For quad growth
For quad growth, single-leg leg press rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress.
Both are good choices that train the quads the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat. Raised heels let the knees travel forward for a deep quad bend. The goblet hold caps how heavy it gets.
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 well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress. Both are good choices that train the quads the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Heels-elevated goblet 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.
About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.