# Squats vs Hack Squats & Leg Press



## empzb (Jan 8, 2006)

I always hear how squats are the number 1 quad and core exercise for growth...

Now, I hate them. They depress me to the point they make me hate doing leg days even though I like other leg exercises.

Realistically though, how much difference will I notice without doing squats and doing hack squats followed by leg presses instead for quad development?

I'm not going to compete, I don't get my legs out, when I hit my peak I had to talk and powder up between the top of legs to avoid chaffing, and they were built without squats, I can't see how 1 5x5 routine of squats, could be better than a 4 set routine of hacks, followed by a 3 set routine of leg press...

As long as the weights are going up, then theorhetically muscles are growing, and I just can't see how 1 exercise gives any benefit over 2 for someone not competing and training for 'fun'. I don't want to waste my time in the gym with things that squats would do in half the time, but for the sake of the motivation and doing something I enjoy would are squats really the be all and end all? I've proved in the past legs can grown with leg press and hacks...is it that shamed upon not to squat? :lol:

Think I've answered my own question, but any other input is always good!


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## Huntingground (Jan 10, 2010)

I think that squats are mandatory. I know that Milky doesn't do them though so there are differences of opinion.

Just squat FFS


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## JoePro (Aug 26, 2009)

I think they're 100% necessary. Especially to beginners, maybe with the advanced lifter like Dorian or someone of the likes wouldn't have to do them because they've already been through it and they have that foundation of mass there along with a massive foundation of strength. I don't think I'd ever stop them in all fairness.

Today I'm going to be experimenting with Front Squats, a good exercise for quads, but not so much for hamstring.


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

Squat more: Suck less


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

nothing beats free weight barbell back squats, no machine will ever beat any free weight exersise


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

You can't beat the feeling after a good set of squats!!!!

Many people will find excuses not to squat like shoulder flexibility issues or something. Back injuries, fair enough. But most problems can be worked around except bottom line is they just can't be arsèd to get in that squat rack! It's a demanding exercise and is hard work! Results are worth it though.


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

If you look forward to squats. You ain't lifting heavy enough. You should loathe them. Hate them so much you know must beat them.

Squats aren't an exercise. They are an allegory for all the struggle in humanity. You take the all the world can throw at you and place it on your back. It squashes you to ground. You have a choice. Stay down. Give up. OR. You stand up. You conquer. You dominate. With that free squat PR you king if you universe for a moment. You are the alpha warrior. until the follow session when the word comes back 2.5kg heavier and you and the universe collide again.

If you don't squat. You ain't a real man.


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## infernal0988 (Jun 16, 2011)

Squats i could never do a leg session without them really.


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## Lift (May 27, 2008)

Squats are an open and closed chain exercise! No other leg exercise can do that!


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## shaunmac (Aug 13, 2010)

I regret missing legs all together when i first started training.

Now i look forward to squatting as i want progress on that single exercise, more than any other.


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## guvnor82 (Oct 23, 2011)

simonthepieman said:


> If you look forward to squats. You ain't lifting heavy enough. You should loathe them. Hate them so much you know must beat them.
> 
> Squats aren't an exercise. They are an allegory for all the struggle in humanity. You take the all the world can throw at you and place it on your back. It squashes you to ground. You have a choice. Stay down. Give up. OR. You stand up. You conquer. You dominate. With that free squat PR you king if you universe for a moment. You are the alpha warrior. until the follow session when the word comes back 2.5kg heavier and you and the universe collide again.
> 
> If you don't squat. You ain't a real man.


brilliant post reps:bounce:


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## The Cheese (Sep 22, 2012)

I loathe squats but they're the one exercise which I have *never* left out of my leg day.

I'd do them even if they gave me herpes.


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## guvnor82 (Oct 23, 2011)

squats are only leg exercise i really enjoy doing..


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## Gary29 (Aug 21, 2011)

Stop trying to talk your way out of it, and squat.


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## Lemaow (Aug 28, 2012)

Screwed my knee up a year or so ago during rugby and had to take a lot of time off leg exercises. My knee would go walking down stairs ffs! But I started again on 35kg and am now on 115kg after about 6/7 months...knee goes again every so often but I get back in the rack after a rest and the numbers keep getting better.

I learned a life lesson...always squat!


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

Lift said:


> Squats are an open and closed chain exercise! No other leg exercise can do that!


Hows this?!


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

empzb said:


> I always hear how squats are the number 1 quad and core exercise for growth...
> 
> Now, I hate them. They depress me to the point they make me hate doing leg days even though I like other leg exercises.
> 
> ...


To answer the bit in bold - you may not notice any quad difference.

Lesson to learn - the "leg" is a world apart from the "quad". Quads are relatively small, legs should be massive.


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## Marshan (Aug 27, 2010)

<<<<<< That's my right quad....the poorer of the 2....I hardly ever squat....this was done on a leg press. I recommend squatting but they are not the be all end all of growth for legs....having said that, if you choose not to squat, you have to over compensate with deadlifts...not necessarily a bad thing.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I enjoy squats and do them twice a week but if the OP would rather not train legs than do squats surely the hack squat and leg press combo would be better than not training legs at all ?


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## Marshan (Aug 27, 2010)

aad123 said:


> I enjoy squats and do them twice a week but if the OP would rather not train legs than do squats surely the hack squat and leg press combo would be better than not training legs at all ?


Spot on...anything properly done is better than nothing done at all. Les are great to grow but squatting isn't for everyone so compensate with something else...that's the backbone of bodybuilding.

**Actually OP, I would recommend to you..at least do a few sets of squats here and there occasionally, really light if you have to until such time as you feel comfortable doing some as opposed hating them. I guarantee, the day will come eventually that you'll want to do them.


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## El Toro Mr UK98 (Nov 11, 2011)

mixerD1 said:


> <<<<<< That's my right quad....the poorer of the 2....I hardly ever squat....this was done on a leg press. I recommend squatting but they are not the be all end all of growth for legs....having said that, if you choose not to squat, you have to over compensate with deadlifts...not necessarily a bad thing.


I agree with this, i went through my whole competitive career with hardly any squatting but I beat the sh1t out of the leg press, hack squat leg ext though and I always had the best legs on stage


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

You can get big legs without squatting but you'll never be a man


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## Lift (May 27, 2008)

martin brown said:


> Hows this?!


An open chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. A closed chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. Squats are a paradox for more than one reason. When you extend and the hip and the knee, both contract.


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## anabolik (Aug 19, 2010)

Lift said:


> An open chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. A closed chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. *Squats are a paradox* for more than one reason. When you extend and the hip and the knee, both contract.


lol??


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## Crazy-Northerner (May 5, 2011)

simonthepieman said:


> If you look forward to squats. You ain't lifting heavy enough. You should loathe them. Hate them so much you know must beat them.
> 
> Squats aren't an exercise. They are an allegory for all the struggle in humanity. You take the all the world can throw at you and place it on your back. It squashes you to ground. You have a choice. Stay down. Give up. OR. You stand up. You conquer. You dominate. With that free squat PR you king if you universe for a moment. You are the alpha warrior. until the follow session when the word comes back 2.5kg heavier and you and the universe collide again.
> 
> If you don't squat. You ain't a real man.


what a fcukin mint piece of literature rite there.

where did you steal that from


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## jakethasnake (Jun 26, 2012)

simonthepieman said:


> If you look forward to squats. You ain't lifting heavy enough. You should loathe them. Hate them so much you know must beat them.
> 
> Squats aren't an exercise. They are an allegory for all the struggle in humanity. You take the all the world can throw at you and place it on your back. It squashes you to ground. You have a choice. Stay down. Give up. OR. You stand up. You conquer. You dominate. With that free squat PR you king if you universe for a moment. You are the alpha warrior. until the follow session when the word comes back 2.5kg heavier and you and the universe collide again.
> 
> If you don't squat. You ain't a real man.


i love squats an i deffo go heavy


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## Ricky12345 (Jun 13, 2012)

Sod sqauts there ****


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

waffle_head said:


> what a fcukin mint piece of literature rite there.
> 
> where did you steal that from


Believe it or not I spontaneous made that up. I'm proud of every word


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Lift said:


> An open chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. A closed chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. Squats are a paradox for more than one reason. When you extend and the hip and the knee, both contract.


Am I missing something here?

Open chain - force and weight moves

Closed chain - force and weight moves

Are they not the same - force and weight moves?

Could you explain in more detail for the hard of understanding.


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## Crazy-Northerner (May 5, 2011)

simonthepieman said:


> Believe it or not I spontaneous made that up. I'm proud of every word


so you should be my friend


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## anabolik (Aug 19, 2010)

aad123 said:


> Am I missing something here?
> 
> Open chain - force and weight moves
> 
> ...


Didn't you read his post? Squats are a paradox, you can't understand them by their very nature.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Olympic style squats to maximum comfortable depth are the best stand alone exercise for building the maximum amount of muscle across the thigh - no other single exercise gives as much development to the glutes, adductors, quads and hamstrings, and even the muscles of the calf are worked as stabilisers..

In that respect if you were restricted to doing only one exercise for legs then it should be the squat rather than anything else.

That said however, by doing a greater number of exercises that isolate the individual muscles more you definitely can match the overall development from squats, it's simply though that it's a less time efficient route to developing the legs, and is also less demanding than the squat so less likely to develop the same level of mental toughness and cardiovascular benefit.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

anabolik said:


> Didn't you read his post? Squats are a paradox, you can't understand them by their very nature.


So what your saying in a nut shell is squats are like women. They make no sence but they have their benefits but need to be done regularly for best effect.


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## Lift (May 27, 2008)

aad123 said:


> Am I missing something here?
> 
> Open chain - force and weight moves
> 
> ...


Do a press up.....you move (closed)

Do a bench press....the weight moves (open)

They both use the same muscle, but the opposite ends becomes the force producing end....Now squat, get it?


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Lift said:


> Do a press up.....you move (closed)
> 
> Do a bench press....the weight moves (open)
> 
> They both use the same muscle, but the opposite ends becomes the force producing end....Now squat, get it?


 :thumb:


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

simonthepieman said:


> Believe it or not I spontaneous made that up. I'm proud of every word


Are you sure about that - you see something very similar was my facebook status about three years ago.


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

MattGriff said:


> Are you sure about that - you see something very similar was my facebook status about three years ago.


And I would have seen that how?


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

simonthepieman said:


> You can get big legs without squatting but you'll never be a man


in that case why not show us your big legs from squatting 

i have not done any squats since 1996 as i was paralysed from the waist down in an accident, i would put my leg development against anyones in this thread who claims you cannot build big muscular quads without them......don't get me wrong if your able to squat then squat but if you dont you can and will build big quads, i have seen plenty who boast about squatting but have sh1t legs??


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## retro-mental (Dec 2, 2010)

Lift said:


> An open chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. A closed chain exercise is where you create force and the weight moves. Squats are a paradox for more than one reason. When you extend and the hip and the knee, both contract.


?

Squats are closed chain , Your feet stay static to the ground !! to be open and closed it would have to be something like a squats jump


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## F.M.J (Mar 23, 2009)

I never used to squat and my legs progressed just fine. I squat now though.

My wife squats. She's 5'2" and weighs approximately 120 lbs. Fair enough if you can't squat but if you can and don't because it's too much hassle, well.


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

simonthepieman said:


> And I would have seen that how?




It is quite a common analogy for the squat the whole 'Weight of life vs the struggle to stand'.

Actually **** it, I made up the "To be or not to be" speech in Hamlet too :thumb:


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

MattGriff said:


> View attachment 99513
> 
> 
> It is quite a common analogy for the squat the whole 'Weight of life vs the struggle to stand'.
> ...


Well done you.

I never claimed anything inspired. I just didn't copy it from anywhere.

Sad to see Too many people get more of a kick of trying to knock people down than to say something of value for themselves.

Anyhoo Shakespeare, it's ironically squat day and I need to get my warface on as I haven't done a three wheeler for a long time and I think planets will collide in the cosmos on this one.

If I don't reply later send an ambulance to the squat rack with a car jack and spatula to get me.


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

simonthepieman said:


> Well done you.
> 
> I never claimed anything inspired. I just didn't copy it from anywhere.
> 
> ...


Nothin too it but to do it - go tame that weight.


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

retro-mental said:


> ?
> 
> Squats are closed chain , Your feet stay static to the ground !! to be open and closed it would have to be something like a squats jump


Finally someone with sense lol


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## Mr Incredible (Aug 3, 2009)

hcks.and leg press


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