Leg Press or Body Weight Squats

tawanda6329

I have a membership at Planet Fitness. They do not have free weights. The have the preloaded weight bars that go up to 60lbs. I cannot lift that much weight over my head so I've been doing body weight squats for the most part. I just recently started using the Leg Press machine. With the limits of my gym, do you think this is a good subsitute for squats?

I lift weights 3 days/week for strength training. I normally do the following routine.
4 Rounds
-5 Pushups
-5 Deadlifts
-5 Bent Over Row
-30 bodyweight squats

-5 Overhead Press (3 sets)
-5 Leg Press Machine (3 sets)
-30 back extensions
-20 assistanced pull-ups
-5 T Bar Row (3 sets)
-5 Lat Pull Down (3 sets)

JoRocka

actually
1.) there is no "good" substitute for a squat. There are things to help as far as accesories and will get the job done- but none of the following will be as good as just doing a squat.

2.) learn how to clean/press a weight

3.) Front squats

4.) learn how to do a goblet squat

5.) learn how to do a bulgarian split squats

6.) go to a new gym.

FrankDavis86

actually
1.) there is no "good" substitute for a squat. There are things to help as far as accesories and will get the job done- but none of the following will be as good as just doing a squat.

I agree 100%. These new gyms are concentrating on having techie and modern machines... The old school way with free weights is so much more effective - squats for example.

I would suggest changing to another gym that has free weights. WIth free weights there are so many muscles that are engaged on each movement. Machines won't give you that.

Platform_Heels

I would suggest changing to another gym that has free weights. WIth free weights there are so many muscles that are engaged on each movement. Machines won't give you that.

Awesome idea IF it's affordable for the OP and/or there is a different gym in the area.

OP: there isn't anything wrong with the leg press machine. I cycle it in on my leg days but I do single leg presses which really targets the quad and your butt.

No_Finish_Line

how are you doing the deadlifts?

if you want to go very heavy, then i think the leg press is probably your best option... especially if there is no smith machine.

personally i much perfer the plate loaded leg sleds to the pin/cable variety but i suppose thats more of personal preference

you could do goblet squats or otherwise make use of the dumbbells to squat.

CrusaderSam

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

parkscs

Barbell squats are one of the best movements you can do - but they're not the only source of gains. If it doesn't bother your knees (like it does mine), there's always the Smith machine. In addition to or instead of the Smith machine, I'd just go heavy on leg press and supplement that with some dumbbell/goblet squats, then hit the isolation machines. Would it be more optimal from a gains perspective to change gyms and focus on barbell squats? Very likely so. But you can still make good progress without them.

12by311

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

So, you don't think a squat is a nice full body compound movement beneficial to muscle gains and/or strength gains?

Leg press may do "just fine" but it's not a compound lift.

No_Finish_Line

So, you don't think a squat is a nice full body compound movement beneficial to muscle gains and/or strength gains?

Leg press may do "just fine" but it's not a compound lift.

why not? you use your butt and quads. hips and knee joint. doesn't involve your core to the extent that squats do but its still a compound lift

JoRocka

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

LOL wut?

yogicarl

It depends on what your goals are I think. Any number or reps or intensity of barbell squats would not really help me in improving my Utkatasana posture, though the benefits are similar.

eric_sg61

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

Oh lawd...............

No_Finish_Line

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

i wouldn't say they are the worst thing you can ever do, but many seem to want to sell the myth that anyother type of leg lift is a complete waste of time.

wyattj99

My Planet Fitness has free weights and lots of them

No_Finish_Line

what planet are you from lol

rogerOb1

how are you doing the deadlifts?


you could do goblet squats or otherwise make use of the dumbbells to squat.

Thats what I was thinking.

rogerOb1

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

Can you think of another lifting exercise that works as many muscle groups as the squat? Do you feel its a coincidence that its considered a foundation exercise for building stength/muscle?

No_Finish_Line

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

Can you think of another lifting exercise that works as many muscle groups as the squat? Do you feel its a coincidence that its considered a foundation exercise for building stength/muscle?

the clean and press works same and then some

RaeLB

No free weights?! What is this place?

Can you revoke your membership?

RaeLB

Back squats are the worst thing you can ever do!

Ok that should wake most people up. No I dont mean that, but in real life at no point will you ever need to perfectly balance a bar on your back and squat it down then back up. Picking up a dead weight off the floor that is in front of you people do all the time. There is nothing magic about the back squat and in real life it doesn't come in handy at all. I think people being such squat fanatics are doing more harm then good, gym owners would rather remove the racks then have to deal with the crazy power lifters. Unless you have goals to join an NFL team leg press will do just fine.

hahah good one! ... that was a joke right?

rogerOb1

the clean and press works same and then some

Lol, theres a reason why I asked a 2 part question. Youre never going to clean and press with the same kind of weight that you back squat with.

Edit. Hey, doesnt the "and" make them two different exercises?

No_Finish_Line

lol, well i was only answering the first one then

tawanda6329

2.) learn how to clean/press a weight
4.) learn how to do a goblet squat
5.) learn how to do a bulgarian split squats

I'm not sure what these are but I will look them up tonight.


I deadlift & bent over row using the 60lb weight bar. I started off at 40lbs now I'm at 60lbs. I won't be able to go any higher than this at my current gym.
I tried the Smith Machine when I first started at this gym and injured my back/side really bad so I'm afraid to back to using the Smith machine.

My membership ends in September so I plan to switch gyms at that time.

RaeLB

Weight machines do not engage the muscles the same way free weights do - free weights build your stabilizer muscles. For example, when you're doing a barbell back squat you're not only squatting with the weight and pushing it back up, your body is also working to keep the bar stable on your back, which builds stabilizer muscles - whereas the smith machine keeps the bar steady and doesn't help you build stabilizer muscles. Weight machines can help you focus on a target muscle but yeah, they're not the same thing.

Sorry to hear about your injury, but that can happen with any exercise. Make sure you know proper form.
I would definitely switch gyms so you can keep at your program and keep at the gains

Snow3y

Squats and Leg press are not the same.. You will find squats put more tension on your glutes and lower back, where's Leg Press places less tension on glutes and little to none on your lower back.

Depending on foot placement on the leg press, you can target almost any muscle in your leg... With squats, it's not that simple because it would effect your form, which could put bad strain on your body and cause an injury..

No_Finish_Line

clean and press is a lift that takes the barbell from the floor to shoulder level and then you do a shoulder press.

google it for good form.

if 60 lbs is a challenging dead lift then 40 probably would be somewhat challenging for squats. you could ask someone to set it on your shoulders an spot you if you wanted to squat.

but i'm imagining and e-z curl type bar that might not be very comfortable on your back

JoRocka

You can clean a weight to the front racked position for front squats too.

It's a good thing to know how to do.

CrusaderSam

You will deadlift more then you can squat and that will use more muscles too. Walking lunges use more muscle and they can be used in real life too. The fact is you dont need to squat, and by selling this myth people are doing more harm then good. I cant tell you how many people get turned off by the whole squat or go home mindset because they will just go home and not workout at all. So god bless the leg press and every one who uses them, because they are already doing so much more then 95% of the people out there.

JoRocka

you said it was a bad lift?

I'm still confused as to how it's a bad lift.

I'm also confused at this mentality
"people don't like it so it makes it a myth and something we shouldn't perpetuate it because it turns people off from lifting" is worth paying mind to.

seriously- it's a fundamental exercise to know how to squat- ever take a dump? well there you go- you need to know how to squat properly.

secondly- who cares if they decided it's "too much" that's not my problem- it frees up the squat rack for me.

Just because they don't like it doesn't mean you should write it off.

So does doing pull ups- guess I should stop doing those because it scares girls at the gym. Suck it up butter cup and do what you need to do.

CrusaderSam

I said I didnt mean it. I squat all the time but its not the end all and be all and can be replaced easy enough and get the same or better results.

parkscs

seriously- it's a fundamental exercise to know how to squat- ever take a dump? well there you go- you need to know how to squat properly.

Not with 300 pounds on my shoulders.