Thread: is there any purpose to leg press?

Originally Posted by rockhardly

No way! I put 2-25# plates on the ground, grab 2-100# DB's, stand on the plates with my heels hanginging over the edge and get after it. Sure balance is challenged but I am not sure what is not a challenge when it comes to weight training. And the balance thing is even a better reason to do free weights because now you are activating a ton of stabilizing fibers that would otherwise be left alone.

Excluding physical limitations, leg presses should ALWAYS take a back seat to free weights, PERIOD.

But how far down can you go hanging off two 25lb plates? My point was full range of motion. meaning as far down you can start and how high off the toes you can extend. Sure it's possible when all you do it push up on the toes but I like to get a full extension in the downward range. Usually I need to be standing on a six inch step, minimum.

I can't go anywhere near as heavy with dumbells. Only one 1 legged calf raises where one of the hands is holding a dumbell and the other is holding onto something for stability.

anyone here do db squats? I like doing them every now and then cause it seems theres there's practically always someone using the squat rack lol... they really destroy your legs (the good kind of destroy lol)... much more effective then leg extensions and legs curls that's for sure....

I will chime in on this thread now that it's been bumped:

There are certain times when I want to train my quads to absolute failure for muscular endurance. Think lactate level training where the goal is to do as many reps as possible in a specific time interval. I use leg press for this purpose.

It's also not a bad way to really hit your quads. I do prefer front squats for that though.

Originally Posted by rockhardly

No way! I put 2-25# plates on the ground, grab 2-100# DB's, stand on the plates with my heels hanginging over the edge and get after it.

Tangent - I'm a beginner and a chick, but absolutely you can build calves. I used to cycle in my long-ago youth, try a weight vest or ankle weights and walk around on your toes for 20 minutes. Do not cheat and lower your heels.

Do modified plies (ballet move) - toes pointed out, kneed slightly bent, weights in hand or ankle or vest. Rise up on toes, stay there and bend knees, go at least halfway down (kinda like a weird squat).

Do your weightlifting warmups on your toes.

When doing any kind of calf raises, rotate - point toes out for a while, then in then straight forward. If you're careful about it, hold weights and rotate while on your toes - roll toward the inside of the foot for a while, then outside of the foot. But be careful, it's easy to injure your foot/ankle/calf doing this.

First, here's a gift for all you haters......................

When you get up near half a century like I am, you'll look at the leg press VERY differently.

There are times when my back just can't handle squats heavy enough to thoroughly work my quads. On those occasions I do leg presses. And yes, I work up to 10 plates per side. again. Even on the days my back feels strong, I use the leg press as an isolation movement to pre-exhaust my quads. Yes, you heard me correctly, an isolation movement. On the press I can position my feet perfectly so I hit the exact portion of my quads that I want and can devote 100% concentration to working just my quads and hams. Then, when I move over the the squat rack I can really finish them off.

One of the most hardcore leg routines in history included the leg press. It was the Arthur Jones' Colorado Experiment with Casey Viator. He did one superset, ZERO rest between stations, 10 reps per movement; leg press, leg extensions, squats. They said after completing that one set he lay on the floor in a pool of sweat for half an hour before he could even stand up. Sergio Oliva tried it with the same results and ended up with some of the best quads in history.

Note to Gazehole: is meant to be a friendly jab so............

Well, shit! Looks like the leg press has a ton of uses. Case closed.

Their is much to the leg press. If you dont have the form to perform a hevy squat then the leg press is your only chance to take advantage of working out a large muscle group like the legs!!!!

The bigger the muscle and the more muscle incorporated the more Testosterone produced!....

Tom Venuto quote
Out of all these basic mass building exercises, no exercise is better for packing on pounds of quality muscle than the squat. Ironically, however, no exercise is more ardently avoided either. I've heard just about every excuse in the book for not squatting, and believe me, after rupturing a lumbar disk, I've had every reason not to squat myself. Despite my injuries, I squat any way. Why? Because barbell squats are positively the single most result producing exercise you can do. I'm not suggesting that you ignore the advice of your physician if you have an injury, but if you are physically capable of squatting and you're not doing them, you are compromising your results. Squats hype your metabolism, pump up your legs and make your whole body grow! end quote.


With leg presses only your legs and hips actually support the weight. The squat on the other hand stresses, to varying degrees, all of the muscles of the back, delts, and traps as well. The leg press is also a great option because of the amount of poundage you can support causing localized stimulation of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves that can lead to a massive lower body. Good reasons to incorporate both into your training just not at the same time at max weights which can lead to over training of the musculature.

There's quite a bit of info on the I-Net showing incorporation of both are instrumental in building a great well muscled body.

I like the smith machine when I'm working out alone. I can get my best form with the machine because I'm not afraid of falling on my ass with a weighted bar.. I try my best to achieve a seated position so I'm doing the exercise right..Its near impossible for me to do that alone with the bar freestyle. I need a spotter.

I like the dumbell lunges..Anyone got a good theory on why in place wouldn't be just as good as going in a line across the gym? I see people do it both ways.

Originally Posted by cheappinz

I like the smith machine when I'm working out alone. I can get my best form with the machine because I'm not afraid of falling on my ass with a weighted bar.. I try my best to achieve a seated position so I'm doing the exercise right..Its near impossible for me to do that alone with the bar freestyle. I need a spotter.

I like the dumbell lunges..Anyone got a good theory on why in place wouldn't be just as good as going in a line across the gym? I see people do it both ways.

100% theory only! It seems to me that stepping forward and then pushing backwards doubles the amount of stress that would go straight up your shin and into your knee. By doing the walking lunge, you're avoiding at least half of that. Again, just a theory.

What's this? No bashing of the Smith machine? Odd.

I too opt for the Smith, in conjunction with leg presses... at least until I am comfortable enough to stabilize myself properly to perform squats solo...... besides, 98% of the people in my gym wouldn't know what I was doing anyway. Most of them are either posing, socializing, trying to figure out how to operate barbell clamps or balancing on excercise balls.

And I'm with Oldbob....while 40+ ain't exactly ancient, there are some days when it is in one's best interests to keep an eye one connective tissue, et al.

What's this? No bashing of the Smith machine? Odd.

I too opt for the Smith, in conjunction with leg presses... at least until I am comfortable enough to stabilize myself properly to perform squats solo...... besides, 98% of the people in my gym wouldn't know what I was doing anyway. Most of them are either posing, socializing, trying to figure out how to operate barbell clamps or balancing on excercise balls.

And I'm with Oldbob....while 40+ ain't exactly ancient, there are some days when it is in one's best interests to keep an eye one connective tissue, et al.

Originally Posted by rockhardly

What's this? No bashing of the Smith machine? Odd.

I too opt for the Smith, in conjunction with leg presses... at least until I am comfortable enough to stabilize myself properly to perform squats solo...... besides, 98% of the people in my gym wouldn't know what I was doing anyway. Most of them are either posing, socializing, trying to figure out how to operate barbell clamps or balancing on excercise balls.

And I'm with DaMayor....while 40+ ain't exactly ancient, there are some days when it is in one's best interests to keep an eye one connective tissue, et al

Close stance to develop sweeps.

Also great for rehab when you can't do an unsupported lift.

I agree with all who say squats are better than leg presses. If u work out with machines one week and then with free weights the next, u will see than working with free weights works all the little muscle that machines dont hit. Try it and see for urself.

Originally Posted by ALBOB

What's this? No bashing of the Smith machine? Odd.

I too opt for the Smith, in conjunction with leg presses... at least until I am comfortable enough to stabilize myself properly to perform squats solo...... besides, 98% of the people in my gym wouldn't know what I was doing anyway. Most of them are either posing, socializing, trying to figure out how to operate barbell clamps or balancing on excercise balls.

And I'm with DaMayor....while 40+ ain't exactly ancient, there are some days when it is in one's best interests to keep an eye one connective tissue, et al

Originally Posted by ALBOB
What's this? No bashing of the Smith machine? Odd.

I too opt for the Smith, in conjunction with leg presses... at least until I am comfortable enough to stabilize myself properly to perform squats solo...... besides, 98% of the people in my gym wouldn't know what I was doing anyway. Most of them are either posing, socializing, trying to figure out how to operate barbell clamps or balancing on excercise balls.


Hey at my gym its hour and a half work out and thirty minute mirror......lol