Leg Press vs Squats For Lower Body Gains

Leg press vs squats for lower body gains. Which one is best?

The answer to that question is what Sean Nalewanyj, a fitness coach and author, tried to answer. He is known for not wasting time in his videos, which can range from training techniques to fitness misinformation.

The leg press is an exercise done on a machine in which you work your quads, glutes and hamstrings. Squats are a bodyweight exercise that will target your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. If you think about it, both exercises are very similar in the muscle group each target.

Check down below his arguments on the leg press vs squats for lower body gains.

Leg Press vs Squats For Lower Body Gains

In a broad sense, most people will get the best result utilising a combination of both. The answer is not as black or white as some people might think.

“Although both exercises are similar in nature, they each have their own specific benefits and drawbacks depending on the situation,” Sean explains.

In most situations, for most lifters, squats are going to be the most effective overall exercise that you can perform. They build muscle effectively, increase your total body strength, power, flexibility and can help prevent injuries.

Unless there is a reason for you not being able to perform squatting, this exercise should be included as part of your general leg training approach.

However, leg presses are not terrible. On the contrary, it can help many people that have poor body mechanics when squatting (long femur). Leg presses also don’t tax your cardiovascular system, it works better when you are working on the higher rep range (12 or more). If you experience lower back discomfort during a squat, leg presses can help you build lower body strength without putting yourself through injuries.

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 So in the battle of leg press vs squats for lower body gains, who wins? If you have to pick just one, go with the squat as it is a big compound exercise that will burn more calories and work the mechanics of your body as a whole, but does not completely let go of leg presses if you are serious about becoming stronger.

VIDEO – Leg Press vs Squats For Lower Body Gains

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