About 4 months ago I just got off a bad cycle, that involved doing nothing but sitting down… For 2 years.
This also was during a growth spurt, so as a result my legs didn’t get much out of it (I’m 18 now)
I was wondering if you guys had any ideas of what I could do to promote good muscle growth on my legs, I’ve been squatting my ass off for the past 4 months but haven’t seen any noticable gains.
Any ideas guys?
Keep Squating but add more volume to your hammies. If you do 5 sets of squats, do 10 sets of hammies for instance.
BTW, hammies does not equal leg curls either. Deads, Stiff leg Deads, Good Mornings, Glute Ham Raises, Romainian Deadlifts, etc.
you can workout for years and stil be small if you dont get stronger find a progresive squat program 5 x 5 is good and work on strength
[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
About 4 months ago I just got off a bad cycle, that involved doing nothing but sitting down… For 2 years.
[/quote]
Huh? A bad cycle of what? Downers?
cycle of life, sorry for not being specific 
I just got finished doing Thib’s Pillar’s of Strength Leg Specialization program and I added almost an inch to my thighs after the five weeks. It is really tough but it is well worth it if you are man enough to do it. I also just started a calf specialization program of his that is working great.
Here is the link:
http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-067-training
PM me if you want the calf program.
Good luck. Bringing up the legs is tough work but well worth it.
my god this leg program is just what i’ve been looking for.
Going to rip through this, starting from monday
Make sure you are eating enough. You are only 18 so your metabolism is probably still pretty high.
20 rep squats
Yeah I will always be willing to eat stuff, but it’s just managing my time / finding / cooking food that gets tedious
[quote]KO421 wrote:
20 rep squats[/quote]
Yeah. I just finished this a few weeks ago, and I put an appreciable amount of size on my legs.
20 rep squats, squats and milk, 20 rep breathing squats… its got a few names. Google it until you find it on bodybuilding.com and do it. Your legs will blow up.
Disclaimer: You might know this already, but only go to bodybuilding.com for that program, and that program only.
I’m worried about doing 20 rep squats in my gym. It’s commercial, so no dropping the weights, and there’s no one who will know how to squat spot properley.
i have powerful legs from years and years of martial arts training… and i found out after a while that just squats and deadlifts alone wasn’t enough to stimulate my legs to grow larger
they are definitely mainstays, but throwing in extra, less totally-exhausting stimulation like leg extentions and leg curls, lunges, and those sorts of things (either pre or post-fatigue with squats or deadlifts) in the legs workout is what helped me
thats my experience anyhow, but good luck buddy! The pillars of strength program looked really good to me but i’m not advanced enough to need to use it, so…
let us know how it goes and what works for you!
~Brian
Week 1
Monday: Legs, Program A
Tuesday: Chest/Back
Wednesday: Shoulders/Abs
Thursday: Biceps/Triceps
Friday: Legs, Program B
Saturday: REST
Sunday: REST
Week 2
Monday: Chest/Back
Tuesday: Legs, Program C
Wednesday: Shoulders/Abs
Thursday: Biceps/Triceps
Friday: REST
Saturday: Legs, Program A
Sunday REST
Week 3
Monday: Chest/Back
Tuesday: Biceps/Triceps
Wednesday: Shoulders/Abs
Thursday: Legs, Program B
Friday: REST
Saturday: REST
Sunday: REST
Legs
Program A: Heavy Compound Lifting
Pre-workout: Power Drive: 2 scoops (30 min before workout)
Caffeine: 200mg (30 minutes before workout)
Back Squat: 5 sets, 7/5/3/5/7 reps, 2 min rest.
Stiff Leg Deadlift: 5 sets, 7/5/3/5/7 reps, 2 min rest.
Hack Squat w/ Calf Raise: 5 sets, 7/5/3/5/7 reps, 2 min rest.
Note on Hack Squat - Hold calf raise for 2 seconds.
Post-workout: Optimum Recovery w/ Milk
Program B: Rest-Pause Isolation
Pre-workout: Spike: 1 capsule (30 min before workout)
Caffeine: 200mg (30 min before workout)
Standing Leg Curl: 4 sets, 5+5+5+5+5 reps (25 reps per leg)
Use a 10 rep weight, 10 sec rest between 5 reps
Alternate legs every 5 reps in a set.
90 second rest between sets
Single-Leg Ext: 4 sets, 5+5+5+5+5 reps (25 reps per leg)
Use a 10 rep weight, 10 sec rest between 5 reps
Alternate legs every 5 reps in a set.
90 second rest between sets
Bulgarian Squat: 4 sets, 5+5+5+5+5 reps (25 reps per leg)
Use a 10 rep weight, 10 sec rest between 5 reps
Alternate legs every 5 reps in a set.
90 second rest between sets
Post-workout: 2 Optimum Recovery w/ Milk
Program C: High-Volume Super-sets.
Pre-workout: 1 Optimum Recovery w/ Milk
A1. Front Squat: 3 sets, 6-8 reps - Slow eccentric / Fast concentric
A2. Leg Extension: 3 sets, 15-20 reps - hold 1-2 sec at peak contraction
rest 2min
B1. Sumo Deadlift: 3 sets, 6-8 reps - Slow eccentric / Fast concentric
B2. Lying Leg Curl: 3 sets, 15-20 reps - hold 1-2 sec at peak contraction
rest 2 min
C1. Standing calf raise: 3 sets, 6-8 reps - slow eccentric / Fast concentric
C2. Seated calf raise: 3 sets, 15-20 reps - hold 1-2 sec at peak contraction
Post-workout: 2 Optimum Recovery w/ milk
Chest
Pre-workout: Caffeine: 200mg (30 min before workout)
Protein Shake w/ Milk (30 min before workout)
Bench Press: 5 sets, 7/5/3/5/7 reps, 2 min rest between sets.
A1. Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets, 10 reps.
A2. Dumbbell Incline Press: 3 sets, 8 reps.
Post-workout: Optimum Recovery w/ Milk
Back (Done with Chest)
Pull Ups wide-grip: 4 sets of 7 reps.
Inverted Rows: 3 sets of max reps.
Bent over Barbell Rows: 4 sets of 6 reps.
Shoulders
Pre-workout: Caffeine: 200mg (30 min before workout)
Protein Shake w/ Milk (30 min before workout)
Push Press: 5 sets of 5 reps.
Rear Delt High Pulley: 3 sets of 10 reps.
A1. Lateral Raise: 3 sets of 10 reps.
A2. Front Raise: 3 sets of 10 reps.
Post-workout: Optimum Recovery w/ Milk
Abs
Twisting Cable Curls: 4 sets of 7
A1. Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10
A2. Weighted Decline Crunches: 3 sets of 10
Partial Lying Leg Raises: 3 sets of max reps.
Bicep
Pre-workout: Caffeine: 200mg (30 min before workout)
Protein Shake w/ Milk (30 min before workout)
Barbell Bicep Curl: 4 sets of 8
A1. Preacher Curl Close-Grip: 3 sets of 10
A2. Preacher Curl Wide-Grip: 3 sets of 10
Post-workout: Optimum Recovery w/ Milk
Tricep
Pre-workout: Caffeine: 200mg (30 min before workout)
Protein Shake w/ Milk (30 min before workout)
Skull Crushers: 4 sets of 6
A1. Tricep Pushdown Straight Bar: 3 sets of 10
A2. Tricep Pushdown Rope: 3 sets of 10
Post-workout: Optimum Recovery w/ Milk
Going with the Leg specialization program thib’s provided. I’ve added in my own other exercises/rep ranges for other body parts which I should still make gains on.
As for the diet, I’m not sure what to do, I usually do better when I arrange what to eat before I wake up, rather than just ‘pigging’ out. Since I don’t have much of an appetite.
Post up after your first “B” workout. It is insane. You do this for 5 weeks so that you cycle through the 3 routines 3 times each for 9 total leg workouts. You will really grow the two weeks after you finish and your legs rst up. One week you only do legs once. I think that was week 4.
I actually started enjoying doing legs twice a week Couple this with the calf program and your legs will be solid!
[quote]AdamC wrote:
I’m worried about doing 20 rep squats in my gym. It’s commercial, so no dropping the weights, and there’s no one who will know how to squat spot properley.[/quote]
Surely you squat in a rack of some sort that has safety catches. If so, you really don’t need a spot as the heavy breathing you will be doing between reps will give you just enough recovery to complete another rep. I squat in a power rack at home without the benefit of a spot and I do just fine. You won’t like 20 rep squats but you’ll love the results.