Squats are the go to exercise for most when it comes to building leg strength and muscle. But adding leg presses to your routine can complement your squats and give you some variety so your muscles don’t get bored with the same old exercises. Here’s how to use leg presses with squats to maximize muscle growth.
Squats and Leg Press
Both squats and leg presses are compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups including quads, hamstrings and glutes. Squats are often called the “king” of leg exercises and engage your core and other stabilizer muscles making them a great functional movement for overall lower body strength.
Leg presses on the other hand allow you to isolate your leg muscles more directly by removing the need for core stabilization. This allows you to load up your quads, hamstrings and glutes without worrying about balance making it a great complement to squats.
No Muscle Adaptation: Variety is Key
To build muscle you need to continuously challenge and “tear” muscle fibers. Over time your body adapts to the same routine and you hit a plateau in muscle growth. To avoid this you need to switch up your leg exercises.
Here’s a way to use leg presses with squats and avoid muscle adaptation:
Goal 1 (Weeks 1-2)
- 6 sets of squats
- 4 sets of lunges
- 4 sets of leg extensions
This targets the quads and uses squats as the main compound movement. After 2 weeks it’s time to change it up.
Goal 2 (Weeks 3-4)
- 6 sets of leg presses
- 4 sets of one legged leg extensions
- 4 sets of hack squats
By using leg presses as your main compound movement in the second routine you’re engaging the same muscles in a different way and forcing them to adapt to a new stimulus. This change means you’re tearing new muscle fibers and promoting growth.
Rep Range for Growth
For leg exercises a higher rep range works best for endurance and muscle size. Go for 12-16 reps per set for both squats and leg presses. This rep range keeps the intensity high and causes muscle fatigue which is necessary for growth.
Split Training: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
To get the most out of it, it’s often best to separate your quad focused workouts from your hamstring and calf exercises. For example, dedicate one day to quads (squats, leg presses etc.) and another day to hamstrings and calves. This way you hit each muscle group with fresh energy and get a better workout.
Keep Your Muscles Guessing
The key to muscle growth is to not let your body adapt to your workout routine. By alternating between squats and leg presses and other exercises you’ll be challenging your muscles. Make sure to apply the same principle to other muscle groups like hamstrings and calves for a full leg training program.
Bottom Line
Using leg presses with squats will help you break through plateaus and build a more balanced and stronger lower body. By changing up your exercises every few weeks and using both compound and isolation movements you’ll get consistent growth. Next time you’re in the gym don’t just do squats—mix in some leg presses and other variations for a better leg workout.
Good luck and keep challenging!
