I just finished my roofing job & my upper body has never been bigger & stronger, the problem is my legs. I just finished a squat session & I’m sort of panicking. I was doing them starting in the bottom position, which I know is harder, but still all I could manage was 4x5 w/185 3x8 w/135 (!!) & 2x12 w/115 (!!!). All I want is for a bunch of people to say that I’m not a big weakling, etc.
guess what natey, no one isn’t going to tell you that you are not a big weakling, the only thing I will tell you is that you are weak, my little brother can squat more then you…I don’t mean to be a asshole but I am trying to motivate you, keep busting your ass and you will be putting up big weight in no time
Sorry if this is offensive, but that is pretty weak. How much do you weigh? And what are your upper body poundages like? I can barely bench 300 (though I can press bodyweight overhead for a few reps), but I can do bottom position squats at 365x5 no sweat. Max squat in gear is about 500. How are your abs/errectors? Do you train obliques HARD? If you have a small tapered waist, then don’t expect massive squats. Build those obliques. Think THICK waist.
Greg
you sir, are a big weakling!
is that your legs or are you riding an ostrich?
I’m 6ft & 200 w/a decent 6pack. I do 4 shoulder-width pullups with an extra 85 lbs & I know that’s nothing to sneeze at. It was my first squat workout in a month & a half because I didn’t want to be sore when working. Before then, I’d only had maybe 3 months of solid training after not doing anything during the school year (won’t make that mistake again). I was also squatting a lot deeper than I ever have, that doesn’t help either. I’ve got to be stronger than some people out there um, right?
I’ll show you guys! Just wait till xmas after a couple months training you’ll all be sorry haha!
I guess to some ‘small’ degree it depends on how big you are. It suppose really depends on what you want out of your training. Stength? Then you’ve got a problem, and like the guys are saying (even though you’re stronger than most average shmucks on the street), you’re not overly gifted in that department. But if you’re after size, then who gives a flying fire truck…! I’m 6ft, can’t quite see abs, and about 185lbs. My max squat a few days ago (for 2 reps) was only about 140lbs. Now that aint much, but it’s all it takes to make me grow. Now that weight is still a struggle for me, but I’ve got pretty big legs because of it (more than any local power lifter I know, who’re all WAY stronger than me). [shrug] Oh, and the fact that you’re kinda tall will play a part too. Cheers.
Natey, sorry to say, but that’s pretty bad, especially at a weight of 200lbs. You need to do a serious Ian King-style lower body priority training routine. I have the same problem (although not to the same degree anymore), and I do something for my legs first in the workout EVERY workout. Here’s my split - hope it helps!
Day 1- calves & Chest; Day 2- hams & shoulders, Day 3- Off; Day 4- calves & back; Day 5- Quads & Arms; Day 6- Off; repeat. I do something for my midsection pretty much every workout, rotating through upper abs, lower abs, erectors and obliques. Also, the two calf workouts are usually split up between gastrocs and soleus, prioritizing one or the other on an alternating basis.
Mark, you must be talking in kgs cause I know untrained guys at your weight that can do 10-15 with 215 easy. Ive seen trained guys around 160-170 doing full sets of 315. I cant imagine powerlifters having trouble with 140!!! Ive had trouble doing legs regularly for a while because of back and knee troubles that I get physio for but at 180 odd sets of 215 are the norm. If you are talking in pounds, I can only imagine its a mental thing caused by the lack of serious squatting in your gym/workout environment.
Here’s two bits of advice: prioritize the legs and make sure you do deadlifts along with your squats(not on the same day (yet)).
Read thru the back issues to get some ideas or listen to people like char-dawg. After a year of this, you’ll be much stronger.
uh i know tons of people that can squat 300lbs easy. problem is, the easiness last throughout the length of the squat, which is all of 3 inches.
Hey Dre - some good calls there. And I was talking lbs by the way. You’re absolutely correct that it’s partly psychological that I’m not doing anymore weight than that, as I’ve had some pretty bad lower back problems in the past from going too heavy with crap form. But even in spite of that, my legs are my best and most developed body part, so I don’t see any great rush to jack up the weight. Yeah, I’m a pretty weak bastard, but I don’t really care to be honest. [shrug] What I’m doing is working… [grin] And I am making constant progress. The IK style workouts I’m doing are assuring that. One thing I have noticed recently though, is that when I go for PBs in squats and deadlifts it’s my mid-section that’s straining the most, my legs can handle it without too much drama. So I’m also focusing on strengthening my mid-section. All takes time, but I’ll get there, and have a shite-load of fun in the process!
Before I started roofing (& hence 1.5mo of cardio), I was doing 20 rep breathing squats with 245lbs which I’m sure is at least respectable. When I was working, every day was a killer upper body workout, but I never got much for my legs. I’ve been lifting on & off for a bunch of years now & don’t need any Ian King routine. I’m already doing legs 2x/wk now, one workout is squats starting at the bottom (a lot harder than I thought evidently), the other is clean-grip deadlifts on a 5in. platform. All the advice is nice, but I think I’ll do ok with what I know. I think all I need is a few months & I’ll be mopping the floor with all you guys, you’ll be sorry you called me a weakling.
Eh, Natey, cut yourself some slack. Get in some regular leg workouts & see where you are in a month. I know you’re better than that. And when you do improve, don’t get too cocky. A little humility is a good thing…
Whoa…with those numbers, you should be able to bench like 100 lbs (jk). Don’t worry about it. Make legs a priority for 6 months and things will catch up.
I know this guy named Ian…his last name escapes me though. Anyway, he’s got this knack for putting killer leg programs together. I can’t remember where to find them though. Somebody may be able to help.
Whats up man, check out The box squat articles on the search engine. They helped me put a significant amount of wieght on my squats.