I’m recovering from costochondritis, so I should avoide exercises that puts excessive pressure on my spine. I hope to bring squats and RDLs back within 4-6 months, but for now I’m focusing on Bulgarian Split Squats as my main lift, currently doing 8 reps with 40 kg (90 lbs) and aiming to reach 60-70 kg (135-155 lbs) during this time without squats and deadlifts.
I’m not entirely sure how to train smart to keep my lower body developing with enough volume and a well-rounded exercise selection. This is what I’m doing for now, but I’d really like to read your thoughts on how you’d approach it in my place.
UPPER 1:
A. DB Bulgarian Split Squat 3 sets x 6-8 reps
B. Seated Leg Curl 3 sets x 8-12 reps
C. Hip Thrust 3 sets x 8-12 reps (I don’t like BB Hip Thrust and I don’t have the machine so maybe I’ll do single leg with DB)
D. Standing Calf Raises 4 sets x 10-15 reps
E. CORE Anti-extension
UPPER 2:
A. Deficit DB Bulgarian Split Squat 3 sets x 8-12 reps (I’m also considering of doing Step-ups instead)
B. Hack Squat 3 sets x 8-12 reps (Old machine, probably it’s not as much comfortable and efficient as the machine of your gym)
One I focus on my main lift, other I do a slightly lighter variant with a greater range of motion. I add the others exercises as I see fit better to keep the intensity high.
But I’m open to any suggestions.
Overall health, training longevity and general fitness.
For size, I guess that the key point is that I’m not aiming for massive legs that requires pushing extreme loads in squats and deadlifts, but rather a level of development that matches the strength of an intermediate lifter (firm, lean and athletic legs that are balance with my upper body with an emphasis on glutes).
I’m lucky to live in a quiet, safe and clean area, though the downside is that there are hardly any gyms around (and the few that exist are pretty basic). I’ve got everything essential. I’ve never really lack anything. But don’t picture high-end machine or fancy equipment. It’s more a modest setup with bars, plates, DBs, benches, a small weightlifting area, a few useful extras like boxes and some classic machines and cable stations.
Thanks!!
I don’t have the equipment properly set up for that, but I tried to simulate it when Believer recommended it to me. However, I haven’t found a viable set up yet. I experimented using a dip belt with plates and the assisted pullups machine to create deficit. Also tried combining the belt with a pulley and a box. But both setups made the exercise really awkward and hard to get any real benefit from.
For the belt squat, try shoving a barbell in a corner, landmine style, using boxes to elevate yourself, and hooking up a dip belt. @T3hPwnisher was knocking them out in his home gym and probably has pictures in his log.
For your goals and limitations I, personally, wouldn’t really have a main lift stress. I probably wouldn’t have two leg days, but it all depends on what you like and in context of your overall setup. There’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing and I think plenty of dudes use BSS as a main movement and get along really well. @BrickHead is a pro bodybuilder that does just so and has worked up to some disgustingly impressive weights.
Based on what you said about your leg goals, I’d be more likely to have one leg day (again, just preference) and then spend another day on the track or in a spin class.
The BSS really surprised me in good way. For me, it was always more of an accessory movement I did after front squats. But since I’ve had to prioritize it because of the injury, I’ve realized how good it actually is. Just 3 hard sets make me feel a serieus workout for my quads, glutes and adductors. With front/back squats I didn’t always feel those muscle is working, and squats left me way more wikep out. Maybe my long legs might also be a big reason why I find BSS work better for me than squats.
I’d love to read how you’d set it up if you were in my shoes. Do you mean a regular ULU split with 2 upper days and 1 lower day per week? How would you structure that lower day if you were me?
For me, and it’s just personal preference, I tend to prefer a body part split. If you wanted to keep to 3 days a week, that would the classic push - pull - legs (essentially what you have above). I like adding an arm day, though.
Another favorite for me is legs, chest and biceps, back, shoulders and tris.
The theme being I’d probably just do one leg day if I were you.
You can set up the day however. Something that might be friendly is getting a bunch of blood in your legs prior to the harder exercises:
Triset (3 rounds)
Leg curl
Adductor
Leg extension
Belt squat
Work up to a heavy 8, then a back off set
Landmine, dip belt, something to wrap around a barbell with a carabiner on the end (I am using seatbelt webbing but whatever you got laying around), and either this fancy rowing platform or just two boxes works well in a garage gym setting.
Is the idea to work the first block (leg curl, adductor and leg extension) close to failure or just keep it moderate, enough to warm up and to get some blood flowing into the legs before the main work?
I’m mainly asking because I assume that doing effective iso work before the belt squat and BSS would significantly reduce performance in those lifts. I also guess that could actually help emphasize the glutes, since they’d take over more once the other muscles are fatigued. And I imagine that lower performance doesn’t necessarily mean fewer gains toward my goal, but I still think it’s an important question, since it’s probably a key part of the philosophy behind your approach.
Other than that. I really like your plan. I probably won’t be able to do supersets at my gym since it gets pretty crowd, but I’ll likely follow your structure without the supersets or something close to it.
It’s isolation work, so I guess the answer is kind of both. It’s mostly about getting volume in, but I’d go ahead and approach failure: it’s hard to ruin your life on some leg curls.
It definitely will impact your performance within the same session. Let’s treat that as a feature rather than a bug. If you can get everything you’re going to get out of your compound moves with lower load on your joints and connective tissues, that’s only a good thing. You’re still going to progress, and will thus improve performance over time.
Totally hear you on the supersets. I can rarely do it either. Just short rest breaks on the iso stuff.
