Group: Experienced Exercise

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 50, Messages: 19484

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leg workout

JustinE22
JustinE22
Posts: 1,312
Joined: 2003/09/18
United States
2005/02/07, 04:11 PM
I'm not sure if i'm doing enough in the leg department. I've negelected my legs for little while now and i'm starting to work them again. Here's what i've started doing 3 sets of squats, leg presses and straight leg lifts, standing calf raises and finish it up on the leg machince working the quads. Does this sound like an adequit leg workout. It only took me 45 min. or so to get through the workout, is that sufficient time?
Carivan
Carivan
Posts: 8,542
Joined: 2002/01/20
Canada
2005/02/07, 04:20 PM
looks good, but add 1 more set for warm up at the begining of each exercise with about 14-15 reps at 50% of your max.


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Still trying to find out how to do the Hollywood Free Press.

Ivan
carivan@freetrainers.com
Montreal Canada
2005/02/07, 04:49 PM
I'd eliminate leg presses, and do stiff legged it deadlifts..

How heavy do you go reps wise...Make sure to use similar reps as you do for other exercises...Also how often do you do it? Are you trying to build them up in terms of size or strength?
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2005/02/07, 04:58 PM
menace......eventhough the squat is king of excercises, and stregth gains.....justin( correct me if I wrong justin) is more into body building, with a milder emphasis on strength. The leg press is a good body building tool. IF done correctly.


I'd do 4-5 sets of squats(12-6)
lunges/ or sissy squats 3 sets (10+)
some sort of ham curls 5 sets (12-6)
stiff dls or roman dls 3 sets (8+)
legpresses(legs high)one legged 2-3 sets (failure)


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My drinking squad, has a cheerleading problem!!
2005/02/07, 08:58 PM
Andrew you misunderstood me, even if his goals are bodybuilding related, he still can probably find more useful exercises...like lunges, hack squats, front squats, farmer walk, ...etc

To get quality size and do it fairly quickly, he should probably stick with squats for quads and stiff legged deadlifts for hamstrings

I just don't think leg press is a good leg developer....I think squats/deadlifts rule supreme....I would go as far as to say they are a waste of time from my experience..I remember doing over 900 on leg press while shaking under 225 on squat for 8 measly reps...my legs were also proportionately smaller to my upper body...Also although my goals are strength related and I started using lower reps....My legs have gotten considerably larger as a result so I wouldn't discount powerlifting style workouts even with bodybuilding goals...Ronnie Coleman incorporates workouts going down to 1-2 quality reps with trememndous amount of weight and his legs are not only strong but also huge as a result....Most powerlifter have big legs, it's just that bodybuilder's nutrition is much more strict...creating less bodyfat and more detail..etc...

Anyways just stating my opinion, Justin can listen to everyone and in the end do what he thinks is best, just like everyone else...
kakaroto
kakaroto
Posts: 893
Joined: 2002/05/09
El Salvador
2005/02/07, 09:27 PM
i think harmstring need a bit more then just straight-leg deadlifts, it works for me best. BUT thats just me! lol
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2005/02/08, 08:04 AM
Ummm, Ronnies legs are huge due to some pharmaceutical assistance, menace.

Leg presses can be useful for shaping , IMO.

Justin - Menace gave a good list of alternate exercises.

I really like heavy lunges in the smith machine - try putting your back foot on a step.

Also step-ups and plyometric work can be useful with legs.

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Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.
-- E. M. Forster --
JustinE22
JustinE22
Posts: 1,312
Joined: 2003/09/18
United States
2005/02/08, 02:30 AM
I was doing all exercises on an 8-6-4 rep range except for calf raises in which i did 3 set of 10. I haven't really worked my legs in a while so i'm trying to ease my way in because from experience legs are by far the one muscle that get the worse soreness. I can already feel sore 12 hours after already in my hams the worst. Right now i'll keep the leg presses but i'm interested in other exercises that will work as a good substitute.
kakaroto
kakaroto
Posts: 893
Joined: 2002/05/09
El Salvador
2005/02/07, 09:13 PM
i will go with BIGANDREW,
personnally, i do

squats 4-5 sets (+warm up:2 sets of 15 reps with no weight)
leg-press 4 sets or front-squats(in this case after lunges)
lunges 3-4 sets
leg raises 3 sets


what about harmstring? not working them?
standing calves 4-5 sets
calves on leg press machine or sitting calves 4-5 sets


are you working your
kakaroto
kakaroto
Posts: 893
Joined: 2002/05/09
El Salvador
2005/02/07, 09:13 PM
i will go with BIGANDREW,
personnally, i do

squats 4-5 sets (+warm up:2 sets of 15 reps with no weight)
leg-press 4 sets or front-squats(in this case after lunges)
lunges 3-4 sets
leg raises 3 sets


what about harmstring? not working them?
standing calves 4-5 sets
calves on leg press machine or sitting calves 4-5 sets


are you working your
kakaroto
kakaroto
Posts: 893
Joined: 2002/05/09
El Salvador
2005/02/07, 09:14 PM
really sorry about the messed up post, duno what happend:big_smile::big_smile:
howdiekat
howdiekat
Posts: 1,345
Joined: 2003/05/22
United States
2005/02/07, 09:21 PM
straight-leg deadlifts will hit the hams, so he's good there.

when it comes to strength, i am not a fan of the leg press, but i use it when i'm cutting. i see good results when i vary the position of my feet on the plate. i think if you're seeing results with the leg press, keep it. if not, trade it for something else.



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if you get me started on quentin tarantino films, chances are you won't be able to shut me up.

excuses are really good for making you fat.

margarine is a liar who announces, "i am butter!"
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2005/02/08, 09:17 PM
step ups are fun too if you hat lunges......

get soem dbs and step onto somthing, in mid air switch to other foot, toch ground go again.....do for abotu 30 secs......that fry the legs......good


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My drinking squad, has a cheerleading problem!!
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2005/02/08, 10:25 PM
hate*

thats why I suggested one legged presses.....that way you worry about form and good reps and not weight.

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My drinking squad, has a cheerleading problem!!
2005/02/09, 04:38 PM
Just to clarify I am not completely clueless about the world of professional bodybuilding...I understand Ronnie takes page worth of steroids...however, I am looking at his style of training...Let me put it this way...The playing field in bodybuilding is leveled because everyone is using steroids...So the results of Ronnie Coleman must come down to something else...Genetics could be one(however he's not the biggest, and I can see more gifted bodybuilders than him out there also), so can nutrition outside of juicing...But I really believe that his intense training that in some instances resembles powerlifting(especially since he powerlifted before becoming a bodybuilder) helps him build the crazy amount of muscle...Biggest powerlifters have huge legs also...granted they got much higher bodyfat but nevertheless....I think that's more a result of diet ....Even from my personal experience when I switched to a powerlifting style workout(eventhough i try to blend powerlifting/bodybuilding styles together...for maximum benefit)my legs didn't just get stronger but also considerably larger...

Also Stiff Legged Deadlifts is the Squat of Hamstrings...if you're not feeling them then you're either going too light or not doing them properly....I will not deny there are other exercises just like with the replacements for squat...but I think this is the fastest way...I also like to go heavy with these as I would on deadlifts...Also you can do a variation and do Dimel Deadlifts, same thing as Stiff Legged, except you push your butt backwards/up as you descend...so I am guessing a variation on the (1-8 scheme of reps) will work well...

just my usual 2 cents^x lol
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2005/02/10, 08:04 AM
You are right - powerlifting movements create a larger output of growth hormone due to the large amounts of muscle used. That is why squats are so effective.

I use heavy deadlifts (stiff-legged) to bring up my hamstrings and get nice definition at the glute/hamstring junction and to bring out the seperation between the hamstrings.

I am not trying to get you mad about Ronnie, but you have to consider that most of the pro bb's are genetically gifted and pharmaceutically enhanced, They could do crap workouts and still make gains. I don't know if you have ever read Brawn, by Stuart McRobert, but it is a pretty good read about what the difference between the average joe and the pro bb is. Yes, they still have to train extremely hard and eat a ton of food, but you cannot point to their training style as one to emulate for a natural to get big on.

I was/am not implying that you don't know your stuff, menace, you give a lot of great advice and you are a good, positive voice on the boards.


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Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.
-- E. M. Forster --
wrestler125
wrestler125
Posts: 4,619
Joined: 2004/01/27
United States
2005/02/11, 04:43 PM
I have to agree with menace. Although i have heard that the leg press can be effective for bodybuilders, i would probably advise 1/4 squats before i advised leg press. I would rotate it in and see how it works for you, but dont make it the basis of your routine. It doesnt do a thing for me, but i know that it can be effective for some people.