So my upper body seems to be progressing pretty well, but my lower body (legs) doesn't seem to be bulking all that well. I do the normal leg workouts that everyone else does and a normal workout split. Are there any specific workouts that will help my legs look less stick-like?
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Long and skinny stick-like legs, what kind of workouts should I do for them?
- Thread starter Demystify
- Start date
CarlitosWay
Master Don Juan
Set up your training like this......If calves are an issue also. Do them first.
One workout hit standing calve raises hard as hell (ramp up over many sets to heavy ass 6-8 reps to failure, then pyramid back down until you can barely rep a light ass weight) (or do them DC style 12-15 controlled reps with a 15 second negative stretch at the bottom + good squeeze at the top BRUTAL) Alternate between standing and a bent knee calve raise.(e.g. seated ) Typically you'll want to stay in 12-15 rep area with bent-knee work and real heavy on the standing stuff. (6-10 rep area)
Now onto hammies/quads.
Quads
I say if you're builtt for squats and have no problems feeling them hit your legs good then by all means do em. I generally fatigue my lower back first before my legs when doing back squats. (long torso/long legs not the best) I usually stick to front squats when doing a free weight squat. usually never going over 6-10 reps (as shoulders/back will give out due to how the weight is infront)
IMO though most will see the best size gains from using machines and barbell movements that work for the individual. Say for instance hack squats and a leg press or Heavy barbell front squats followed by leg press or hack squat machine.
High Intensity is needed and getting a good depth with slow negative (not incredibly slow but "controlled" with an explosive rep is key.
Right now I'll go over what rep ranges you'll use.
Pick one quad movement be it leg press, hack squat, smith/BB front squats, v squats and ramp up to a heavy ass 6-10 reps (hitting utter failure)
You can either strip some weight off that exercise to something you're pretty sure to get at least 10-11 clean reps or go over to one of the other mentioned movements (again picking a weight you can get 10-11 at leat). Now here's the fun part. I want you to push that **** until 20 + reps (don't call it a widowmaker for nothing). Take a breather when needed as it can get torturous like at times if done right
. When you see the light towards the end tell jesus I say hi.
Here are examples....of a heavy 6-10 rep set (this of course after he warmed up some "ramped" or pyramided up as some say )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0eG_urwO2Q&feature=related
Now here's a 20 rep set a la widowmaker like I mentioned (which he makes look easy lol, he could have pushed I imagine 2-3 more reps rly)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smet3DVUOUQ&feature=related
I usually do this setup ....yet for instance 2 days ago on leg day I did a heavy 6 rep hack squat...folllowed by heavy leg press with 3 drop sets. (dropped about 50-90 lbs each set)
Kind of like this but on a leg press....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VRiijp4bo4
I'm a firm believer in not locking out fully at the top as to keep more tension on your legs...building muscle is all about making that targeted muscle work hard every time via different things like volume/weight/tension. At times I have an "off" day I'm just not feelin it. I take those days and I just concentrate on real solid form. So I don't burn myself out and I can rest a bit and go wih balls to wall intensity next time.
Also after quad work do this dc extreme stretch for them....it'll suck but it helps with recovery as for helping with size some say it does also (stretching deep fascia this and that, who knows though) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM47k_s6OB8 Skip to about 2:20 in that vid for the stretch
Hamstrings
I want you to pick one leg curl variation and one stiff legged movement (be it romanian deadlift or stiff legged deadlift with dbs or barbell). I prefer to do dumbbell stiff legged deadlifts right now as I'm trying to fix an imbalance
Alternate from that leg curl movement to stiff legged deadlifts session to session. Especially if you do say deadlifts or rack deadlifts on back day which hit the lower back real good. Doing two deadlift movements a week can be overkill for some. Better to be on the safe side and just acknowledge this. For example last session I did db stiff legged deadlifts after quads. Today I'm doing shoulders/back and will not do deadlifts or it's variations. Yet next week I will, so thus I will hit leg curls hard and vice versa the next week.
good vid here on sldl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0FwTkW7Kbg&feature=related I like how he does almost a partial movement to kind of take the lower back out of it some.
Generally hit higher reps on sldl's/romanian deadlifts 10-15 rep sets....Leg curls though I'd go around 6-8 area.
I generally do sldls after my calves/quads (as lower back would be to fatigued if I hit say front squats). but when doing leg curls I'll do them first
Lately though I've been doing bis/forearms on my leg day like this bis/forearms/calves/quads/hams (maybe some good abwork after e.g. ab pulldowns/dragon flags) which I really like.
All this work done doesn't mean jack if you're not eating enough or the right foods. I'd immediately bump up protein intake to at least 1.5 to 2 X bw in grams if you haven't yet. (you can take for instance your lean body mass...say you weigh 200 @ 12 % BF which means you have about 176 lbs of lean mass I know not exact but close) 176x2= 352 grams of protein for optimal and maximal size gains. couple this with eating lots of good fats and majority of the carbs around workouts. I can not see how some one can't gain a good deal of mass.
Just tweak what you have to it's really about getting under the bar or in the machine and just finding what works best for you and that pertains to diet also. There's no cookie cutter anything in this. I'm just passing down info that has helped me greatly. Anyways keep training. Consistency is key also.
Maybe lay out your split routine so I can have a look.
I'm doing this now
chest/tris
bis/forearms/legs
off
shoulders/back
off
One workout hit standing calve raises hard as hell (ramp up over many sets to heavy ass 6-8 reps to failure, then pyramid back down until you can barely rep a light ass weight) (or do them DC style 12-15 controlled reps with a 15 second negative stretch at the bottom + good squeeze at the top BRUTAL) Alternate between standing and a bent knee calve raise.(e.g. seated ) Typically you'll want to stay in 12-15 rep area with bent-knee work and real heavy on the standing stuff. (6-10 rep area)
Now onto hammies/quads.
Quads
I say if you're builtt for squats and have no problems feeling them hit your legs good then by all means do em. I generally fatigue my lower back first before my legs when doing back squats. (long torso/long legs not the best) I usually stick to front squats when doing a free weight squat. usually never going over 6-10 reps (as shoulders/back will give out due to how the weight is infront)
IMO though most will see the best size gains from using machines and barbell movements that work for the individual. Say for instance hack squats and a leg press or Heavy barbell front squats followed by leg press or hack squat machine.
High Intensity is needed and getting a good depth with slow negative (not incredibly slow but "controlled" with an explosive rep is key.
Right now I'll go over what rep ranges you'll use.
Pick one quad movement be it leg press, hack squat, smith/BB front squats, v squats and ramp up to a heavy ass 6-10 reps (hitting utter failure)
You can either strip some weight off that exercise to something you're pretty sure to get at least 10-11 clean reps or go over to one of the other mentioned movements (again picking a weight you can get 10-11 at leat). Now here's the fun part. I want you to push that **** until 20 + reps (don't call it a widowmaker for nothing). Take a breather when needed as it can get torturous like at times if done right
. When you see the light towards the end tell jesus I say hi.Here are examples....of a heavy 6-10 rep set (this of course after he warmed up some "ramped" or pyramided up as some say )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0eG_urwO2Q&feature=related
Now here's a 20 rep set a la widowmaker like I mentioned (which he makes look easy lol, he could have pushed I imagine 2-3 more reps rly)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smet3DVUOUQ&feature=related
I usually do this setup ....yet for instance 2 days ago on leg day I did a heavy 6 rep hack squat...folllowed by heavy leg press with 3 drop sets. (dropped about 50-90 lbs each set)
Kind of like this but on a leg press....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VRiijp4bo4
I'm a firm believer in not locking out fully at the top as to keep more tension on your legs...building muscle is all about making that targeted muscle work hard every time via different things like volume/weight/tension. At times I have an "off" day I'm just not feelin it. I take those days and I just concentrate on real solid form. So I don't burn myself out and I can rest a bit and go wih balls to wall intensity next time.
Also after quad work do this dc extreme stretch for them....it'll suck but it helps with recovery as for helping with size some say it does also (stretching deep fascia this and that, who knows though) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM47k_s6OB8 Skip to about 2:20 in that vid for the stretch
Hamstrings
I want you to pick one leg curl variation and one stiff legged movement (be it romanian deadlift or stiff legged deadlift with dbs or barbell). I prefer to do dumbbell stiff legged deadlifts right now as I'm trying to fix an imbalance
Alternate from that leg curl movement to stiff legged deadlifts session to session. Especially if you do say deadlifts or rack deadlifts on back day which hit the lower back real good. Doing two deadlift movements a week can be overkill for some. Better to be on the safe side and just acknowledge this. For example last session I did db stiff legged deadlifts after quads. Today I'm doing shoulders/back and will not do deadlifts or it's variations. Yet next week I will, so thus I will hit leg curls hard and vice versa the next week.
good vid here on sldl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0FwTkW7Kbg&feature=related I like how he does almost a partial movement to kind of take the lower back out of it some.
Generally hit higher reps on sldl's/romanian deadlifts 10-15 rep sets....Leg curls though I'd go around 6-8 area.
I generally do sldls after my calves/quads (as lower back would be to fatigued if I hit say front squats). but when doing leg curls I'll do them first
Lately though I've been doing bis/forearms on my leg day like this bis/forearms/calves/quads/hams (maybe some good abwork after e.g. ab pulldowns/dragon flags) which I really like.
All this work done doesn't mean jack if you're not eating enough or the right foods. I'd immediately bump up protein intake to at least 1.5 to 2 X bw in grams if you haven't yet. (you can take for instance your lean body mass...say you weigh 200 @ 12 % BF which means you have about 176 lbs of lean mass I know not exact but close) 176x2= 352 grams of protein for optimal and maximal size gains. couple this with eating lots of good fats and majority of the carbs around workouts. I can not see how some one can't gain a good deal of mass.
Just tweak what you have to it's really about getting under the bar or in the machine and just finding what works best for you and that pertains to diet also. There's no cookie cutter anything in this. I'm just passing down info that has helped me greatly. Anyways keep training. Consistency is key also.
Maybe lay out your split routine so I can have a look.
I'm doing this now
chest/tris
bis/forearms/legs
off
shoulders/back
off