Bottom of the "X": Leg Training

By: Alton Hare

Out of all the body parts in bodybuilding, the legs have to be the most important. They add the most overall mass to the physique, when fully developed they make the waist look smaller and complete the "X" shape, the legs are also the very foundation of power and strength in any athlete, not to mention being the body part you can add the most muscle to which, in the long run, will burn more calories.

Though the legs are a larger body part than the back, the beginner doesn't need as much volume as he does for back, but he does need razor sharp focus to handle the heavy weights correctly and animal intensity to be able to bring the body to the point of exhaustion required to stimulate these large, thick muscles. If you're just starting leg training, you'll have to start slow, though, doing less work then you feel capable of. But, each week take it a little farther, little closer to failure, until you're at a full-out hardcore session, bringing your body to total exhaustion and if you have the guts, beyond. I have thrown up halfway through a leg workout, because I taxed my body so hard. I don't recommend you do this though, its actually harmful and I was being stupid. After your legs have become acclimated to heavy loads (if you've never trained them seriously, this could take as much as 6-8 weeks of gradual building) you should be going to the point where your legs feel weak, and you have some trouble walking; but no further, or you risk more than you gain.

* Keep your head up to avoid falling forward
* Don't bend forward too much at the waist, at the same time don't let your knees extend too far over your feet. Ideally you should keep your back straight up and your knees in, but its impossible for some people because of their anatomy. Me, for instance, I can't do squats the "perfect" way because, if I keep my knees in, I have to bend forward or I fall backwards. Likewise, if I keep my back straight, my knees have to extend over my feet. You want to find a balance between the two, and go to a depth you're comfortable with.
* "Parallel" is defined as the point at which your waist at the hip joint is in line with the top of your knee. Try to squat to here or a little above. If you can do a perfect squat without bending either your back or knees too far, you can even go deeper if you're hardcore. For people like me though, going to parallel is enough because your ass is almost on the ground (see pic).
* If you have a tendency to fall forward, keep the bar lower on your back, if you seem to fall backwards, keep the bar higher. This will help, but not completely solve the problem. To solve the problem you simply have to practice squatting.
* A slightly wider than shoulder width stance helps you keep your knees in while keeping your back straight. Don't go too wide, or point your toes too far out, since this torques the knee and can damage the cartilage and tendons.
* Always have a spotter with any weight you cannot perform 10 times

Also, many do not know the correct form for a straight leg deadlift, so here it is:

* When you first lift the bar off the floor do a regular deadlift, then as you lower the bar keep your back straight and knees locked, lower the bar until your lower back just begins to round out, then come up, trying to squeeze your hamstrings.
* During the exercise you may feel more in your lower back, but trust me, the hamstrings will be sore the next day.
* Don't try to go "hardcore" and get every rep you can, you can SEVERELY damage your back. Go until the slightest form breakdown. DO take the set to where you are fatigued and are having trouble.
* Warm up the lower back before your leg workout on hyperextensions

Squats: 4 sets of 15 reps, 12 reps, 10 reps, and 8

Straight Leg Deadlifts: 4 sets of of 12, 10, 8, failure

Superset Extensions and Curls, use slow, strict form with a good burn. Reps aren't terribly important, as long as you're really burnin' in your quads and your hams are feelin' weak here.

Yep! That's it! Doesn't require endless sets but you DO need mind-blowing intensity for legs. Too much volume will just sap their recuperative power, because the legs are such a large muscle group. High intensity, once a week, is what you need. "Feeder training" as I mentioned in my chest article, is good to use for legs. Whenever is convenient try to fit in some light leg extensions with an extra squeeze and leg curls with a slow negative later in the week. It will help LOADS with your recuperation.

To everyone who has been e mailing me and responding to my articles, thank you a lot! I hope you have found this one as informative and useful as my last ones, and I hope that, with your feedback, I can continue to write better and more helpful articles on what teens need to know. Please let me know what kinda things you're wondering about, curious about, or just mail me with your opinions and ideas, I hope to write more specialized articles in the future, along with more advanced chest, back, and leg training routines. Until next time, focus your energy into controlled chaos.... hold back some of your enthusiasm in place of good sense, but never lose the heart of a warrior.

- Alton

beautifuldisaster420@yahoo.com

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