I love using a leg press after squatting just to add a bit of bodybuilding to my strength plan. And yeah, it’s great for taking a little stress off the low back after many sets with a barbell.
Honestly, as a coach I always wrote off the leg press as I thought it was completely usless outside calf raises. But the single leg test that you showed in the video is a great idea to target muscle imbalances!
If you think the leg press is the worst exercise, then you've obviously never had knee surgery. Leg press was the best thing for me in recovery, getting back full range of motion while using only the legs. Squatting was out of the question.
Many moons ago I blew out my hamstring pretty badly (sprinting- 200m reps). I let nature take it's course, didn't run for 18 months- went mental on the leg press during that time- and on my return to the track, destroyed all my sprint buddies over 40m reps. My acceleration was insane... I can't recommend the leg press enough... I never went especially low, but each rep was a "dead" rep- starting at the low point- driving up. Usually sets of 6, increasing weight each set until I couldn't get 6. 605k for 6 was my best....
Thank you so damn much, this neatly sums up some very important points that flows past so many people's heads these days. I personally love the leg press as an accessory for the quads after a heavy back squat
I’m 62 now and I have a reoccurring lower back sprain when I go heavy on the back squats and or deadlifts. I use the leg press and go as deep as I can. I miss doing back squats, but I can’t risk injuring my lower back.
Damn bro good on you for still lifting. I would recommend deadlifting and back squatting still though. Start just with the bar or even body weight. Deadlifts especially are great for keeping your body healthy so you don’t injure yourself picking things up
I got to where I could do 700 lbs of leg press for.... 20 or 30 reps if I did cheats. The most I've ever squatted is 300 lbs for a few reps. Wouldn't hack squats work better for quad development?
If a person recommends single leg presses, that is a green flag. Single leg presses allow you to push that single leg way harder than most other single leg exercises and gas you out way less, which leaves you better mentally prepared for what you may have after that. So when you’re mostly looking for hypertrophy, and not as much some of the coordination benefits other singable leg exercises such as what a lunge variation or split squat variation may offer, this should be the go to yet people sleep on that variation a lot.
I'm waiting to get surgery on a couple of abdominal hernias so squats are out and leg pressing is in. Got to say that if you max out the knee ROM it is a damn good exercise to go all-out on. Mike Israetel has a great tutorial on leg press technique that I think translates very well to lower rep ranges.
I race bikes (BMX), I leg press a lot. I also use Smith Squats and leg extensions. But leg press is definitely the best, it made a huge difference to my explosive power. Vital to find a machine that has either a good (straight ) back support angle (or adjustable) though , and don't go too deep it'll mess your lower back up real quick.
I had to choose between squatting and possibly putting myself out for months with an on going back injury or leg pressing and I am so glad I stuck with leg pressing and split squats.
leg press is so boring, with squat atleast you can do it athletically ,jump squat split wall with the barbell press it after the squat ,press it behind the neck hold it overhead . leg press is mind numbing
Just used your promo code for the advanced male hormone test from Lets Get Checked, and it saved me $50! I’ve been putting off getting my testosterone checked again because I hated how much blood they took for a “traditional” test the first time. I never understood why they needed more than a small vial anyways.. I looked into saliva tests, but their accuracy can be questionable, and they’re supposedly not that great if you’re doing HRT. Regular testing is critical when you’re doing HRT, and I love knowing this is an option. Thanks!
Interesting, what do you advise on frog press and its rare use amongst non-Athletes. And weak and seldom usage of loaded Duck Squat amongst Martial Artist communities.
Yeah the functional training gurus are something else.. Use the leg press for what it is.. to build quads. Which will carry over to other lifts and other aspects of performance. Theres a time and place for strength or sport specific things.. but good old base building is always a fundamental principle. all athletes benefit from bodybuilding work. All body building really is, is the sport of muscle symetry.
we don't hate on the leg press, we hate on the leg press machine. Although it is good for isolation, doing the barbell leg press will build your leg strength tremendously as opposed to the machine which serves as an isolation device, like most machines out there.
Goddamn yg man, if you only knew how happy you've made this old timer. After tkr and thr on one leg in 9mths I thought I was done bulking legs. Now that I know for sure presses work I'm hitting it real hard. Thanks again. -Ed
You don't need internet validation on whether leg presses "work". Most regular people who actually look like they lift have hit the leg press hard and heavy, just like they have most likely gone hard and heavy on squats, short of professional athletes (who have reasons to do/not to do specific movements) and influencers trying to sell you a tired paradigm
do more vids for sprint cyclists!!! ive always had to pick and choose whats applicable for me from your channel so would be great if you could put it into 1 vid
Would the initial position of a glide shot also count as a situation requiring simultaneous hip flexion and knee extension (with respect to the drive leg)?
I use the leg press for single leg. I think its great for that. But the fact that I see guys leg pressing 600 pounds and look like they can't squat 225 tells us its not a useful machine.
I'd recommend at least 6 x 4 or 4 x 6 for strength specifically, but you'll be training strength no matter what. So really anything 3-6 sets x 4-12 reps will suffice
I train out of a home gym. What are the best exercises to replace the leg press? Already have back squats and safety bar squats in rotation, but want to have a leg press alternative at home.
Although, the leg press may not be the worst exercise ever ... no weightlifting gym should have one. If you want to improve on your squat; you should squat more ... barbell squat, body squat, kettle bell squat, etc. (sitting down, laying down and squatting - I say no)
Personally in my opinion of my life my experience leg press leg extensions that's one of the best exercise unless you have a leg problem For at least 20 years since I do like exercise I like press leg extensions are the best exercise in my opinion at least for me
@@GarageStrength Load it up, take all the 45's and do 1/4 reps LOL I keep the reps somewhat higher and less weight but then again I am 56 so the "whatta bench bro" days are are long gone...all about staying in shape, as strong as I can be and injury free these days
Worst title ever. If addressing humans in general, the leg press is a key exercise if you aim to build leg power. If addressing short guys with a special leg-torso ratio, then squats may probably give some back to their legs.
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I love using a leg press after squatting just to add a bit of bodybuilding to my strength plan. And yeah, it’s great for taking a little stress off the low back after many sets with a barbell.
Yep!
Honestly, as a coach I always wrote off the leg press as I thought it was completely usless outside calf raises. But the single leg test that you showed in the video is a great idea to target muscle imbalances!
Just another tool in the tool box!
I love the single leg press. At 52 with damage at my L3 and L4, I can not perform squats and deadlifts. This is a great alternative.
If you think the leg press is the worst exercise, then you've obviously never had knee surgery.
Leg press was the best thing for me in recovery, getting back full range of motion while using only the legs. Squatting was out of the question.
Many moons ago I blew out my hamstring pretty badly (sprinting- 200m reps). I let nature take it's course, didn't run for 18 months- went mental on the leg press during that time- and on my return to the track, destroyed all my sprint buddies over 40m reps.
My acceleration was insane... I can't recommend the leg press enough...
I never went especially low, but each rep was a "dead" rep- starting at the low point- driving up. Usually sets of 6, increasing weight each set until I couldn't get 6. 605k for 6 was my best....
That's awesome. Such a great story!
Great video. Not where I expected this to go. Always appreciate the quality of the content and the insight provided.
Thank you so damn much, this neatly sums up some very important points that flows past so many people's heads these days. I personally love the leg press as an accessory for the quads after a heavy back squat
Thank you. Glad you liked it!
Every tool has a purpose. Machines are great for specific reasons. People get into “schools” of thought. Great video
200-300 reps is ideal with modest weight for leg growth. and yes vertical leg press is superior in every way.
I’m 62 now and I have a reoccurring lower back sprain when I go heavy on the back squats and or deadlifts. I use the leg press and go as deep as I can. I miss doing back squats, but I can’t risk injuring my lower back.
Hey Mike you should check out hip mobility exercises, 90 degree leg stretches work great for low back pain.
Damn bro good on you for still lifting. I would recommend deadlifting and back squatting still though. Start just with the bar or even body weight. Deadlifts especially are great for keeping your body healthy so you don’t injure yourself picking things up
I got to where I could do 700 lbs of leg press for.... 20 or 30 reps if I did cheats. The most I've ever squatted is 300 lbs for a few reps. Wouldn't hack squats work better for quad development?
If a person recommends single leg presses, that is a green flag. Single leg presses allow you to push that single leg way harder than most other single leg exercises and gas you out way less, which leaves you better mentally prepared for what you may have after that. So when you’re mostly looking for hypertrophy, and not as much some of the coordination benefits other singable leg exercises such as what a lunge variation or split squat variation may offer, this should be the go to yet people sleep on that variation a lot.
I just love how smooth was that test commercial 😂😂😂
Eddie Hall attributes a lot of his leg power to real heavy leg presses.
they can definitely help.
I saw a guy doing a DB curl-side raise on a bosu ball. That looked pathetic.
Damn, just got home from work
Hope you like it!
I'm waiting to get surgery on a couple of abdominal hernias so squats are out and leg pressing is in. Got to say that if you max out the knee ROM it is a damn good exercise to go all-out on. Mike Israetel has a great tutorial on leg press technique that I think translates very well to lower rep ranges.
I race bikes (BMX), I leg press a lot. I also use Smith Squats and leg extensions. But leg press is definitely the best, it made a huge difference to my explosive power. Vital to find a machine that has either a good (straight ) back support angle (or adjustable) though , and don't go too deep it'll mess your lower back up real quick.
The vertical leg press isn't old school - I have one and use it all the time.
I had to choose between squatting and possibly putting myself out for months with an on going back injury or leg pressing and I am so glad I stuck with leg pressing and split squats.
leg press is so boring, with squat atleast you can do it athletically ,jump squat split wall with the barbell press it after the squat ,press it behind the neck hold it overhead . leg press is mind numbing
Just used your promo code for the advanced male hormone test from Lets Get Checked, and it saved me $50!
I’ve been putting off getting my testosterone checked again because I hated how much blood they took for a “traditional” test the first time. I never understood why they needed more than a small vial anyways..
I looked into saliva tests, but their accuracy can be questionable, and they’re supposedly not that great if you’re doing HRT.
Regular testing is critical when you’re doing HRT, and I love knowing this is an option.
Thanks!
One other sport where leg presses really help is rugby, especially to train the forwards in scrum situations.
Interesting, what do you advise on frog press and its rare use amongst non-Athletes. And weak and seldom usage of loaded Duck Squat amongst Martial Artist communities.
Yeah the functional training gurus are something else.. Use the leg press for what it is.. to build quads. Which will carry over to other lifts and other aspects of performance. Theres a time and place for strength or sport specific things.. but good old base building is always a fundamental principle. all athletes benefit from bodybuilding work. All body building really is, is the sport of muscle symetry.
Basketball, parkour, and even gymnastics would have you in that plantar flexion + bent knees. Thanks for this video!!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾
we don't hate on the leg press, we hate on the leg press machine. Although it is good for isolation, doing the barbell leg press will build your leg strength tremendously as opposed to the machine which serves as an isolation device, like most machines out there.
i do this. i knew one of my legs was weaker and it was just logical to do them one at a time. never seen anyone else do them but they work for me.
I LOVE the leg press. Feet high up on the plate really gets the glutes! Do that superset with deadlifts! Your buns will be on fire 🔥!
Any videos about strengthening a softball swing? Slowpitch/fastpitch
Thanks for Advice, Isotonic has a segment where its 25-35% ROM and it's a valid ROE.
Guruji didn't know that or teach this.
Goddamn yg man, if you only knew how happy you've made this old timer. After tkr and thr on one leg in 9mths I thought I was done bulking legs. Now that I know for sure presses work I'm hitting it real hard. Thanks again.
-Ed
Haha glad you liked it.
You don't need internet validation on whether leg presses "work". Most regular people who actually look like they lift have hit the leg press hard and heavy, just like they have most likely gone hard and heavy on squats, short of professional athletes (who have reasons to do/not to do specific movements) and influencers trying to sell you a tired paradigm
@@tribunaldude I get it, i just was always under the assumption if you cant barbell squat kiss ur quads gd bye.
Absolutely love the channel! If I don’t have access to a leg press or hack squat machine am I limited on my growth potential for muscle building?
Absolutely not. These are just tools. Keep doing squats and work different range of motion and you will still build a ton of muscle.
@@GarageStrength thank you for the response! I’m focusing on back and front squats, Bulgarian split squats, lunges…..etc.
Do you recommend the single leg 45 degree press for runners for example? do you think it could be a good exercise then??
If you kept your question partly clear, it would be heck lot helpful.
do more vids for sprint cyclists!!! ive always had to pick and choose whats applicable for me from your channel so would be great if you could put it into 1 vid
Would the initial position of a glide shot also count as a situation requiring simultaneous hip flexion and knee extension (with respect to the drive leg)?
It's great for Isolating the quads
I use the leg press for single leg. I think its great for that. But the fact that I see guys leg pressing 600 pounds and look like they can't squat 225 tells us its not a useful machine.
How many sets and reps do you recommend for strength
I'd recommend at least 6 x 4 or 4 x 6 for strength specifically, but you'll be training strength no matter what. So really anything 3-6 sets x 4-12 reps will suffice
I train out of a home gym. What are the best exercises to replace the leg press? Already have back squats and safety bar squats in rotation, but want to have a leg press alternative at home.
You might try landmine hack squats if you’ve got limited equipment at home.
What a great coach
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Please stop saying dorsi flexion
I just started sprinting and have been using this, should I stop? Im doing like 10-20 reps.
Lets go dude!
Sometimes you ego needs a boost!
BUT I also cracked a rib doing very heavy full range of motion leg press so maybe don't listen to me…
Although, the leg press may not be the worst exercise ever ... no weightlifting gym should have one. If you want to improve on your squat; you should squat more ... barbell squat, body squat, kettle bell squat, etc. (sitting down, laying down and squatting - I say no)
In fact I am the first one to comment... Loads of love from India.
ha, was waiting to hear what was so bad about the leg press...
Thanks beast 💪🏾🏐
Personally in my opinion of my life my experience leg press leg extensions that's one of the best exercise unless you have a leg problem
For at least 20 years since I do like exercise I like press leg extensions are the best exercise in my opinion at least for me
never ever touch leg press. not really because i think it's bad, i just find it incredibly boring. same goes for any machine
well, that is your preference then isn't it? machines and free weights benefit everyone differently
For someone with no knees, legpress is my easy leg day.
I love the leg press but it is probably one of the most misused pieces of equipment in the gym IE your demo at the 1:27 mark...See it all the time
smh
@@GarageStrength Load it up, take all the 45's and do 1/4 reps LOL I keep the reps somewhat higher and less weight but then again I am 56 so the "whatta bench bro" days are are long gone...all about staying in shape, as strong as I can be and injury free these days
Ive never seen that dude at the gym. That looked like a full range if motion.
The dude i see likes quarter reps….
Light weight baby!!!!!!
Eddie Hall rated it in his deadlift training so it cant be all bad
Leg extensions is the wrost
70% of the time it works everytime
Worst title ever. If addressing humans in general, the leg press is a key exercise if you aim to build leg power. If addressing short guys with a special leg-torso ratio, then squats may probably give some back to their legs.
bodybuilders knowlege is actualy an earth issue
10 more reps Jake 😆
2:20 a good way to sell your personal data online. No thx
Tom Platz enters the chat
Man shut up Tom platz would also leg press
@@claudiamarianidamato9499 that’s what I was saying lol
I am the second
actually 🥈🥈
The bike application makes sense… change the comfy seat for a skinny saddle and you’re winning 🫡