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Leg press instead of squat

People are often trained to think that the Greeks and Roman statues are what is the peak for humans. But that is just one more opinion. I am sure if a person went back in time looking like that thousands of years ago would have made you look like a freak compared to the rest of the population. The idea of what is freaky has grown since then just like other things. My idea of aesthetic looks is a much more powerful look then what most consider pleasing.

Agreed on both points. I was simply making examples of body proportions compared to today.
 
Squats and leg press, if you can do both you should be doing both!!!!

Lol worked for me 😃
 
I think our muscular shape is more malleable than is often thought, and is effected by habitual movements over time.
 
Squats and leg press, if you can do both you should be doing both!!!!

Lol worked for me 😃

Exactly. Everything is VS these days. Now obviously if you can't do one movement properly due to injury then just do others. However if you can do both take advantage of it as they are two of the best muscle builders. Even with guys with injuries they can always lighten the load for squats or perform a certain variation that doesn't cause them issues. At the same time there isn't one movement in the gym that is essential to everyone so if something doesn't suit your body just don't do it.
 
You ever seen those guys with absolutely huge, tree trunk thighs, that are just simply massive... Yet they look ugly, not remotely functional, with a weird shape to the sweep and the tear drop, etc? In my opinion, this is probably sometimes due in part to training them in mostly "non functional" ways that don't mimic actual human movements, like sprinting, walking, squatting, lunging. Obviously beautiful, huge, impressively aesthetic, world class legs have been built, almost all of them, using the leg press as part of their arsenal. But I would wonder if their legs would have looked as functional and aesthetic if they didn't do more "natural" movements like squats, machine squats, lunges, hack squats, etc, too.

I disagree. I don't think you can change the shape through training. Well you obviously can as you simply develop the muscle to such as extent that it will look like a different shape over time but it's simply because it's just larger. Now you can focus on a certain area and develop that area more than surrounding areas but everything is still connected. An example if someone just loaded their lower back over and over for years with hard lifting they will develop thicker back muscles. Just the same if someone trains their abs with heavy weight over and over for years their abs will get more developed and look different. However I think if someone has ugly muscles it's just genetic and because they are well developed it just shows more. An exception to the rule are the many guys who site inject their legs and that is especially common in... well everywhere but I was going to state the Middle East.
 
I disagree. I don't think you can change the shape through training. Well you obviously can as you simply develop the muscle to such as extent that it will look like a different shape over time but it's simply because it's just larger. Now you can focus on a certain area and develop that area more than surrounding areas but everything is still connected. An example if someone just loaded their lower back over and over for years with hard lifting they will develop thicker back muscles. Just the same if someone trains their abs with heavy weight over and over for years their abs will get more developed and look different. However I think if someone has ugly muscles it's just genetic and because they are well developed it just shows more. An exception to the rule are the many guys who site inject their legs and that is especially common in... well everywhere but I was going to state the Middle East.

I completed missed one of my main points :eek: Basically certain movements will develop certain areas but there are another 1001 variables. However if you have x person build 30 inch legs from just squats then not train for 2 years and they go back to where he began then he builds 30 inch legs from just leg pressing his muscles will still look the same. Now the ratio of hams/quads/glutes may be different (bigger/smaller) with different movements and/or form but his muscles don't change shape. If you get your quads to x size and y body fat using just training and aas then they will look the same if that was from squatting or leg pressing. I 100% get your thought process though because different movements and/or form can target different areas of your legs more effectively so over time you could look different depending upon what movement you perform and/or what form you use (foot placement, depth etc).
 
I was one of those guys with big, strong, but blocky quads that didn't have much shape. Squatting gave me huge, strong legs, even though much of it is genetic (I'm pretty sure I'll be reincarnated as a beast of burden), leg press plus leg extensions dramatically improved my legs. I'll mention that I did tear both tear drops on my very first job, so maybe starting to prioritize them finally filled them back in?
 
Back to back. :eek:
Yesterday worked up to 1800 lbs for 12 on leg press, then went to squats and worked up to 455 for 8 (squats suck right now cause I stopped doing them for a while)
 
Yesterday worked up to 1800 lbs for 12 on leg press, then went to squats and worked up to 455 for 8 (squats suck right now cause I stopped doing them for a while)

Super impressive.

I went to 1,040lbs. on leg press for the first time last week and hit 10 reps - and had to walk using my hips instead of quads for the next 3 days.

For taller guys with longer legs, I feel leg press can be superior to many squat variations given how much easier it is to maintain tension through the ROM and the reduced CNS fatigue with no spinal loading.
 
Super impressive.

I went to 1,040lbs. on leg press for the first time last week and hit 10 reps - and had to walk using my hips instead of quads for the next 3 days.

For taller guys with longer legs, I feel leg press can be superior to many squat variations given how much easier it is to maintain tension through the ROM and the reduced CNS fatigue with no spinal loading.
I rarely ever go that heavy cause it requires me to pile the 150 dumbells and plates on top of the leg press, too much work! I usually stay in the 1100 range and do more reps.

ps - I couldn't even imagine having long legs, pressing and squatting would be a bitch!
 
Super impressive.

I went to 1,040lbs. on leg press for the first time last week and hit 10 reps - and had to walk using my hips instead of quads for the next 3 days.

For taller guys with longer legs, I feel leg press can be superior to many squat variations given how much easier it is to maintain tension through the ROM and the reduced CNS fatigue with no spinal loading.

Yep!
 
From the EMG studies I have seen building the quads as an example is mostly just about bending the knee and straightening it. Foot placement etc really doesn't matter. It just changes which other muscle groups are engaged. And as the hips/glutes and balance are not used as much in presses . More weight can be used directly by the quads engaging more fibers in the long run I expect.
 
Placing the back rest all the way down actually puts more on your hams and glutes, seat upward puts more on your quads. Jusy like squats when you go ass to grass your diverting the force to your glutes and hams, parallel hits more quads.

When I have the seat up I feel like I have way less ROM/depth because my knees are immediately back in my chest. I feel like it affects my hips more too. I always thought seat all the way back for a full ROM was the way to go.
 
I have totally given up squats due to my hernia and diastatis recti issues.
I can still press OK with better abdominal control, but no crazy weights.

I no longer want big legs, but I can tell you that a good leg press, with feet at the very bottom feel comparable to squats for me in quad activation.
Bit off track, does anyone know what can cause diastasis recti? With me, mine seemed to arise after I had my umbilical and inguinal hernia surgery. It was almost as if something from the surgery weekend the area. Before that surgery it was rock solid with no hint of an issue.
 
I am with Maldorf with this...both umbilical ( repaired 18ish years ago ) and inguinal ( about 7 years ago ) never had a problem but 3 or 4 years ago I noticed a ridge forming under my shirt doing high incline weighted situps.

I am thinking that the surgeries had something to do with it.
 
I am with Maldorf with this...both umbilical ( repaired 18ish years ago ) and inguinal ( about 7 years ago ) never had a problem but 3 or 4 years ago I noticed a ridge forming under my shirt doing high incline weighted situps.

I am thinking that the surgeries had something to do with it.
My case was almost identical. I can't remember how long it was after surgery when it showed itself, but it was less than a year. I was doing decline presses and coming up after finishing my set. I saw the ridge right up the middle of my abs, up the linea alba. It just seemed to appear out of nowhere .looks like shit now and feels weak.

I would like to warn others to look out for this after surgery. I dont think there is much you can do to prevent it.
 
Always did either old school squats to at least parallel or deep leg presses at every leg workout as the main major exercise.
 
What do you guys think of those horizontal machine leg press? I know less ideal than the plate loaded ones but how much less? I have chronic back problems and struggle squatting. Even lower weight higher reps is a flare up waiting to happen. Have been frustrated for a while now and the horizontal leg press is all my gym has.

After two back surgeries, I can no longer squat. All I use is the horizontal leg press machine. It is the best option for me and my circumstance.
 

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