For quad growth
For quad growth, single-leg leg press rates higher on our research criteria: easier to progress, easier on the joints.
Front-foot-elevated split squat gives more stretch.
Both are good choices, and they train the quads differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed. (Fonseca et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2021)
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Front-Foot-Elevated Split Squat. Raising the front foot buys extra depth, and the quads work hardest in that stretch.
Single-Leg Leg Press. One leg at a time on a stable sled: a deep knee bend, no balance demand and easy to load in small steps.
For quad growth, single-leg leg press rates higher on our research criteria: easier to progress, easier on the joints. Front-foot-elevated split squat gives more stretch. Both are good choices, and they train the quads differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Front-foot-elevated split squat needs dumbbells and a weight plate, so a home gym covers it. Single-leg leg press needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
Single-leg leg press: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Strong for front-foot-elevated split squat.