Does the squat press have any downside in comparison to Orthodox squat? Only thing I can think of is the lack of stabalisation needed. right/wrong? Cheers
Squat press? Orthodox squat? Sorry, I'm not sure exactly what movements you mean. Are you talking about overhead squats and regular squats?
Sorry, used to the terms used at the gym. Here are some images to help illustrate what I mean 'Orthodox' (as i've always called it)- and Squat press-
Ah right, squat press = leg press to most people and orthodox = back squat or just a squat. The fact that it is a machine means you are stuck to a particular movement pattern with most of your body rooted to a bench. The leg press is actually a very good exercise and is probably equal to the squat as a leg exercise for tall people, but the squat comes out best for overall athleticism and strength development. Nothing beats it for a whole body thrashing. You can have a far greater loading in the leg press which is a good thing but the load isn't distributed across the entire body like a back squat.
That was my initial thoughts, think i'll stick to the free weighted version. Whilst on the subject, is there a difference in the workout when using dumbells rather than the bar? Only thing I can see different is a benefit of having to grip the weights alot more.
You obviously can't use as much weight because you can't hold as much as you could on a barbell. The loading also isn't as full-body so to speak, although it is comparable. I prefer to use the DB style for bulgarian squats and the like.
As far as machines go, I hate the leg press. There are two I don't mind. I tend to use the squat press machine on deadlift days so I don't kill my back, and do regular squats on my other leg day. #1 is the squat press. It has a different motion than the leg press and is much more comfortable. You can also really load it up without risk of killing yourself. #2. is the hack squat machine. This thing still constrains you to a pretty fixed line of motion but this really hits the quads.
A barbell hack squat is a better alternative to the machine hack squat IMO. You are also seriously missing out if you are using a squat machine as an alternative to the deadlift.
edit: I wasn't clear enough. I use the squat press machine on the same day as deadlift, AFTER I deadlift. Instead of doing barbell squats and over-working my lower back. I do regular barbell back squats 2 days later.
Ah right, thats cool. You could do front squats instead if you are looking to hit your quads a bit harder, takes the back out of it a lot more too.
Leg press is nothing compared to the squat. You don't even work your legs with harder, you just load a lot more weight onto the machine because it's at a 45 degree angle, so a lot of the weight goes straight into the structure of the machine.
any thoughts on (sorry don't know the name of the machine) the squat machine where your back is parallel to the floor, meaning your looking up at the ceiling, and you press with your feet against an immoble platform and the weight is on your shoulders? it looks just like a squat but sideways, and it's a machine. Does the weight that you're setting the machine to actually equate to regular back squats or does the horizontality of the machine make those weights an entirely different scale? anyone know what i'm talking about?
For all intents and purposes its the same as the leg press above. You'll get the same benefit, which is much les than the normal squat.
i love the leg press due to the fact that there is a better factor of safety involved. You can pile on the weight and press to your hearts content, i used to have two spotters, one each side to ensure my last reps didnt kill me if the sledge slipped down lol. ahhh those were the days :love:
Better factor of safety? If you're squatting in a rack then you are completely safe from being crushed.
the only thing you have to worry about on leg press is locking out your knees, the safety hand rail stops the sledge in stages all the way down. Your sat on a chair on an incline... fully supported on squat racks you stand free of the rack and walk away from the holding pegs backwards, you have no support other than that of your own balance. thats why IMO squats are such an effective exercise, you have to balance as well as push up and slowly go back down.
