The trap bar deadlift, squat, and leg press: three movements that are arguably some of the most popular and effective movements for muscular growth, strength, and functional development. While some lifters may dismiss any one or more of these lifts, at first glance, my goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of each movement for one or more attributes that strength, power, and fitness athletes rely upon for continued success.
The Movements
Below is a brief overview of each movement we will be comparing today.
The Trap Bar Deadlift / Squat
In a recent article I broke down the trap bar deadlift, the benefits, and proper execution of this massively effective muscle and strength builder.
The Leg Press
In an earlier article I compared the leg press vs. the Zercher squat in detail. Many lifters and coaches may turn their heads in disgust to machine based training, however the leg press can be a valuable asset to quad and hips hypertrophy and allow increased training volume for the lower body workout taking the neurological system via excessive spinal loading.
The Squat
If you are reading thus far, it is safe to assume you know the immense benefits and applications squatting has in nearly every athletic endeavor and sport. The squat is a powerful strength, hypertrophy, and movement patterning that should be mastered by nearly every athletes for optimal results.
Application to Sport
The squat, in my opinion, reigns supreme for it’s ability to translate into nearly any athletic endeavor. Whether it is leg and hip strength, power production capacities, jumping, and even direct application to weightlifting and fitness sports, the squat is extremely vital to every athlete.
The trap bar deadlift can also hold an important place in athletic development as a viable training alternative to barbell deadlifts when trying to minimize lumbar stress and/or increase hip strength more applicable to upright movements (jumping, running, etc).
[Here’s what you need to know about the deadlift vs Romanian deadlift debate!]
Lastly, the leg press has low direct movement application, however can be a good alternative hypertrophy exercise to increase leg mass and development when dealing with injury athletes or when trying to regulate neurological fatigue and spinal stress from intense, chronic training.
Strength Development
For maximal strength, the squat and trap bar deadlift are key.
Both of those movements are multi-joint total body lifts, and are even found the basis of the strength sport of powerlifting and strongman (deadlifting in general, not necessarily trap bar). While the leg press can be done for “strength” the risks of doing such a movement that locks a lifter into one way of moving can often lead to hip and knee issues if form and warning signs are neglected. This isn’t to say that the leg press can’t be done with heavy weight however, just that lifters need to understand the main reason we leg press is to increase muscle mass (hypertrophy) not to break records (unlike the squat and deadlift).
Muscular Hypertrophy
All three of the movements can do wonders for muscle hypertrophy of the legs, hips, back, and even upper body. The leg press can specifically be used to increase quad and hip hypertrophic when done at controlled intensities. Squats and the trap bar deadlift can be manipulated in a million ways, each of which increasing the overall hypertrophic effects.
Movement Quality
It is clear that both squatting and deadlifting are fundamental movement patterning for humans of all ages. The ability to flex the ankles, knees, hips, and maintain rigidity and strength in the spine is key for performance and injury prevention.
[Could the trap bar deadlift be better than the regular deadlift? Read this!]
The leg press, while can help support muscle growth, has it’s limitations if this is the primary method for having a lifter/client pattern knee and hip flexion. When done in addition to squat and deadlift training, the leg press can offer enhanced movement via increased leg strength (specifically quadricep strength) and teach lifters how to press and push through the entire foot and become more comfortable with knee flexion.
Special Considerations
It is important to note that there are always anomalies to every line of thought. With lifters and/or athletes who have joint or movement issues, it is first critical to address those movement mechanics, either from a corrective strategy or more advanced motor/neural re-patterning. Each of these movements can be done with varying loads, variations, and even depths to help in rehabilitation settings as well.
Final Word
While all three of the movements can produce benefits for many lifters, the squat, to me, is by far the most influential movement for the overall development of strength, muscular hypertrophy, injury prevention, movement, and sports specific skill. The ability to manipulate and use all three exercises within a sound training regimen will often help athletes maximize performance and diversify one’s fitness.
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