The leg press and squat are both highly effective at strengthening the lower body. But which is best for you? Here’s a detailed look at both exercisesincluding benefits and cons.
Ask any bodybuilderfitness buffor gymgoer about whether leg presses vs. squats are betterand you’ll instantly spark an ages-old debate.
Resistance trainees tend to be fairly split down the middle on this subject.
Some will argue that squats are better until they’re blue in the facewhile others will bend your ears for an hour talking about why leg presses and the leg press machine are kings for lower body training.
WellI’m going to settle this debate once and for all. But I’m not going to do it based on opinion; insteadI’ll look at the coldhard science behind the two exercises.
BelowI’ll dive into some real data from medical studiesand look closer at the pros and cons of each exercise.
By the end of this postyou’ll know which workout you should be focused onand how to use both exercises safely in your weekly lower body training sessions.
Let the battle for Leg Day domination commence!
The Leg Press – Overview
The leg press is a machine-based closed-chain kinetic exercise that focuses primarily on your quadriceps musclesthough your glutescalvesand hamstrings are also engaged.
See also: 7 Leg Machines at the Gym (Plus BenefitsMuscles Workedand More)
With the leg pressyou sit or lie on your backplace your feet against a platformand push against the platform to press the weight. You do not move; the weight does.
The Squat – Overview
The squat is a free-weight closed-chain kinetic exercise that primarily focuses on your quadswith good engagement of the other leg muscles.
When squattingyou either use your bodyweight or load up weight on your upper bodyand squat until you reach a 90-degree angle.
The effort of both lowering yourself under control into the squat and pushing back upward generates excellent leg power.
The Main Differences Between the Leg Press and Squats
Difference 1: The Load Placement
With leg pressesthe load is indirectly placed on your body. Your legs have to do the work of pushingbut the weighted sled is supported by the slide rails that keep it traveling in a single plane of motion.
This eliminates the need for secondary stabilizer muscles to engage to maintain balanceso the focus is entirely on the primary muscles worked: quadshamstringsglutesand calves.
With squatshoweveryou have to maintain your balance beneath a direct load. The weighted barbell is resting on your shoulders or the dumbbells are hanging by your side.
Related: What Muscles Does the Leg Press Work?
Even a minute shift in your posture could throw you off-balanceso your body has to engage all the stabilizer muscles in your legscoreand upper body to maintain equilibrium.
Because of the need for these smaller stabilizer muscles to engagesquats are more effective for developing better overall strength in your entire bodynot just your legs.
Difference 2: The Injury Risk
With leg pressesthe indirect load placement means that the focus is entirely on your legsso your lower back is mostly isolated (and supported by the seat) throughout the entire exercise (with proper posture).
There is an incredibly low risk of spinal muscle injury doing leg presses. This is one of the key benefits to the leg press.
Howeverthere is a higher risk of knee injuriesespecially if you lock out your knees at the top. Lifters who are struggling with very heavy weights will often lock out their knees to give their leg muscles a break. This isn’t just less effective for your muscle-building; it also increases joint injury risk.
Squatson the other handrun a much higher risk of injuring your lower back.
Because the weight is resting on your upper body (front or back of your shoulders)your lower back and ab muscles have to engage to maintain your balance. If your posture is incorrect or your load is too heavyyou run the risk of straining your lower back muscles.
There is also a potential risk to your kneesas with any lower body exercise. Even though the squat is a natural movement that is unrestricted (and thus your body can adapt your posture)it’s still possible that you’ll injure your knees squatting.
Trainees with limited ankle and hip mobility will want to be particularly careful with squats as they can compensate for limited mobility with terrible technique (one of my favorite tools for athletes who struggle to hit depth is a squat heel wedge).
Andof coursethere’s also the chance you’ll strain your shoulders or pull a neck muscle. Because you’re carrying the heavy weightthere is a risk of shoulder/neck strain.
Note: One study found that up to 32% of all training-related injuries resulted from or were related to squatseven among elite-level bodybuilders. It’s not just n00bs at risk!
Difference 3: The Effectiveness
For many peoplethis is the #1 factor that they want to hear about! After allif you’re going to invest your time into trainingyou want to make sure you hit 100% effectiveness every single time.
The subject of leg presses vs. squats has been debated among the scientific communityparticularly sports researchers.
I’m going to share some studies with you below—don’t worryI won’t dive into the boring medical detailsjust the relevant information.
✔️ One study set ten experienced lifters to perform both squats and leg pressesand the researchers analyzed knee forces and muscle activity.
According to the data“The greater muscle activity and knee forces in the squat compared with the less press implies the squat may be more effective in muscle development”.
Howeverthe study also warned that squats “should be used cautiously in those with PCL and PF disordersespecially at greater knee flexion angles.”
✔️ A 2016 study compared leg presses vs. squatsusing two weekly workouts over 10 weeks.
By the end“Results showed that squats had greater transfer to maximal squat strength compared to the leg press.
Effect sizes favored squats and squat/leg press combo versus leg press with respect to countermovement jump while greater effect sizes for dynamic balance were noted for squat/leg press combo leg press compared to squatsalthough no statistical differences were noted between conditions.”
✔️ Another study from 2016 looked at whether leg presses or squats could help to improve both speed and strength in the lower body.
The data concluded that“The squat exhibited a statistically significant increase in jump performance in squat jump and countermovement jump. Whereasthe changes in the leg press did not reach statistical significance and amounted to improvements in either jump.”
✔️ One 2017 study found that squats increased maximal force outputoptimal velocityand force-velocity profile more effectively than leg pressesleading to greater explosive leg power.
Based on all this datait’s clear that squats do have the slight edge when it comes to effectiveness for muscle-building.
Howeveras the first study I mentioned warnedthey run a higher risk of exacerbating existing knee ligament injuries.
Difference 4: Variety
Variety is the spice of life—and it’s a crucial key to avoid demotivation over years of regular training.
Adding in new exercises or variations can keep your training fresh and interestingpreventing boredom and adaptation to training (which decreases the effectiveness of the workouts).
With leg pressesit’s pretty much “what you see is what you get”. You can shift around foot placement to target different leg muscles or try side-lying leg presses to maximize glute engagementbut at the end of the dayit’s mostly a variation on the exact same thing.
Squatshowevergive you lots of options to choose fromincluding (but not limited to):
- Back Squats
- Front Squats
- Bodyweight Squats
- Sumo Squats
- Jump Squats
- Overhead Squats
- Goblet Squats
- Belt Squats
- Box Squats
- Pistol Squats
- Sissy Squats
- Skater Squats
- and the list goes on!
There are easily 20-30 different variations on squatsall of which adapt the exercise to more effectively target a certain muscle group or range of motion.
Leg Press vs Squats – FAQs
Should you do leg press and squats on the same day?
Absolutely! Squats are an excellent exercise to start off your workoutallowing you to maximize range of motion and muscle engagement in the most natural way possible. Use leg presses as a “finisher” to work your max weight range and train your muscles (more safely) to failure.
Why can I leg press more than I can squat?
There are two reasons for this:
- You’re not lifting your bodyweight. When you squatyou’re dealing with the combined weight of your body and the barbell on your shoulders. With leg presseshoweveryour bodyweight is removed from the equationso based on all the weight discs you add onto the machineit definitely looks like you’re pressing more than you can squat.
- The leg press machine “helps”. Literally! Because the sled has to slide along the railsyou can only ever push along a single plane of motion. The rails guide the weight upwardeven if you don’t push at the perfect angle. The result is a fractionally easier effort (and no need to maintain balance or control the direction of your force)which allows you to press more weight than you can squat.
How much should I leg press compared to squat?
Consider leg pressing 2.5-3x your squat weight. For exampleif you squat 200 poundstry leg pressing 500-600 pounds. Remember: you’re removing your body weight from the equation and making it easier to lift the weightso you can handle a lot more.
Are squats better than leg presses for athletic performance?
If your goal is to be a better more well-rounded athlete overallsquats are the better choice. Not only do they train your core and upper body musclesbut also improve proprioceptionbalanceand mobility.
Isolation exercises (that only focus on a single muscle/group) can generate more power in that individual muscle/groupbut for overall functional fitness and athletic performancedo multi-joint exercises whenever possible.
The Bottom Line
I’m a huge fan of leg presses because they are very safeallow me to lift significantly more weight (without the need for a spotter)and take the strain off my lower back.
Howeverat the end of the dayeven I can admit that squats are the more effective choice overall.
Squats force your entire body to work to stabilize you throughout the full range of motionand it’s a more natural exercise that trains your body to move more efficiently.
For an athlete who cares about performance more than raw powerI’ve got to give the edge to squats over leg presses every time.
More Guides Like This
6 Best Leg Machines for Your Home Gym. Looking to get your press on in the comfort of your home gym? There are some excellent options on the market for all budgets.
6 Leg Press Alternatives for Building Strong Legs. Looking to mix up your leg training? Here are six alternatives to using the leg press machine for strengthening your legs.
Leg Press vs Hack Squat: ProsConsand Differences for Monster Leg Muscles. The leg press and hack squat are both excellent exercises for developing strong leg muscles. But which one is for you? Read on to see the pros and cons of each.
6 Tips for Targeting Glutes on Leg Press. The leg press is an underrated way to develop stronger glutes. Here are six tips on how to optimize the exercise so that you are primarily targeting the glutes.
