Squats and leg exercises
- Thread starter emoticon
- Start date
well for one straight leg deadlifts is a lower back exercise not a leg. and im no expert but squat is overall the best leg exercise out there
Most people squat not only because it is the number 1 leg exercise, but because it is big exercise that stimulates alot of muscle more growth hormones will be secreted into your body.
Here's an excerpt for an article about it:
"The benefit for doing leg excercises, appears from research not to be from increasing long term natural levels of testosterone and GH. I believe however the large burst of testosterone and other hormones during leg excercises, are the major reasons why squats and deadlifts are very important for overall muscle building. It�??s the same reason why a bench press is more effective mass builder than a chest flye workout. Why? because the compound bench press is going to release more testosterone and GH in a workout than a chest flye.
The large burst of anabolic hormones resulting from squats and deadlifts, allows most of your muscles to benefit from this release simultaneously. Squats and deadlifts work many muscles simultaneously in the body and will allow most of your body to get some stimulation from the release of the hormones during the workout. The testosterone and GH released, is very crucial for being a catalyst for your muscle growth. It won�??t be released as much in the smaller compound excercises, such as bench press. Therefore doing smaller compound excercises, would not be able to makeup for the benefit of having leg workouts in your routine.
Most experienced bodybuilders know all too well, how important leg excercises are for overall mass. You�??ve probably seen the guys walking in the gym who look like lightbulbs (big upper body, but chicken legs). That has made many bodybuilders question the idea that leg excercises always equals bigger upper body. One must keep in mind we don�??t know if they are using steroids, which would make it a little easier to gain upper body mass without leg excercises. On the flipside, it would also be harder post cycle for a steroid user just to keep his gains. These people probably also have excellent upper body genetics and years of training experience. If they worked harder on leg excercises, they would be even bigger."
bodybuildingweb.net/blog/squats-deadlifts-
and-release-of-testosterone-and-growth-hormone/
I don't really care for bigger legs, the main reason I do them is to get the hormonal benefit, same with deadlift.
Here's an excerpt for an article about it:
"The benefit for doing leg excercises, appears from research not to be from increasing long term natural levels of testosterone and GH. I believe however the large burst of testosterone and other hormones during leg excercises, are the major reasons why squats and deadlifts are very important for overall muscle building. It�??s the same reason why a bench press is more effective mass builder than a chest flye workout. Why? because the compound bench press is going to release more testosterone and GH in a workout than a chest flye.
The large burst of anabolic hormones resulting from squats and deadlifts, allows most of your muscles to benefit from this release simultaneously. Squats and deadlifts work many muscles simultaneously in the body and will allow most of your body to get some stimulation from the release of the hormones during the workout. The testosterone and GH released, is very crucial for being a catalyst for your muscle growth. It won�??t be released as much in the smaller compound excercises, such as bench press. Therefore doing smaller compound excercises, would not be able to makeup for the benefit of having leg workouts in your routine.
Most experienced bodybuilders know all too well, how important leg excercises are for overall mass. You�??ve probably seen the guys walking in the gym who look like lightbulbs (big upper body, but chicken legs). That has made many bodybuilders question the idea that leg excercises always equals bigger upper body. One must keep in mind we don�??t know if they are using steroids, which would make it a little easier to gain upper body mass without leg excercises. On the flipside, it would also be harder post cycle for a steroid user just to keep his gains. These people probably also have excellent upper body genetics and years of training experience. If they worked harder on leg excercises, they would be even bigger."
bodybuildingweb.net/blog/squats-deadlifts-
and-release-of-testosterone-and-growth-hormone/
I don't really care for bigger legs, the main reason I do them is to get the hormonal benefit, same with deadlift.
There are 2 type of movements for the lower body...
Quad Dominant (Any kind of squat) and Hip Dominant (any kind of deadlift). Quad Dominant targets Quadriceps and Hip Dominant targets Hamstrings. They both also target the glutes in their own ways and the Deadlift targets the lower back and glutes (I don't think hamstrings though unless its RDL).
Its better to go multijoint and drop the leg presses. I can do a leg extension over 200, but my best squat max was 60 with good form. I am doing multijoint now and I need to because I have anterior pelvic tilt. The good thing about leg presses is that I have the quad strength to push heavy stuff I cannot do with my upper body. That's the only pro I can say for leg presses. The con is that it is single joint and single joint exercises can give you muscle imbalances. I do not have a very strong upper body pushing strength. I can pull more than I can push. I have things I know I need to work on and I am doing it with compound exercises and all by movements.
Another thing I want to add - There are people that can do a squat, but cannot do a one legged squat. Unilateral and bilateral exercises must not be ignored (for the lower body).
Start squatting! Do both front squats and back squats and unilateral squats like lunges or one legged squats (mix up each session depending on what your goal is, but do not forget unilateral exercises) Avoid as many machines as you can (lat pulldown and seated row are fine). It's a lot easier to screw yourself up than get fixed up. You can go with machines if you want if you have a goal that has to use machines, but my point is Squats are the #1 leg exercise there is for the quad dominant and deadlift is the #1 leg exercise there is for the hip dominant. Good luck!
Quad Dominant (Any kind of squat) and Hip Dominant (any kind of deadlift). Quad Dominant targets Quadriceps and Hip Dominant targets Hamstrings. They both also target the glutes in their own ways and the Deadlift targets the lower back and glutes (I don't think hamstrings though unless its RDL).
Its better to go multijoint and drop the leg presses. I can do a leg extension over 200, but my best squat max was 60 with good form. I am doing multijoint now and I need to because I have anterior pelvic tilt. The good thing about leg presses is that I have the quad strength to push heavy stuff I cannot do with my upper body. That's the only pro I can say for leg presses. The con is that it is single joint and single joint exercises can give you muscle imbalances. I do not have a very strong upper body pushing strength. I can pull more than I can push. I have things I know I need to work on and I am doing it with compound exercises and all by movements.
Another thing I want to add - There are people that can do a squat, but cannot do a one legged squat. Unilateral and bilateral exercises must not be ignored (for the lower body).
Start squatting! Do both front squats and back squats and unilateral squats like lunges or one legged squats (mix up each session depending on what your goal is, but do not forget unilateral exercises) Avoid as many machines as you can (lat pulldown and seated row are fine). It's a lot easier to screw yourself up than get fixed up. You can go with machines if you want if you have a goal that has to use machines, but my point is Squats are the #1 leg exercise there is for the quad dominant and deadlift is the #1 leg exercise there is for the hip dominant. Good luck!
Last edited:
^^ I agree with most of what's been said above.
In a nutshell, you don't HAVE to squat, and could stick to doing leg presses. But to be honest, the squat is the king !....it's a great overall developer for your legs, core, and plenty of other muscle groups.
But, why not just mix things up : squat one week, leg press the next...try different variations in foot positioning. It just makes the workouts more interesting
In a nutshell, you don't HAVE to squat, and could stick to doing leg presses. But to be honest, the squat is the king !....it's a great overall developer for your legs, core, and plenty of other muscle groups.
But, why not just mix things up : squat one week, leg press the next...try different variations in foot positioning. It just makes the workouts more interesting
The only thing leg pressing helps me with is push things with my legs in a leg press position like a couch or table or a box that needs to be moved because I don't have the upper body pushing strength. I have so much leg pressing strength and not much squatting strength; therefore, I need to work on my squatting strength. I don't remember the last time I ever used the leg press machine (probably a year ago or something).
What you really gotta think of is how you do the movement. A Leg press is a horizontal movement while a squat is a vertical movement. Leg Press may help you with moving things horizontally, but it will not help you move things vertically.
What you really gotta think of is how you do the movement. A Leg press is a horizontal movement while a squat is a vertical movement. Leg Press may help you with moving things horizontally, but it will not help you move things vertically.
leg press are still vertical, really. when you think horizontal and vertical you think more how you push/pull compared to the body. pushups are not a vertical push, even though you push downwards towards the floor and you really are pushing in the vertical line.
fat mans pullups are not vertical pulls, even though you are pulling in the vertical line. It's how you push/pull compared to the body that makes the difference.
However, I don't think it's normal to put leg exercises in categories of vertical/horizontal. It's more common to use knee dominant and hip dominant.
fat mans pullups are not vertical pulls, even though you are pulling in the vertical line. It's how you push/pull compared to the body that makes the difference.
However, I don't think it's normal to put leg exercises in categories of vertical/horizontal. It's more common to use knee dominant and hip dominant.
Karky - If that was true, why can't I squat the same weight I can leg press and why can't I do as much weight with legs extensions as I can leg press? For the quads, I could lift the most weight with leg pressing.
the movements are different, but they are not really in different "planes"
most people leg press way more weight, but most people don't use as much ROM with leg press and with the leg press you don't have to stabilize the weight. It will also depend a bit on what leg press machine you use.
leg extensions are totally different from both leg press and squats and isolates the quads, it's like asking why you can bench press more than you can do with skullcrushers
most people leg press way more weight, but most people don't use as much ROM with leg press and with the leg press you don't have to stabilize the weight. It will also depend a bit on what leg press machine you use.
leg extensions are totally different from both leg press and squats and isolates the quads, it's like asking why you can bench press more than you can do with skullcrushers
oh okay
I can pull more than I can push for upper body, but I can push more than I can pull for lower body.
I can pull more than I can push for upper body, but I can push more than I can pull for lower body.
you can pull more than you can push for upper body? in what exercises? Like bench press compared to what row? Anyhow, that's a good sign. I've never been able to bent over row near what I bench press.. but then those exercises aren't really the ones you should compare for push/pull strenght difference.
Yes
I could do a bent over row with more weight than I can bench press (I also don't feel my chest working when I do a bench press for some reason, but I do feel it if I do pec dec, which I don't do that one anymore because I heard its not good for the shoulders) for the upper body horizontal. For the upper body veritcal, I could pull up my bodyweight, but I could not push my bodyweight (cannot do a bodyweight dip); therefore, I can pull more than I can push.
I could do a bent over row with more weight than I can bench press (I also don't feel my chest working when I do a bench press for some reason, but I do feel it if I do pec dec, which I don't do that one anymore because I heard its not good for the shoulders) for the upper body horizontal. For the upper body veritcal, I could pull up my bodyweight, but I could not push my bodyweight (cannot do a bodyweight dip); therefore, I can pull more than I can push.