I really don't like Squats, can I just do leg press instead?

[heislove1980]

Been weight lifting for about a year now and I always do squats b/c well, that's just what I learned to do for leg day: squats and deadlifts followed by isolation. The problem is I HATE squats, I don't feel comfortable doing them, I'm scared for my knees so I don't feel like I squat far enough, etc.

On the other side of things I LOVE my gym's leg press machine. It uses free weights and has a stopper so you cant go far enough down to hurt yourself which makes me confident on it, since I'm confident, I press more and generally have better success at that than squats. It seems to me that the leg press works most of the same muscles as a squat so can I just do leg presses instead? I'm not trying to win any competitions, just be healthier and more fit and I took to weight training more than other exercise methods.

 

[dawn16]

@heislove1980 Squat isn't mandatory, but are VERY helpful - there's a reason why it's included in almost every basic type of program. Leg press does not do the same thing as squats. It is just a great exercise with a different use/result. Often people do squats AND leg presses, to get the best of both worlds. For what it's worth, they are my favorite lift and leave me far more exhausted than any other exercise, and I also got my best results from them.

 

[abstractsbybrian]

@heislove1980 Leg press will not translate to physical strength in the same way. That said, it will grow your quads if that’s your primary motivation.

Per the usual with compounds, though, you’d have to throw in minimum two additional movements to fully replace it(to get all the same work to all the same muscles) in programming, like hip thrust & zercher holds, for example.

 

[xiconexertoroyah]

@heislove1980 They will build your legs differently and you hips/lower back less. The instability of the free weights demands more stabilizer activity, so you're missing out on some balance and bracing in the abdomen there.

Ultimately, it'll be fine. Unless you're trying to be a competitive athlete, it's kind of splitting hairs.

Personally though, a bad leg press feels harder on all my joints than a heavy squat done right. My dumb ass actually pulled a lat on the leg press once.

 

[sam1986]

@heislove1980 Just my experience but I found it a lot easier to mess up my knees and hips on the leg press, because it ‘lets me’ push a lot of weight without necessarily having good form. And the squat is also doing a lot for your core, abs, etc. that the leg press won’t.

But I hear you on the concern with squats, especially once they get heavy.

I swap in pause squats (with lighter weight) because holding the position at the bottom makes me feel more solid. Like I’m controlling the weight, and it helps me maintain form.

 

[heislove1980]

@sam1986 I'm going to try pauses with lower weight and see how that goes. I see a lot of value in that advice.

 

[danny4mission]

@heislove1980 knee health will still apply to leg press, but yes. i personally do close stance leg press for more quad bias

 

[chabe_mom]

@heislove1980 I took out squats from my program years ago because they didn’t feel good either, my legs are too long and in order for me to squat to depth i had to do a very low bar squat which is not very good for quad growth. I changed all my squats to smith machine hacksquats, its still a squat, but since you are in the smith machine you can put your feed more in front of you, letting you go much lower with a straight back.

 

[patriotparacords]

@heislove1980 You may want to take a look at Iron Minds super squats hip belt. Puts the weights between youir legs and reduces load on your back. https://www.ironmind.com/product-info/harnesses-belts/IronMind-Belts/

 

[reformedbill]

@heislove1980 Squats are much more intense, you won't get the same results from a leg press. Try a hex bar deadlift. You only go down to 60 degrees or so and it develops the posterior chain muscles a little more than a regular squat.

 

[davenoonan]

@heislove1980 Leg press is legit, especially if you do One-Leg style: https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/leg-exercises/one-leg-leg-press/

I actually prefer one-leg on it as you don’t have to load as much weight.

 

[tail0rmade22]

@davenoonan Gonna try this as I’ve maxed out my machine and was wondering what to do next. Didn’t even consider this

 

[jbrad01x]

@heislove1980 outgoing combative flowery ten ink intelligent ghost historical toy tap

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[heislove1980]

@jbrad01x No, no prior injuries, just old and crackley. I do feel like part of the problem is that during a squat I'm afraid of dipping too low for me to get out of. So what I end up with are shallow squats and that's what is frustrating and discouraging. I don't have that same fear on a leg press.

 

[jbrad01x]

@heislove1980 Can you do a squat with no weight on your shoulders?

 

[heislove1980]

@jbrad01x Yes

 

[jbrad01x]

@heislove1980 yoke crime psychotic plucky squeeze hat run squealing disgusting start

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[heislove1980]

@jbrad01x I appreciate the insight, and that makes some sense.

 

[lhenzkiey]

@heislove1980 There are people who like squats?

 

[nasha]

@lhenzkiey My coach, sadly.