# help developing my legs.



## Paul R (Oct 1, 2012)

Hi,

I've been trying to improve my squat for months now, but my legs are my weak point.

I can only squat. 80kg max, any more than that and I literally can't push the weight back up and my form goes out the window. My deadlfit is steadily improving and I'm uptown 125kg.

Could it just be genetics? I've always had skinny legs! They have improved, but it's getting frustrating.


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## JimboSlice1436114820 (Jan 24, 2012)

I was asked 2 years ago why there were 2 bits of white bread hanging from my shorts (referring to my legs) lol

I can now squat 160 kg comfortably. My advice would be to give stronglifts a proper go and eat everything in sight!


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## Ricky12345 (Jun 13, 2012)

Just keep at it mate yes I'd say genetics I don't even train my legs and there like trunks I've just recently started training them again


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## BodyBuilding101 (Mar 8, 2006)

@solidcecil is your guy to ask about leg!! :thumbup1:


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## AK-26 (May 29, 2011)

@solidcecil

Have you seen this guys legs!!

He's the man you want helping you.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Paul R said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've been trying to improve my squat for months now, but my legs are my weak point.
> 
> ...


 Does it have to be squats?

What about leg press/hack squat machines as well?


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## Paul R (Oct 1, 2012)

xpower said:


> Does it have to be squats?
> 
> What about leg press/hack squat machines as well?


 I train at home with free weights, so that's not an option for me.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Paul R said:


> I train at home with free weights, so that's not an option for me.


Ok mate I'm in that same boat

http://www.pullum-sports.co.uk/strength-training-equipment/miscellaneous-strength/front-squat-zercher-harness/prod_658.html

has transformed my leg training

I do 10 sets of 6 in the Zercher position

I use the harness as I want to improve my legs not my squating per say

P.S

Strong men & power lifters look away lol

So every rep is now Ass to grass with the harness


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

There are many exercises you can do with just a barbell:

Squats

Front squats

Hack squats

Lunges

Stiff leg deadlift

Good mornings.

Try mixing it up, also switch rep ranges around from 4-6 all the way upto 20+


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

BodyBuilding101 said:


> @solidcecil is your guy to ask about leg!! :thumbup1:





AK-26 said:


> @solidcecil
> 
> Have you seen this guys legs!!
> 
> He's the man you want helping you.


Thanks guys, very kind of you


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## huarache (May 28, 2012)

solidcecil said:


> Thanks guys, very kind of you


You and your massive fcuking legs

You must just wear Lycra 24/7

No trousers are made for the very few people that own legs like yourself lol


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

sckeane said:


> You and your massive fcuking legs
> 
> You must just wear Lycra 24/7
> 
> No trousers are made for the very few people that own legs like yourself lol


Lycra and trackie bottoms :lol:


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## huarache (May 28, 2012)

solidcecil said:


> Lycra and trackie bottoms :lol:


Haha


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

I'm just shocked that no one called me out for not squatting properly


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## BodyBuilding101 (Mar 8, 2006)

solidcecil said:


> Thanks guys, very kind of you


Must be a nightmare finding a decent pair of jeans or formal trousers mate?

Even with my puny legs I find it hard to fit in jeans as their made for skinny blokes of twilight


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

BodyBuilding101 said:


> Must be a nightmare finding a decent pair of jeans or formal trousers mate?
> 
> Even with my puny legs I find it hard to fit in jeans as their made for skinny blokes of twilight


Jeans? I kind of remember what they are.. :laugh:

I have one pair of custom tailored smart trousers.

The rest are trackies, cargo style pants and shorts


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

xpower said:


> I'm just shocked that no one called me out for not squatting properly


You don't squat properly! 

Better?


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

solidcecil said:


> You don't squat properly!
> 
> Better?


 

That's better lol

I never will either


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## BodyBuilding101 (Mar 8, 2006)

solidcecil said:


> Jeans? I kind of remember what they are.. :laugh:
> 
> I have one pair of custom tailored smart trousers.
> 
> The rest are trackies, cargo style pants and shorts


What's your waist size and quad size?


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## BigTrev (Mar 16, 2008)

I found being a criminal when I was young helped mine bro

Running from the police mainly


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## Poke (May 31, 2012)

I personally do;

5 sets of 3-5 reps of heavy weight on a normal wide stance squat.

3 sets of 12 on front squat.

5 sets of 10 on hack squats/leg press/lunges

3 sets of 8 on leg extensions/ 3 sets of 8 on stiff legged dead lifts (alternating every week)

Works amazing for me, naturally I have huge legs anyway always have, but I find you can train the hell out of legs in one day and they recover well as opposed to other body parts, maybe your not training them hard enough?

When you train legs IMO you should feel like your dying on the last few reps, if you dont then up the weight or reps till you do lol, theres no easy way to train legs properly unlike chest arms or other muscles you can just pump and grow.


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## fletcher1 (Jun 14, 2012)

genetics plays abig part, i only weigh 12 stone and can squat 120k for reps, legs have always been large, but my biceps are fuc*ing tiny and i cant grow them for sh*t

ill swap problems with u if you like??


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## BigTrev (Mar 16, 2008)

sounds like a tadpole that thread starter


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

BodyBuilding101 said:


> What's your waist size and quad size?


Not sure mate, will get measurements when I start my journal.


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## Therealbigbear (Mar 5, 2013)

It doesnt matter what you do to a degree as long as you do it hard thats where most people screw legs up

Your saying you dont go over a certain weight as you fail then your not training them hard enough you should be failing you go to failure on other bodyparts so do it on legs


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## Fletch68 (Mar 17, 2013)

solidcecil said:


> Not sure mate, will get measurements when I start my journal.


Looks like Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos!!!

How many days a week do you train legs?


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## The Big Dog (Jul 13, 2009)

Legs like most things are down to genetics. My coach now has me only training them twice a month due to them being over developed compared to my upper. I found 20rep squats / 20rep hacks / 20rep leg press brought my chicken legs up very quick.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

What is your form like? Lunges are a great exercise for the legs which you don't see many people do.

I always had trouble building my legs up but really it's just hard work. I don't think you have to train them any harder than upper body it just feels harder.

You say your form goes out the window when you add weight how much are you increasing the weight by when your form goes?

Try just putting the little 1.25kg plates on top of what your normally lift. Do that for a month then add a little more. Might seem slow progress but if you start at 80kg in 4 months time you will be up to 90kg which is not bad going.


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## M_at (May 2, 2009)

Bulgarian split squats have really hit my legs when I've tried them.

But for me it's low reps heavy weights squats - try not to do quite as much volume upto 90kg and see how that goes. Do sets of 5 maxfor a couple of weeks, if you find 5x5 easy bump up the weight.


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## Monkey skeleton (Jul 8, 2012)

How often do you hit your legs? Mine have improved a lot since I started hitting them twice a week.


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## gt4_ade (Apr 22, 2010)

Is cycling any good for building legs?


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## M_at (May 2, 2009)

gt4_ade said:


> Is cycling any good for building legs?


Yes.

No.

Depends on what you do on the bike. Distance work probably won't build much, sprint work would build more.

But if you look at what cyclist such as Sir Chris Hoy do to build up their leg strength - they squat!

http://www.chrishoy.com/mobile/index.php?page=training


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## gt4_ade (Apr 22, 2010)

I still train legs every week but as im cutting have been doing alot of cycling at mo. I live in a valley in wales there are hills everywhere so I tend to keep distance quite short but try and push hard up hills, my legs are normally fried by the time I get back anyway


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## Paul R (Oct 1, 2012)

The Big Dog said:


> Legs like most things are down to genetics. My coach now has me only training them twice a month due to them being over developed compared to my upper. I found 20rep squats / 20rep hacks / 20rep leg press brought my chicken legs up very quick.


I thought it was low reps high.weights to.build the mass of your legs up?



monkeybiker said:


> What is your form like? Lunges are a great exercise for the legs which you don't see many people do.
> 
> I always had trouble building my legs up but really it's just hard work. I don't think you have to train them any harder than upper body it just feels harder.
> 
> ...


I only need to add 2kg and I can't do it, legs start to.buckle inward!



Monkey skeleton said:


> How often do you hit your legs? Mine have improved a lot since I started hitting them twice a week.


I've just started doing squats twice a week to.see if that helps.


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## Paul R (Oct 1, 2012)

So should I try slightly less weight and 10 reps for each set?

I'm doing 5 x 5 at the minute.


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## biglbs (Jan 26, 2012)

xpower said:


> I'm just shocked that no one called me out for not squatting properly


Fook it go on then! :whistling:


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## biglbs (Jan 26, 2012)

Some great replies in here!

This is what sets Ukm apart Imo


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## Huntingground (Jan 10, 2010)

Eat more.


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

monkeybiker said:


> Lunges are a great exercise for the legs which you don't see many people do.


Dorian Yates reckons lunges, along with upright rows, are the most useless exercises?

What are people's take on this?


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

C.Hill said:


> Dorian Yates reckons lunges, along with upright rows, are the most useless exercises?
> 
> What are people's take on this?


I like lunges.

You couldn't pay me to do upright rows.


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

Mingster said:


> I like lunges.
> 
> You couldn't pay me to do upright rows.


Agreed, bb lunges not db lunges.

Upright rows do not agree with me either.


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

C.Hill said:


> Dorian Yates reckons lunges, along with upright rows, are the most useless exercises?
> 
> What are people's take on this?


Ronnie would disagree about the lunges and I think Phil is a big fan of upright rows

Horses for course me thinks


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

Breda said:


> Ronnie would disagree about the lunges and I think Phil is a big fan of upright rows
> 
> Horses for course me thinks


Yeah ronnies carpark lunges were beast!


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

C.Hill said:


> Yeah ronnies carpark lunges were beast!


Can't argue with his legs either mate


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

Breda said:


> Can't argue with his legs either mate


They're not too bad.


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## BodyBuilding101 (Mar 8, 2006)

C.Hill said:


> Yeah ronnies carpark lunges were beast!


at least ronnies were lunges, branch warren looks like he is walking/dipping when doing lunges :laugh: I guess whatever works for you then do the least you can get away with


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## Paul R (Oct 1, 2012)

Ok,

I'm trying 50kg squats 5 x 10+ reps today, then my normal heavier 5x5 on Frida, to.see if that improves things.


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