as you can see I do, but in the second phase, which is to say, I do it, and early in the second phase, but more or less for the sake of having done it. I never 'train' it,like bench,and deads, and mil press....
Right after I squat. I find extra leg work makes me shed more fat (I know...Duh)....Though sprints for finishers actually seems to make the shape better than any of the three lifts
Leg press is really bad for your joints. Ever notice how many former bodybuilder need knee and hip replacements. You should squat more or drag a sled if you want extra leg work.
I train all four. Right now, I'd say I'm above average and looking to improve. Bench: 250x4 Dead: 355x4 Squat: 275x6 Press: 135x4 That's at around 200. I fluctuate about 10 pounds both ways.
Yeah, it's all about the strength to weight ratio. Also, because I power-lift, I don't look half as strong as I am. I'd rather be strong than look strong though. I don't like high-rep programs.
Me too. I like looking buffed out, but at my age (50) a little creatine keeps me looking full, but taking the time to actually build size for real, is pretty much a non starter...
I think it has more to do with the fact that they weigh 300+ lbs. Your knees don't care if you're 300 lbs and 60% body fat, or 300 lbs and 7% body fat. The only way you can get that heavy is through fat, or steroids. It is humanly impossible to be one of those 300+ lbs, 5% body fat guys, if you're natural. And your knees just aren't designed to hold up for a lifetime under that kind of body weight. They just aren't. The pro bodybuilders use both squats and leg presses. Leg presses are more isolation exercises, which are critical for sculpting individual muscles. At that level, it's different than the typical buff gym guy - the pro has to care about individual parts of individual muscles, how to bring out that definition in just the right balance taking into account his overall physique, to sculpt a certain look. Can't do that with compound exercises alone. I do agree that leg presses can be very bad for your knees. I think squats can be bad for them as well, and they can also ruin your lower back. On the other hand, they are a great exercise, but it's not like one is risk-free and the other is dangerous. With perfect form, either of them can be great. Although as the weights increase, eventually it just gets risky no matter what. Your knees can only take so much.
One is a healthy movement, one is not. Leg press puts you at terrible angles that place considerable shear on the knees and it often results in flexion of the lower back which causes disc herniation. It is basically like trash compacting your body. Properly performed low bar style squats are not bad for your lower back or knees, quite the opposite. It is a back and hip strengthening exercise. The knees should not be bearing any of the force in the hole because at proper depth the opposing pull of the hamstrings and quads will equalize the force. People can squat heavy, 2-3x b.w., until they die of old age without knee problems because the compressive forces at such heavy weights are still well within the strength limits of the knee joint and it's tendons and ligaments. The world record is over 1000 pounds and the training for that did not lead to the guy needing a knee replacement. Bodybuilding in general is a sacrifice of future health for present day looks but leg press specifically is completely pointless because the same muscles can be worked in a similar way without the negative effects by doing safety bar squats in a rack with handles. Even as a therapy exercise leg press can be disregarded because patients that cannot stabilize themselves for body weight squat can work their lower body and core muscles safely without compromising joint integrity by performing pole assisted box squats.
A lot of people have injured their backs and knees doing squats. You say "yeah but not with perfect form" - few people have perfect form 100% of the time. Or just in general. Most people have lousy form. Therefore squats are dangerous for most people. And you completely glossed over my main point: You are completely wrong if you think that all bodybuilders do leg presses only and not squats. That is simply wrong. Some do squats and no leg presses, some do leg presses, some do both.
