Do Squats And Leg Presses Make You Faster? | Speed Rules

Speed isn’t built in one place. It’s built in the weight room, on the track, and in how you handle hard ground contacts.

If you’ve been asking “do squats and leg presses make you faster?”, you’re asking whether heavier legs translate into quicker times.

Do Squats And Leg Presses Make You Faster? Straight Answer

Yes, they can. Getting stronger in the hips, quads, and glutes can raise the force you can put into the ground.

But speed also needs timing and practice at fast movement. Lifting builds the engine, and sprinting teaches you to use it.

Strength Moves That Translate To Speed

The table below maps common “speed levers” to what squats and leg press tend to train. It’s a quick check.

Speed Lever	How Squats Tend To Help	How Leg Press Tends To Help
Max Force From The Legs	Builds full-body force with bracing and balance	Builds leg force with steady machine stability
Hip Drive In Acceleration	Trains hip and knee extension together	Trains knee extension more than hip drive
Single-Leg Strength	Easy to add split squats and step-ups	Harder to train one side at a time
Core Bracing Under Load	Demands trunk control on every rep	Minimal bracing demand
Coordination Under Fast Intent	Lets you cue fast drive out of the bottom	Often turns into slower, grindy reps
Range Of Motion Control	Builds strength through deeper knee flexion (if you can)	Depth varies; many setups shorten the range
Extra Leg Volume With Less Skill Load	Fatigue rises fast as load climbs	Easy to add sets without form breakdown
Joint-Friendly Loading Options	Bar position and stance can be adjusted	Angle and foot placement change stress

Squats And Leg Presses For Faster Running

Sprinting is a series of short, hard pushes into the ground. Each step gives you a tiny window to create force, then the foot leaves again.

Strength work shows up most in acceleration, where you push longer and lower. It can also help you hold speed late in a rep when fatigue builds.

When Strength Helps Most

• Starts and first 10 meters: stronger hips and quads can raise push power.
• Speed endurance: more strength can make each step cost less.
• Jump ability: stronger legs can boost takeoff power for bounds and hops.

When Strength Doesn’t Show Up

If mechanics are off, strength can leak away. Reaching with the foot, collapsing at the hip, or overstriding can turn power into braking.

If lifting leaves you cooked, your sprint sessions slow down. Your body practices slow.

What Squats Add That Matters On The Track

Squats load your body in free space. You brace, balance, and drive through the foot while keeping posture.

That combo tends to transfer well to running. Sprinting also demands whole-body control under force.

Transfer You’ll Notice First

• Better first steps: you’ll feel more pop out of a start.
• Sturdier posture: you’ll stay taller when you get tired.
• Cleaner landings: jumps and sprint drills feel snappier.

Depth And Stance Notes

Depth is a tool, not a badge. A deeper squat trains strength at longer muscle lengths and can build good rebound out of the bottom.

If deep positions irritate joints or force ugly form, stop a bit higher. Keep the reps clean.

Squat Variations That Pair Well With Speed Work

• Back squat: heavy strength work for the whole lower body.
• Front squat: more upright, often easier on the low back.
• Split squat: helps side-to-side balance and single-leg control.

A controlled study that compared back squats with leg press training found better transfer to explosive measures for the squat group during a short block. See the PubMed summary of the back squat vs leg press trial.

Where The Leg Press Fits And Where It Falls Short

The leg press is simple: sit down, press hard, add plates. That simplicity can be useful when you want more leg work without the balance demands of squats.

It can also be a solid option if your shoulders, wrists, or back limit barbell squatting. Don’t force it.

Good Times To Use Leg Press

• Extra quad work: higher reps without technical breakdown.
• Busy in-season weeks: keep legs strong with less bracing stress.
• Building tolerance: add volume while you rebuild squat comfort.

Limits For Pure Speed

Leg press removes balance, trunk control, and foot stability from the lift. Sprinting asks for all three on every step.

The movement path is fixed. The pattern doesn’t match running as closely as squats and split squats.

How To Choose Between Squats And Leg Press

You don’t need to treat this like an either-or fight. You can use both, then let your sprint times tell you what’s working.

Use squats as your main lift when you can move well and bounce back well. Use leg press to add leg volume when squats start to beat you up.

Pick Squats First When

• You want transfer to starts, posture, and whole-body force.
• You can hit clean reps without your heels popping up or your hips tucking under.
• You’ve got time to rest between sets and keep reps sharp.

Lean On Leg Press When

• You need extra quad work and you’re short on recovery.
• Barbell squats irritate your shoulders, wrists, or back.
• You want a simple way to push hard without losing form.

The Pieces That Turn Strength Into Speed

Squats and leg presses are one part of a speed plan. To run faster, you also need short sprints, crisp starts, and some jumping.

These pieces teach your legs to fire fast. Keep ground time short and put force in the right direction.

Sprint Practice Still Leads

If you want a faster 10–30 meters, train 10–30 meters. If you want better top speed, train flying sprints with full rest.

Keep reps fast. If speed drops, end the set.

Plyometrics Build Quick Contacts

Jumps and hops train rebound off the ground. Keep the volume low, keep contacts crisp, then stop before form slips.

Warm-Up That Sets Up Fast Reps

A good warm-up gets your hips loose, your ankles springy, and your brain ready for speed. It also keeps the first rep from feeling like a cold engine.

1. 5–8 minutes of easy movement: walk, jog, or a light bike.
2. Two rounds of dynamic drills: leg swings, walking lunges, and skips.
3. 3–5 build-ups: start easy, then finish the last 10 meters fast.

Then lift. Keep the first work set lighter, and ramp up in smaller jumps.

How To Program Squats And Leg Press For Speed

Your lifting plan should build force without burying your sprint days. Think quality sets, full rest, and a clear stop point.

If you’ve got pain or a past injury, get cleared by a licensed clinician. Then push heavy loads.

Set And Rep Targets

• Main squat pattern: 3–5 sets of 3–6 reps, resting 2–4 minutes.
• Secondary lift: 2–4 sets of 6–12 reps on leg press or split squats.
• Power add-on: 3–5 sets of 2–5 jumps with full rest.

How Often To Lift

Two strength days per week is a clean starting point for many runners and field athletes. It keeps room for speed work and recovery.

The CDC adult activity guidelines list muscle-strengthening work on two or more days each week. It’s a baseline for adults.

Where To Place Hard Leg Work

Put your hardest lower-body lift on the same day as speed work, after sprints, or before a rest day. That keeps hard stress grouped.

Try not to crush your legs the day before your fastest runs.

Sample Week Template

This layout keeps two speed days and two strength sessions, with rest days between hard hits. Adjust the labels, keep the spacing idea.

Day	Strength Work	Speed Work
Day 1	Squat 3–5×3–6, plus light accessories	Starts: 6–10 reps of 10–20 m, full rest
Day 2	None	Easy aerobic work, light mobility
Day 3	Leg press 3–4×6–10, plus split squats 2–3×8	Flying sprints: 4–8 reps, full rest
Day 4	None	Rest
Day 5	Light full-body: hinge, upper body, core	Short jumps: 3–5×3 reps, full rest
Day 6	None	Easy walk or bike ride
Day 7	None	Rest

How To Progress Without Getting Heavy-Legged

Add load only when your reps stay clean and fast. If bar speed slows to a grind, stop the set and keep your next session fresher.

Track your 10–20 m times, plus how you feel the next morning, and adjust weekly.

On the track, keep sprint volume steady, then chase cleaner reps and longer rest. If you feel flat for a full week, cut lifting volume by one third and keep sprint quality.

Common Mistakes That Keep People Slow

Chasing Fatigue Instead Of Fast Reps

If every lift set ends in a grind, your legs learn slow force. Leave a little in reserve on most sets and save all-out efforts for planned days.

Too Much Volume, Too Close To Sprint Days

If sprint times dip week after week, cut lifting volume first, then re-check your sleep and food.

Skipping Sprint Work And Calling It Training

Squats and leg press build strength. They don’t teach starts, shin angles, or quick limb cycling.

If your goal is faster running, keep sprinting in the plan, even if it’s short.

Final Takeaway

So, do squats and leg presses make you faster? They can, if you treat them as tools, not the whole plan.

Build strength with squats, use leg press when it fits, and keep sprint practice in the mix. That’s how gym work turns into faster running.