Barbell Wide Squat vs Seated One Leg Press

Which one fits your Leg workout plan?

Contents

Planfit users log Seated One Leg Press more often — 1,391 sessions vs 388. Compare Leg form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Compare the benefits of Barbell Wide Squat and Seated One Leg Press and pick the one that fits your Leg workout.

Barbell Wide Squat vs Seated One Leg Press: Which Do Planfit Users Choose?

Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Seated One Leg Press more often — 1,391 sessions compared to 388 for Barbell Wide Squat.

What most people do isn't always what fits you. Barbell Wide Squat and Seated One Leg Press differ in the muscles they work, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.

How Barbell Wide Squat and Seated One Leg Press Differ

What differsBarbell Wide SquatSeated One Leg Press
Muscles workedglutes, hamstrings, and inner thighsquads, hamstrings, and glutes
Equipmenta barbella machine
One side at a timeNoYes
Difficulty4 of 55 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users388 sessions1,391 sessions

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Not sure whether Barbell Wide Squat or Seated One Leg Press fits your goal? Get a personalized plan

How to Do Barbell Wide Squat

Barbell Wide Squat demo video

Barbell Wide Squat Muscles Worked: Leg

Form

  1. 1. Tighten your abdomen and keep your waist straight, then bend at the hip to lower your buttocks down.
  2. 2. Lower yourself until your knees naturally bend and your thighs are parallel to the ground.
  3. 3. Push strongly through the center of your feet to rise up.
  4. 4. As your buttocks rise, straighten your knees and hips in sequence, returning to the starting position.

Coach's Tips

  1. 1. Please be careful not to lean your upper body too far forward.
  2. 2. Keep your chest up and engage your core to avoid bending your waist.
  3. 3. Don't excessively bend your waist while trying to keep it straight.
  4. 4. Please do not stick your hips too far back.
  5. 5. Make sure your feet do not come off the ground.
  6. 6. When standing up, please ensure your knees do not come together.

For a full Barbell Wide Squat guide with alternatives and benefits, see the Barbell Wide Squat exercise guide.

Want to learn more about Barbell Wide Squat?Exercise Guide

How to Do Seated One Leg Press

Seated One Leg Press demo video

Seated One Leg Press Muscles Worked: Leg

Form

  1. 1. Please bend from the hip joint to the knee while keeping your abdomen tight.
  2. 2. Go down until your thigh is perpendicular to your body.
  3. 3. Push while extending the hip joint, but only until the knee is slightly bent.

Coach's Tips

  1. 1. Please be careful not to fully extend your knees.
  2. 2. Please be careful not to let your knees spread apart.
  3. 3. Please be careful not to lift your hips off the equipment.

For a full Seated One Leg Press guide with alternatives and benefits, see the Seated One Leg Press exercise guide.

Want to learn more about Seated One Leg Press?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Leg, Barbell Wide Squat or Seated One Leg Press?

Planfit users log Seated One Leg Press more often — 1,391 sessions against 388 for Barbell Wide Squat. Both train Leg, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.

Do Barbell Wide Squat and Seated One Leg Press work the same muscles?

Not quite. Barbell Wide Squat loads glutes, hamstrings, and inner thighs, and Seated One Leg Press loads quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

What equipment do Barbell Wide Squat and Seated One Leg Press need?

Barbell Wide Squat needs a barbell, and Seated One Leg Press needs a machine.

Which is easier to start with?

Barbell Wide Squat is the easier place to start. Move to Seated One Leg Press once your form holds up.

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