps in the leg press machine and then afterward we drained the legs of all the energy they had left by doing normal squats.
Last leg day it was the other way around.

Squats, helps balance, build up those stabilizing muscles that are all over the place.
Leg Press, pure strength, allows you to push yourself way further than you can with squats because you can always help a little bit by pressing on your knees with your arms.

Do both, the more varied you are the less chance your body has to adapt.. which is exactly what we want.

Honestly, personal trainers always use machines and they could always be substituted with a better movement. Leg press is not pure strength. It is an isolation movement. A 3x5 or a 5x3 of heavy squats would do more for you than any for of leg press ever could. Honestly you can mix it up with so many better exercises than leg press: front squat, squat cleans, snatch, overhead squats, overhead lunges, etc. Honestly, leg press isn't very functional and the only thing I ever use it for is to stretch my glutes.

Trainers are often times the natural enemy of truth. What SC said. I enjoy leg press for extra quad work and a good glute stretch.. but pure strength vs squat? Ha.

 

[KoolDrew]

Squats always come before leg presses in my routines, but I still use the leg press from time to time. Sometimes squatting would be for sets of 5 and I'd follow it up with leg press with higher reps as another quad movement. I've also used leg press in conjunction with deadlifting, to avoid doing heavy squats and deadlifts on the same day, but still hit quads. DL + leg press is a great leg workout.

 

[xboxist]

Ok, I did some dumbbell squats before deadlifts on Sunday. They certainly reduced my overall load on deadlifts afterward, but not as bad as I would have expected.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

nah add a reverse lunge or something instead.