Building the teardrop

[Pseudonym]

While looking for ways to develop the "teardrop" part of my quads (vastus medialis), I came across this video. The guy's legs aren't massive, but you can't argue with his teardrop:

His explanation of why unilateral movements are more effective at developing the teardrop was interesting. But I'm not sure about that first exercise - the "side-step lunge". It looks like it's putting sideways pressure on the knee. And when I tried it, I felt it more on the outside of the quad rather than the inside. What do you reckon?

I did, however, try his second exercise - "Bulgarian split squats". It's quite hard. And I definitely felt it more on the inside of the leg. Whether it was the vastus medialis, I don't know. To me it felt more like my adductors were getting thrashed. I guess I'll find out what's sore tomorrow. Pretty sure something will be!

[Rebel101]

I do the Bulgarian split squats frequently and yes it is a tough movement.

I find that it works all my quads right as well as right up and into my glutes.

[2fierce]

The Bulgarian split looks interesting never tried it, but looks like you get the same activation of muscles as lunges. Will try the Bulgarian split squat on leg day

[Abel Kean]

Just do all leg exesices properly and make sure u feel the burn towards the end of each set an ur tear drop will follow suit with growth. Dont try and aim this just area of leg instead aim to do the leg extensions, squats, leg press, lunges etf with perfect form and everything in the thigh will grow in proportion. Thats my 2 cents anyways.

[Pseudonym]

Well, I wouldn't say I developed much DOMS in the teardrop. Glutes - definitely. I've always found lunges hit my glutes more than anything else. I guess the Bulgarian variety is no different. (Although it does force me to improve my balance, which is probably a good thing)

 

Dont try and aim this just area of leg instead aim to do the leg extensions, squats, leg press, lunges etf with perfect form and everything in the thigh will grow in proportion.

To a certain extent, I think you're right - you can't totally isolate each separate muscle in the thigh. But I don't think you can presume everything will grow in proportion either. Everyone has some muscles that grow better than others - some people might have great shoulders, but drew the genetic short straw for calves; other people might be the other way round entirely. Within the leg, some might a strong outer sweep on the quads, or massive hammies, but still find that other areas need extra work.

[Realtalk]

Just do all leg exesices properly and make sure u feel the burn towards the end of each set an ur tear drop will follow suit with growth. Dont try and aim this just area of leg instead aim to do the leg extensions, squats, leg press, lunges etf with perfect form and everything in the thigh will grow in proportion. Thats my 2 cents anyways.

Repped.

you can't isolate one of the quadricep muscles individually. Get bigger quads. That's how u get a bigger teardrop. Some people are going to have a good teardrop others are going to have a better outter quad, not everything going to be in proportion. That's just genetics if that was the case then we would all win bodybuilding comps.

[Abel Kean]

All this makes sense but I will always strongly beleive that alot of people just don't do the excersizes correctly and in doing so are only hitting certain areas of the leg there-for only seeing major development in that area, even when it should be hitting and burning the whole upper leg. Learning how to activate your muscle while working it out is the best advice I've ever gotten, a relationship between u and your muscles are key, learn what activates the area u need to grow and focus on that. I find close footed leg press best for hitting the tear-drop.

[Pseudonym]

you can't isolate one of the quadricep muscles individually.

And that's the crux of the argument. See, I think you can train to give one of the quad muscles more emphasis than the others. That's emphasis, not isolation - I agree all the other muscles will always be recruited to varying degrees. The point is, it's "to varying degrees".

In fact, the best example I can think of for this is Abel's own competition posing last weekend. When he flexed his legs one way, it emphasised the rectus femoris muscle down the middle of the quad. His vastus medialis (teardrop) was still there and partially activated, but it didn't really pop up until he flexed his legs a different way.

[Realtalk]

Is it really more emphasis though? Or does it just feel like it? Don't mean to push the point or be pedantic but just because something 'feels like it is' doesn't mean 'it is'.

kinda like your tricep, there are supposed grips to target the inner and outter part of the tricep muscle. My outside part of the tricep is small in comparison to my inner part iv done every exercise which people claim to hit that part there is. Even done soley those for long periods of time. It feels like it's working sure. But my inner head still grows and the proportions are still the same. It can only all get bigger as one. Elbow and knee different to shoulder joint where you can isolate different parts of the muscle.

thats what I believe anyway.

[Leeroid]

Broscientists gonna broscience

[jimmybro1]

When I do squats I like to use a mind-muscle-connection with my tear drop this way this is the only muscle being targeted in my leg.... hahaha jks 

 

[Dinahlady]

I dont believe in it haha. I think we've had this thread before. 

Grow your legs overall. Learn how to Squats and dead well. 

If I was gonna play the game slightly.... Re: Turning your legs in out etc. In all (most) leg exercises you should have some degree of external rotation at the hip - some people dont know this, or dont know how to do this, or cant do this.

Example: If youe the guy at the gym whose knees are coming in and knocking together you probably arent going to have or get very strong or good leg development. You'll probably have small everything including teardrop .

The only way "turning your feet this way" might help you is if it takes your hip out of a shitty alignment and puts it a better poistion to lift heavier - its not the feet position thats causing the development of x y z its if you have got good mechanical form to increase your strenght and that you're not lifting retardedly (which might be helped by foot placement - but isnt' neccesarily).

That would be the ONLY WAY those things would be linked. Yet, this could easily be done (and probably done much better too) by not moving your feet at all but just learning to get external rotation at the hip correcltly - usually most helped by learning to squat correctly) or just learning and implementing it with leg presses etc. i.e your feet dont neccesarily have to move at all. All this, in turn, will make you stronger all over. 

So... Focus on strength (this way you, your trainer or TP are most likely to blatently see and pick up on the type of messed up form you have and can work to correct it). Grow your legs over all, learn to squat and dead properly.... 

 

 

[Pseudonym]

Is it really more emphasis though? Or does it just feel like it? Don't mean to push the point or be pedantic but just because something 'feels like it is' doesn't mean 'it is'.

You're not being pedantic. This is a good discussion, and that's a fair point.

Elbow and knee different to shoulder joint where you can isolate different parts of the muscle.

I know what you're saying here - that the knee, like the elbow, only has one plane of movement, whereas the shoulder moves in multiple dimensions. And therefore it doesn't matter what exercise you use to flex the knee - essentially it all produces the same up-and-down movement anyway.

I get that. I guess I just feel that maybe there's a bit more to it that this. So here's a couple of questions in reply.

1) The bro-science question. The exercises I do will affect where I feel DOMS the next day - isn't this proof that I've been targeting certain muscles within the quads?

2) The I-don't-completely-understand-it-but-it's-actual-science question. Patellofemoral pain is a common problem often caused by a tight vastus lateralis (outer quads) and a weak vastus medialis (teardrop). Interestingly the exercises prescribed by physios and sports docs to fix this complaint look a lot like the ones recommended above to develop the teardrop. Check out these pages:

http://www.sportsmed.net.nz/patient-info/knee/patellofemoral-pain/

http://www.sportsmed.net.nz/patient-info/knee/eccentric-patella-tendon/ (similar to the lunges)

http://www.sportsmed.net.nz/patient-info/knee/muncie-exercise/ (similar to leg extensions)

Surely these guys know what they're talking about?

 

[AZIDE]

but how do i build my teardrop when i dont train legs?

[Realtalk]

Is it really more emphasis though? Or does it just feel like it? Don't mean to push the point or be pedantic but just because something 'feels like it is' doesn't mean 'it is'.

You're not being pedantic. This is a good discussion, and that's a fair point.

Elbow and knee different to shoulder joint where you can isolate different parts of the muscle.

I know what you're saying here - that the knee, like the elbow, only has one plane of movement, whereas the shoulder moves in multiple dimensions. And therefore it doesn't matter what exercise you use to flex the knee - essentially it all produces the same up-and-down movement anyway.

I get that. I guess I just feel that maybe there's a bit more to it that this. So here's a couple of questions in reply.

1) The bro-science question. The exercises I do will affect where I feel DOMS the next day - isn't this proof that I've been targeting certain muscles within the quads?

2) The I-don't-completely-understand-it-but-it's-actual-science question. Patellofemoral pain is a common problem often caused by a tight vastus lateralis (outer quads) and a weak vastus medialis (teardrop). Interestingly the exercises prescribed by physios and sports docs to fix this complaint look a lot like the ones recommended above to develop the teardrop. Check out these pages:

http://www.sportsmed.net.nz/patient-info/knee/patellofemoral-pain/

http://www.sportsmed.net.nz/patient-info/knee/eccentric-patella-tendon/ (similar to the lunges)

http://www.sportsmed.net.nz/patient-info/knee/muncie-exercise/ (similar to leg extensions)

Surely these guys know what they're talking about?

 

[Abel Kean]

I dont believe in it haha. I think we've had this thread before. 

Grow your legs overall. Learn how to Squats and dead well. 

If I was gonna play the game slightly.... Re: Turning your legs in out etc. In all (most) leg exercises you should have some degree of external rotation at the hip - some people dont know this, or dont know how to do this, or cant do this.

Example: If youe the guy at the gym whose knees are coming in and knocking together you probably arent going to have or get very strong or good leg development. You'll probably have small everything including teardrop .

The only way "turning your feet this way" might help you is if it takes your hip out of a shitty alignment and puts it a better poistion to lift heavier - its not the feet position thats causing the development of x y z its if you have got good mechanical form to increase your strenght and that you're not lifting retardedly (which might be helped by foot placement - but isnt' neccesarily).

That would be the ONLY WAY those things would be linked. Yet, this could easily be done (and probably done much better too) by not moving your feet at all but just learning to get external rotation at the hip correcltly - usually most helped by learning to squat correctly) or just learning and implementing it with leg presses etc. i.e your feet dont neccesarily have to move at all. All this, in turn, will make you stronger all over. 

So... Focus on strength (this way you, your trainer or TP are most likely to blatently see and pick up on the type of messed up form you have and can work to correct it). Grow your legs over all, learn to squat and dead properly.... 

 

Bang on I rekon, what I said but but better depth