The leg press is a compound lift mainly for quads, adductors, and glutes.
Leg presses are very stable, your core is not as challenged, and there is no direct load on your spine as with a squat or hack squat. There is also a fixed movement path that lets you push, and don't stress too much about stability.
This exercise is very effective for leg development because you can load a lot of weight on it and get a lot of knee flexion, leading you to get bigger legs. It will also give you a valid pump if appropriately executed.
Because the leg muscle is big, it can always move a lot of weight; therefore, doing a set to or close to failure will fatigue you a lot.
To get the best results with this exercise, executing it with intent that includes good depth and controlling the eccentrics is crucial. It is often difficult for people to hit a good depth with leg presses because they have poor hip and ankle mobility. It is more difficult for people to hit good depth on leg presses than squats or hack squats, and that is because of the way your body is positioned in a leg press.
Many people tend to ego lift on the leg press, which is not a great idea. Not only is there a significant chance of getting an injury, but you are also not getting anything out of it. Choose a weight where you can hit your rep range with good form.
The three alternatives to this exercise are:
- squats
- hack squat
- Bulgarian split squats
Squat is rated as ''worse'' because of our recent ratings. Squats are tough to master, and you must have a good foundation before going heavy on them. It would help if you learned proper breathing and bracing techniques before doing squats.
Hack squats are rated as ''better'' than the leg press. It is like a squat but with a fixed movement path giving it more stability and making it more effective. It is also easier to get more depth and learn the technique than squat and leg press.
Bulgarian split squats are rated as ''as good'' as the leg press. It is a single-leg squat movement. Very effective and simple.