Leg press over squats?

[bayoumuscle21]

Well IMO I'm not an expert but let me try to answer that... Leg press is a semi restricted movement typically on a 45 degree angle(or around that) and also on a track... Which squat is a bar and all the free range u require and ur weight is exact and if u use proper form and go parallel( or lower) the range is multiplied as is the stress on your muscles... Lol that's my best explanation

 

[Headholio]

Well IMO I'm not an expert but let me try to answer that... Leg press is a semi restricted movement typically on a 45 degree angle(or around that) and also on a track... Which squat is a bar and all the free range u require and ur weight is exact and if u use proper form and go parallel( or lower) the range is multiplied as is the stress on your muscles... Lol that's my best explanation

Yeah I get what you are saying but it still isn't clear in my mind. If you look at the motion of the thigh and knee joints it looks pretty similar in both exercises. Stabilization muscles for free weights is a factor but I can only imagine it as a small factor.
The difference in the amount of soreness I get is huge. It's quite a tribute to the effectiveness of squats, but it's tough to understand exactly why.

 

[bayoumuscle21]

Yea I understand I can go do leg presses and be fine but do a set of strip downs on squat and I can barely walk for 3 to 4 days

 

[Hit_the_weightS]

Do squats regularly for a month and the pain will stop. You will miss that pain one day trust me I do. Hard to tell how well you worked them once that next day pain goes away.

 

[lweaver]

It's simple, leg presses are easier and require much less overall work. You're laying down and doing a short movement in a fixed plane of motion.

If they were difficult at all or very worthwhile, you wouldn't see so many people leg pressing

 

[moya]

ya, im pretty sure machines were invented originally for injury rehab...

if ya'll aint tried the smolov squat program then you are not a true lover of squats... and pain...

 

[Headholio]

It's simple, leg presses are easier and require much less overall work. You're laying down and doing a short movement in a fixed plane of motion.

If they were difficult at all or very worthwhile, you wouldn't see so many people leg pressing

I still don't think that fully explains it.

Work = force x distance. So from a physics point of view, I don't think you can necessarily say leg presses require less work.

Short movement? If you look at the movement of the the thigh from down to up, it looks pretty similar in both exercises.

Fixed plane? Yes, but if you look at the path of the bar in a squat, its not exactly in a fixed plane, but close. And I think overall distance traveled by the weight is the main consideration.

Despite all that, I agree that leg presses are a much easier exercise.

I'm thinking a main difference is the movement of the low back and spine in general, although that doesn't really explain leg soreness.