Why it's on the list: Leg press vs. squat is a classic weight-room debate, but one that misses the point. Strength coach and physical therapist John Rusin explains why in his article, "Don't Do High-Rep Squats, Deads, and Bench! Do These Instead." Squats are for doing early in a leg workout and going heavy, he explains, and leg presses are for doing afterward for high reps. Sounds like a recipe for leg growth to us!
Like hack squats, the leg press allows for a variety of foot positions to target the outer quads, inner quads, glutes, or hamstrings. Just be careful not to lower the sled too far! This common mistake will lift your glutes up off the butt pad and cause your lower spine to curl. A rounded back puts you at risk for an injury.
Leg Press Variations for Leg Development:
In your workout: You can't go wrong with 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Occasionally, when the pre-workout is flowing, do a few epic sets of 20-30 reps or more. This exercise also goes exceptionally well with intensity-boosting techniques such as rest-pause, dropsets, or forced reps.
