Even though both the exercises are know for their many benefits in improving leg strength, there has always been a debate over which is the best exercise for legs. The ongoing Squats Vs Leg Press battle often make people overlook the overall benefits of both the exercises.
If you're after optimal leg mass and development, you must use a variety of leg exercises, including the squat and leg press. Although both exercises work essentially the same muscles, the emphasis of each is slightly different, which means muscle development is different as well.
Benefits of Squats
Because resistance machines such as the leg press only allow movement in a fixed pattern, they’re great for beginners or people coming back from an injury, who need to master a correct and safe movement pattern before advancing to the more challenging barbell and dumbbell leg lifts.
They are also useful for people who want to isolate a specific muscle, in this case the quads, hamstrings and glutes. That’s because the fixed movement of the machine doesn’t require the stabilising muscles – nearly always the weak link that limits the amount of weight that can be moved – so you can lift heavy in the safest possible way to maximise muscle growth. You can also adjust the weight you are lifting very quickly.
Benefits The Leg Press
These resistance machines can come in many shapes and sizes. Typically you’ll either be seated so you push in a horizontal plane or diagonally, with the weight stack seemingly positioned precariously above you. You can change the load with a pin in a stack of brick-like weights or by putting regular weight plates on the device.
Either way, you sit, bend your legs and press a plate away from you until your legs are extended. Because the weight is on rigid tracks you can only push in one plane of motion. This might seem limiting but it means all you need to focus on is strength, power and speed. You can press with both feet together or one leg at a time, and with your feet in whatever position you desire to target different areas of your calf, thigh and butt muscles.
Which is better- Squats or Leg Press
Difference between Squats & Leg Press is quite apparent and there is no reason for anyone to hate one or love another completely. Even though squat is looking superior to leg press because of its complete body functionality and ability to improve your overall sports performance, leg press still remains a considerable option for people suffering from back problems.
Free weights are any given day superior over machine exercises, still they allow your body to do things which you cannot do with free weights. Thus, it will be good to incorporate both in your training schedule, though avoid using them both at the same time as it will lead to overtraining of your muscles.
Instead of championing over any one Leg building workout, find a way to perform both for your leg strength as well as full body training.
A little variety in your training will definitely not do any harm to your schedule and body.