Leg Press vs. Squat: Which One Is Best Suited to Your Fitness Goals? (2024)

Leg presses and squats both work your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. But squats also work other parts of the body.

It’s leg day and you want to work your quadriceps, the large muscles at the front of your thighs. So you ponder the leg presses versus squats dilemma. Is one safer or more effective than the other?

The truth is that both exercises have their advantages when it comes to building strength and muscle mass. Likewise, they also have their limitations and risks. The right exercise for you may have more to do with what you want to get out of your workout.

This article will take a closer look at both exercises in an effort to help you decide when and why one may be better suited to you.

Both leg presses and squats primarily work your quadriceps, or quads. But they also work your hamstrings (muscles opposite your quads at the back of your thighs) and glutes (the muscles in your buttocks).

Because most of your body moves to perform squats, they tend to engage other muscle groups, such as your abs and hips, whereas leg presses just involve movement of the legs.

Leg presses

Leg Press vs. Squat: Which One Is Best Suited to Your Fitness Goals? (1)Share on Pinterest

Leg presses are seated exercises done on a leg press machine.

To start, sit with your back against a padded backrest and your feet on two large footrests. Your knees are bent to start the exercise. To move the weight, you must straighten your legs and then return them to the bent position.

Squats

Leg Press vs. Squat: Which One Is Best Suited to Your Fitness Goals? (2)Share on Pinterest

Conversely, squats are done with your feet on the ground, though there are several variations of this exercise.

With some squats, you start with your legs straight and the weight behind your neck. In other variations, the weight — such as a barbell or dumbbells — is in front of you. The challenge is to bend your knees and then straighten up with the weight providing resistance.

Some types of squats are done with the weight starting on the ground and your knees bent. There are also squat machines.

Leg presses are effective at building leg strength, but they can be risky if you try to move too much weight or lock your knees.

Leg press pros

  • You can focus just on your leg muscles because your back is supported and there are hand rests.
  • You can adjust which leg muscles get extra emphasis simply by adjusting your foot position on the footpads.
  • This exercise works the quads more because there’s less range of motion — and less emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings — than with a squat.
  • You don’t need a spotter.

Was this helpful?

Leg press cons

  • You need a leg press machine to do the exercise.
  • You risk working one leg harder than the other. The machine will move the same way whether both legs are pushing equally or if one is doing more of the work.
  • There’s a risk of rounding your back if you try to press too much weight.
  • You risk injuring your knees if you try to press too much weight or lock your knees when extending your legs.
  • You may be tempted to pile on more weight than you can handle.

Was this helpful?

Squats also give your quads a great workout, and they work your glutes and hamstrings to a greater degree than leg presses. But if you’re doing squats with free weights, you run the risk of injury by trying to squat too much or losing control of the barbell.

Squat pros

  • There are a variety of squat exercises you can do, which allows you to work muscles from different angles and keep your workouts varied.
  • Doing squats can help strengthen your core and back muscles.
  • Squats may help improve flexibility in your knees.
  • Because keeping your back straight is key, this exercise can help improve your posture.

Was this helpful?

Squat cons

  • There’s a risk of back injury, from leaning too far forward during the squat or rounding your back.
  • You can strain your shoulders if you’re supporting a heavy barbell.
  • There’s a risk of getting stuck at the bottom of a squat and not being able to get back up.
  • You risk injuring your knees if your knees move too far in or out during the exercise.
  • You may need a spotter.

Was this helpful?

If you’re looking for an allover body workout, then squats have the advantage over leg presses. But if balance is a problem, or you have shoulder or back pain, then leg presses may be a better choice.

Though leg presses and squats work the same muscle groups, they do so from slightly different angles and with greater emphasis on one group or the other. That means balancing your leg workouts with both exercises may be the best approach.

A 2018 study looked at the strength, body composition, and functional outcome of participants who did either back squats, leg presses, or a combination of the two exercises.

The study lasted 10 weeks, and participants did two lower-body workouts per week. At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that both exercises were beneficial as part of a lower-body workout program.

Leg presses don’t allow for many variations, but there are a few ways to mix things up.

One-leg leg press

Instead of using both legs at the same time, use one leg at a time to make sure each leg gets a thorough workout. Just make sure the weight isn’t too much for one leg to handle safely.

Higher foot placement

Placing your feet higher on the footpad will increase the extension and contraction of your hamstrings and glutes, and reduce your knees’ range of motion during the exercise.

Lower foot placement

Placing your feet lower on the footpad increases your knees’ range of motion. It requires more effort from your quads and less from your glutes and hamstrings.

Squats offer more variations than leg presses do, and each type of squat works your muscles in a slightly different way. Squats can also be done without any weights.

Back squats

Share on Pinterest

Back squats may be the most familiar to casual weightlifters. The weight is placed on your shoulders, behind your neck. You then bend your knees and straighten back up to complete one repetition.

With back squats, you may be tempted to bow forward a little to help manage the weight on your shoulders. Try to avoid this as it can strain your back muscles.

Hack squats

Like back squats, hack squats can be done with machines or barbells. A barbell hack squat is done by standing in front of the barbell, bending your knees to reach down behind you to grab the barbell, and then standing up with the barbell across your buttocks or upper hamstrings.

Hack squats tend to put less strain on your lower back than back squats because the weight is under your center of mass, not above or in front of it.

Front squats

A front squat is done with a barbell or two dumbbells held up at shoulder height while you perform a standard squat. Front squats tend to be easier on the knees than back squats, and they may also be safer for your back.

The most important safety tip for both leg presses and squats is to avoid overloading the weight. Using a weight you can’t control can cause knee injuries, back problems, and other issues. Start with a weight you can handle easily and build up slowly from there.

If you do both exercises as part of a comprehensive leg regimen, be careful not to overload the weight when you do either exercise. Use a lighter weight than you normally would if you were only doing leg presses or squats on their own.

With squats, it’s helpful to have a spotter ready to assist you.

With leg presses, don’t lock your knees when you extend your legs.

Given that there are pros and cons to both exercises, the leg press versus squats question may have to be settled by what’s available to you and what your workout goal is on a given day.

With research pointing to the fact that there are benefits to both free weights and leg machines, a combination of the two workouts may be just what you need to get a leg up on your fitness goals.

Leg Press vs. Squat: Which One Is Best Suited to Your Fitness Goals? (2024)

FAQs

Leg Press vs. Squat: Which One Is Best Suited to Your Fitness Goals? ›

If you're looking for an allover body workout, then squats have the advantage over leg presses. But if balance is a problem, or you have shoulder or back pain, then leg presses may be a better choice.

Which is better, leg press or squats? ›

The leg press machine works mostly with the quads and hamstrings, as well as the glutes. Depending on how you do them, you may also work the calves. However, the squat forces you to balance, and this engages your back and core. The squat works more muscles and therefore has additional benefits on this front.

Why do people leg press more than they squat? ›

To further explain, most people (including beginners) will be able to leg press 2-3 times what they can squat – this indicates that their leg strength is far superior to any load they place on their back when they attempt to squat.

What are the benefits of leg press? ›

The leg press is the most important exercise in a workout. Regularly training with the leg press leads to strength and muscle gains in the largest muscles of the body. The leg press also improves mobility and overall physical function.

What does leg press target the most? ›

Specifically, the leg press targets the quadriceps muscles in the front of the thighs, the gluteal muscles in the buttocks, the hamstring muscles in the back of the thighs, and the calves, all in an integrated fashion.

Which is safer, squat or leg press? ›

Low risk of injury: The leg press can be safer than the squat for those new to weightlifting or with limited mobility. Because the leg press machine provides a fixed range of motion and supports the weight, there is less risk of injury from improper form or overload.

Is the leg press effective? ›

The leg press develops and strengthens several muscles, such as the quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal muscles. Since the calf muscles play a critical role in supporting these muscles, the calf muscles also become stronger.

Is 300 lbs leg press good? ›

The ideal leg press weight for adult males varies depending on factors such as fitness level and age. For an intermediate male lifter (50th percentile), a comfortable leg press weight is around 191 kg (425 lb). Beginners should start with a weight that's 50 to 75 percent of their total body weight.

Can you leg press every day? ›

Allow at least 48 hours of rest between leg workouts to give your muscles time to recover and grow.

Does leg press grow glutes? ›

The leg press is not only a quad killer but also a booty builder. By following these tips on how to use the leg press for your glutes, you can sculpt a stronger and rounder butt in no time!

Is the leg press good for your knees? ›

Seated Leg Press Benefits

It is also a good machine for those with weak knees or back problems because the pressure of the weights is mostly on the hamstrings and glutes during the exercise. The leg press is good for lower body development. It promotes leg development because it isolates muscles within the leg.

Does leg press reduce belly fat? ›

Use The Leg Press If…

Your main goal is fat loss Yes, it can be an effective fat-loss tool. Load it up with a weight that's just under your usual 10-rep max, and do leg press Tabatas—20 seconds of as many reps as possible, 10 seconds off, repeated 8 times.

What are some common mistakes people make during the leg press? ›

5 Common Leg Press Mistakes
  • Knees Collapse Inwards. This is a common mistake with many lower body exercises and is a sign of weak glutes. ...
  • Locked Out Knees. Locking out the knees at the top is a common mistake during the leg press. ...
  • Heels Hanging Off. ...
  • Lowering Sled Too Far Down. ...
  • Partial Reps.
Feb 7, 2023

Should leg press be slow or fast? ›

Once your legs are extended, lower the weight toward your body. Keep this motion slow and controlled, and inhale while you're performing it. You don't want to let the weight fall toward you. Stop lowering the weight when your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.

Should I do both squats and leg press? ›

Include both of these exercises in your routine to ensure that you don't fall short of your true potential. Either alternate your squat and leg press days, or go the route many of the pros do—follow squats with more punishment via the leg press in the same workout.

Do you need to do leg press if you do squats? ›

A 2018 study looked at the strength, body composition, and functional outcome of participants who did either back squats, leg press exercises, or a combination of the two exercises and found that both were beneficial as part of a lower body workout.

What exercise is better than leg press? ›

Squats. Squats mimic the movement of leg presses. They're done in a vertical position, so your lower back absorbs less pressure. If you have back pain or injuries, squats may be an ideal leg press alternative.

Does leg press reduce thigh fat? ›

In one small study, for example, researchers asked volunteers to do 960–1,200 leg press repetitions three times a week for 12 weeks, using just one leg. The results indicated that the training was effective in reducing fat mass all over the body, not just in the leg used.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Foster Heidenreich CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 6516

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Foster Heidenreich CPA

Birthday: 1995-01-14

Address: 55021 Usha Garden, North Larisa, DE 19209

Phone: +6812240846623

Job: Corporate Healthcare Strategist

Hobby: Singing, Listening to music, Rafting, LARPing, Gardening, Quilting, Rappelling

Introduction: My name is Foster Heidenreich CPA, I am a delightful, quaint, glorious, quaint, faithful, enchanting, fine person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.