[quote]brainfreez wrote:
This thread has really been unhelpful
[/quote]
Free though.
[quote]brainfreez wrote:
This thread has really been unhelpful
Most of the answers to why train legs have been one of the following:
- Because you look stupid with no leg development.
- Because it’s functional.
- Because it’s healthy/preventitive of injuries/trains your core.
- Because the gh release will help build mass elsewhere.
I started by saying that I already have too much leg development RELATIVE to my torso (1). I started by saying I’m not looking to be functional since I’m not an athlete and have never been in a fight (2). There are a thousand ways to train your core that doesn’t involve training your legs (3). And no one has answered my argument that (1) and (4) can’t both be reasons to train legs as they are contradictory (i.e. if you can’t build mass on your UB without working your LB noone would be lightbulb imbalanced.)
[/quote]
Agreed. For all you dorts that insisted the lightbulb look is stupid and you do indeed need to train legs, the incompetent aura you display is stupid and you do indeed need to ‘train’ your 10 rep reading skills.
Anyways, as to the original question-“Why train legs if your leg physique is adequate?” has been proposed because on this website(myself included for a time) I followed the dogma that leg training was the best and only way to train to get huge. Well after thinking about it, my legs are huge, and therefore we ask the question-Why train legs?
[quote]brainfreez wrote:
This thread has really been unhelpful
Most of the answers to why train legs have been one of the following:
- Because you look stupid with no leg development.
- Because it’s functional.
- Because it’s healthy/preventitive of injuries/trains your core.
- Because the gh release will help build mass elsewhere.
I started by saying that I already have too much leg development RELATIVE to my torso (1). I started by saying I’m not looking to be functional since I’m not an athlete and have never been in a fight (2). There are a thousand ways to train your core that doesn’t involve training your legs (3). And no one has answered my argument that (1) and (4) can’t both be reasons to train legs as they are contradictory (i.e. if you can’t build mass on your UB without working your LB noone would be lightbulb imbalanced.)
Yours,
bf
[/quote]
Post a picture and show us. I think most of us do not think that 24" legs are “too big”.
Are you legs solid muscle, or is that were you store your fat? If so, multi-jointed exercise are the best for raising LBM and metabolism.
[quote]brainfreez wrote:
This thread has really been unhelpful
Most of the answers to why train legs have been one of the following:
- Because you look stupid with no leg development.
- Because it’s functional.
- Because it’s healthy/preventitive of injuries/trains your core.
- Because the gh release will help build mass elsewhere.
[/quote]
So you already had the mind set that you were going to stop training legs? Then why did you ask for opinions, no matter what we say you’re going to stop doiing legs right, then why ask?
Start a more insightful thread you ungreatful poster.
Love,
Kir Dog
I think you should train your legs because they are a large part of your physique and they carry over to having not just a well-rounded physique but a well-rounded body for doing whatever.
I’ve had a lot of experience focusing on one area of my body and seeing the rest fall behind in terms of development. I’ve also had a lot of experience ditching training something to get my body back to proportion. Every time I’ve ditched training something, even if it was out of proportion, I have later regretted it because that body part gets weaker and smaller, oftentimes dramatically. I’ve done this with my arms, chest and lats. Built them up out of proportion then let them fall way behind.
It sounds like both of your routines are out of order and they should be redesigned. Why don’t you both post your current routines and then maybe people can give you an idea of how to fix your particular problems?
Gojira hit the nail on the head. 24" legs ARE NOT all that big. 'nuff said.
[quote]Bram Wiley wrote:
It sounds like both of your routines are out of order and they should be redesigned. Why don’t you both post your current routines and then maybe people can give you an idea of how to fix your particular problems? [/quote]
He’s not looking for a “fix”. He is looking for a reason to not train his legs. I also have doubts as to how accurate that 24" is.
[quote]brainfreez wrote:
This thread has really been unhelpful
Most of the answers to why train legs have been one of the following:
- Because you look stupid with no leg development.
- Because it’s functional.
- Because it’s healthy/preventitive of injuries/trains your core.
- Because the gh release will help build mass elsewhere.
I started by saying that I already have too much leg development RELATIVE to my torso (1). I started by saying I’m not looking to be functional since I’m not an athlete and have never been in a fight (2). There are a thousand ways to train your core that doesn’t involve training your legs (3). And no one has answered my argument that (1) and (4) can’t both be reasons to train legs as they are contradictory (i.e. if you can’t build mass on your UB without working your LB noone would be lightbulb imbalanced.)
Yours,
bf
[/quote]
To answer your question, I personally train “legs” as part of other full-body exercises, but I haven’t trained them in a bodybuilding way for years.
For example :
I might do deadlifts and back squats on “leg day”, or rack pulls and clean&presses and count that as a leg workout. I do this because my legs have always overpowered my upper body.
Also, most of my pants I have to get fixed because of the waist, ass and upper legs never seem to match. As such, I don’t train my legs “for mass” no more.(in the traditional sense, that is)
Now, the reasons I still keep training them are :
1? Squatting and deadlifting a lot of weight is good for my ego and overall body growth and strength, as well as maintaining a decent body fat percentage.
I once lost the ability to train my legs for a whole year due to an accident, and it’s a real challenge to keep a respectable body fat percentage if you’re unable to train your lower body. Running was of course, out of the question.
2? They help my speed. I also do some sprinting during the week, and heavy leg work helps with that.
The strongman training we do in the weekend also aids in leg size, so I really have to cut down on the direct leg training in the gym during the week. Mostly reps under 5, and not that much volume. Sometimes we don’t train legs for 2 weeks, and do some rack pulls from above the knee instead. Cutting down on all quad training(and putting more emphasis on hamstrings)is also great to keep your legs in respectable proportion.
But if you’re not an athlete, that’s up to you.
I wouldn’t stop training them entirely, because you’ll feel it in your upper body strength as well. But cutting down, if you feel like it, surely isn’t a deadly sin.
[quote]Hawkson101 wrote:
brainfreez wrote:
This thread has really been unhelpful
Most of the answers to why train legs have been one of the following:
- Because you look stupid with no leg development.
- Because it’s functional.
- Because it’s healthy/preventitive of injuries/trains your core.
- Because the gh release will help build mass elsewhere.
I started by saying that I already have too much leg development RELATIVE to my torso (1). I started by saying I’m not looking to be functional since I’m not an athlete and have never been in a fight (2). There are a thousand ways to train your core that doesn’t involve training your legs (3). And no one has answered my argument that (1) and (4) can’t both be reasons to train legs as they are contradictory (i.e. if you can’t build mass on your UB without working your LB noone would be lightbulb imbalanced.)
Agreed. For all you dorts that insisted the lightbulb look is stupid and you do indeed need to train legs, the incompetent aura you display is stupid and you do indeed need to ‘train’ your 10 rep reading skills.
Anyways, as to the original question-“Why train legs if your leg physique is adequate?” has been proposed because on this website(myself included for a time) I followed the dogma that leg training was the best and only way to train to get huge. Well after thinking about it, my legs are huge, and therefore we ask the question-Why train legs?
[/quote]
I read the whole thread and saw quite a few replies that answered the original question of why train legs. I replied with a smartass comment on cartoon strongmen not having legs. Why? because I’m a smartass and wanted to make a point about training only to look like what “society” wants. If that’s what you want, go to another site that perpetuates “society’s” wants. T-Nation doesn’t do this. Btw, the current ideal man in popular society is thin and non-muscular, which begs the question, why train at all?
Hell, if you don’t think you got any good advice on here, then don’t train legs. Try it for 2-3 months and enjoy your deteriorating quality of life as your lower back seizes up frequently. Take it from someone who didn’t use to train legs except for extensions and curls.
DB
Men squat. Otherwise, they are not men.
Women squat. Otherwise, they are not men.
At 5’11 185 I’d expect you to have more like 25-26 inch legs. Your legs are not that big, end of story.
I train legs cuz it makes me feel fucking strong. I love that about to throw up feeling too.
Theoretical question-how far can leg training really carry you? I will separate this question into 2 parts. Part 1-physique goals and part 2-real world applications.
1-
I have heard from the beginning when I started deadlifting that if you want the powerlifting look, you must deadlift. If you want thickness you must squat.
Arent there more efficient ways to achieve the PL look(traps and thick back, plus big legs)?
Wouldnt shrugs and rack pulls achieve a thicker back(assuming effort is equal), since you can use more weight then you would Deadlifting?
Wouldnt your core get stronger from specific core work then from squatting?
Isnt the leg press more effective at quad hypertrophy?
Can the glutes and hammies be improved more by sprints and bodyweight leg curls?(this is possibly a shaky point)
Part 2-performance
Is leg trainig for the sake of other body parts effective? Do the squat and DL really effect overall performance?
Maybe A little more info on myself is warranted to gain insight into where I am coming from. And by the way, although I am coming off slightly argumentative, my goal, through tough questions and thoughtfull answers is to learn, and help others learn, where our training might be improved.
I am 208, 5’11 and 26.5-27.5 thighs with 32 inch waist and my jeans never fit(i wear a size 38).
Right now, I am leaning towards strongman and sprints as a more effective way to round out the lower body.
I have found that for as much as I DL and Squat, its hard for those size and strength gains to transfer to real world applications. Sure they help, and I have increased size. But my flexibility, balance and real world movements have decreased or stayed the same.
Therefore, wouldnt a more benefical training routine(FOR EVERYONE) include sprints and strongman stuff + DL/Squats?
And if so, why is that not pushed just as much as DL/Squatting?
How many of you have had trouble lifting a tv for someone that weighs 100 pounds, yet clear 300-400 pounds in the DL 25 times in a session?
Anyways, thanks for the responses
Definitely don’t train legs…more open squat racks for me 
You’re putting words in his mouth, the title of the thread may have been why train legs but if you read his post you would have understood that his problem was different.
Brainfreeze, I am only one inch taller than you, 15 pounds lighter, and my legs are only 2" smaller. I constanly lament about how thin my legs are.
Dude train your legs.
You know who didn’t train legs? Hitler.
[quote]brainfreez wrote:
And, I don’t think I would drop legs altogether, I was just thinking of doing so until my upper body 'caught up.[/quote]
That’s perfectly normal. Most people can’t focus on everything at once, so different parts of your body go into holding patterns while you focus on other parts.
If you want to focus on upper body, then do that. But don’t drop complex lifts like squat or deadlift completely because they will help maintain your legs, and they help cause overall growth throughout your entire body.
In addition there’s always room for strength gain without size. Maybe start training higher weights with lower reps for lower body for a while to make your leg muscles grow denser and stronger instead of bigger.
And going heavier on deadlifts can really help your traps and upper back growth, which I personally think makes a guy look a lot more powerful than building a big chest.
[quote]poper wrote:
He’s not looking for a “fix”. He is looking for a reason to not train his legs. I also have doubts as to how accurate that 24" is.
You’re putting words in his mouth, the title of the thread may have been why train legs but if you read his post you would have understood that his problem was different.[/quote]
His problem isn’t different at all. His legs are not humongous. There is no way a beginner should be worried about NOT training something. He has no clue how his body will respond over the long term as far as growth.