Building Massive Legs
Posted in Fitness by Guest
Leg training is not easy. It is usually not very fun when done right either. No, leg training can be the most brutal workout, but it is also the most critical to how your body looks and functions.
Dumbbell Lunges | Image: bodybuilding.com
It doesn’t matter if you are a bodybuilder or fitness enthusiast; a solid set of wheels is the foundation of your body.
Think about it. For the athlete all of your explosive power, balance, speed, and change of direction capability comes from the waist down. For the bodybuilder you need to have a balanced physique which means having great legs to match a beefy upper body. On top of that, squats are a core exercise that is vital to building a bigger and stronger total body.
Leg Work Takes Dedication
People do not get great legs without a lot of hard work. The quadriceps, hips, hamstrings, and calves have all been labeled as ‘stubborn’ muscle groups at one time or another. People never seem to complain about a stubborn chest or biceps in the same way.
Part of the reason why legs are so difficult is because the muscles are very large; training them can take a lot out of you. Mentally it can be a challenge because you use your legs to move you around in the world and working them to complete exhaustion makes it hard to even walk out of the gym.
Another reason leg work can be challenging is that the best exercises to do like squats and stiff-legged deadlifts take such a tremendous amount of effort that people tend to shy away from them a bit. Honestly, after a brutal all-out set of squats people have to sit down. Some have been known to throw-up. The whole body is pushed to an extreme level. Of course, that is also why that exercise and proper leg training is so important to a great body.
Massive Leg Blaster
This routine is basic, but sometimes you just can’t beat the basics when done properly.
- Squats – 2 sets of 20 reps (high rep, light weight squats are a great warm-up for the lower body)
- Squats – 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps (work up in weight and go all out on the final set)
- Dumbbell Lunges – 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps (both sets to failure)
- Stiff-Legged Deadlifts – 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps (final set to failure)
- Lying Leg Curls – 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps (final set to failure)
- Standing Calf Raises – 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps (final set to failure)
- Seated Calf Raises – 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps (final set to failure)
- Hack Squat Calf Raises – 2 sets of 15 to 20 reps (final set to failure)
Make sure to warm up for at least 10 minutes doing light cardio and some dynamic stretches before working legs. You want to have the blood flowing and joints lose. Also form is more important than weight, especially on legs when you involve so many joints. Risking an injury to satisfy your ego is a bad idea. You need your knees and back so make sure you are doing it right, every time. Post-workout spend at least 5 minutes with static stretches to lengthen muscles and start the recovery process.
Using this routine once or maybe twice (if you get enough rest) a week will get your wheels growing if you make sure to give it your all on those final sets.
Kelly Dufresne writes for Nutribomb Exercise and Fitness. You can find more articles by Kelly on topics like “The Best Post Workout Supplement To Aid Recovery”. You can find these articles at our blog or at our google plus page.
