Big legs WITHOUT squats?

[olympia]

Definately understand that. But i have been doing squats for some time now and just not getting the mass on my quads like my upper body. Just my glutes. And Just after a different take and this could be what i need. If after 12 weeks i havent noticed any difference ill switch back to squats.

[ThePman]

Definately understand that. But i have been doing squats for some time now and just not getting the mass on my quads like my upper body. Just my glutes. And Just after a different take and this could be what i need. If after 12 weeks i havent noticed any difference ill switch back to squats.

Have you considered that it may be your programming and/or your diet, rather than the fault of the exercise?

There's more than one variable involved here.

[SoaringSwine]

Haha, from what I've heard the whole Bulgarians switching to step ups was a big joke.

[big MAC]

Haha, from what I've heard the whole Bulgarians switching to step ups was a big joke.

Yes, and not only that, it was supposedly done for sports performance, not size. Also, done with athletes with years of experience in back squatting.

I've used high step ups, weighted and unweighted before. To be honest it works great as a rehab exercise. For strength and size building, I'd put it below lunges.

[tinytraps]

Haha, from what I've heard the whole Bulgarians switching to step ups was a big joke.

x3, didnt the usa lifters follow suit and suck majorly?

[luv.me.oats]

I hate squats personally, give me leg press anyday

but I agree with Olympia jnr.

I start off with -

Leg ext, 4 sets

Leg press, 6-8 sets

Hack squats, 4 sets

lying hamstring curls, 4 sets

Seated leg curls, 4 sets

and don't forget calves.

And Train heavy. stack those plates on baby!!!

'Nuffin but a peanut"

[Draft]

Oh, how I love Ronnie Coleman, an endless source of gags.

[luv.me.oats]

i know, i've been boning up on ronnie coleman dvd's 'lightweight.............."

brings me much amusement, king kamali's dvd is a laught too.

[Specter]

Do Squats and Step Ups together..

[Riccardo]

Olympia, What are your current stats?

I have a problem where I have relatively long femurs which makes squatting difficuilt, I have been squatting for a long time now and have seen good gains from squatting. however I am at the stage where quad development is stalling and my glutes are getting bigger. My knees and toes also naturally point outwards at 10 to 2 so I have to take a wider stance.

squatting with long femurs tends to cause people to pitch foward using more of their lower back glutes and hams. However I have had good success with front squats. Having the weight infront of you balances the squatting movement better and I feel more tension in my quads and less in the posterior chain. You may wan't to give this a try.

Arnold was a relatively tall bodybuilder by todays standards, I think he was around 6'0 and also had long legs. He too used the front squatt quite effectively.

[Grego]

I'm quite tall and I've gone off squats lately. I found the more weight I put on the more stress on my lower back and I don't get lower back problems usually and I do have good form coming from previous powerlifting training years ago. I have gone for hack squats this programme (change every 4-6 weeks), I keep my core tight and really get quite deep. Working for me at the moment in any case....

[mr natural]

I used to do alot of leg press and buggar all squating(going back 3-4 years ago) and found i built some reasonable size off the leg press for my main heavy exercise.

However when i did start squating again i noticed more development in parts of the leg that i wasn't getting from leg pressing alone.My legs improved quite alot in there overall look.

In saying this i think i could go back to alot of leg pressing only and get some gains. I think both exercises are good and most people will gain from either or both.

[luv.me.oats]

Mr Natural, what areas does the squats work opposed to press?

I need hammer my legs more this year, I'm findindg that I'm making good gains on the press good quads, but my hams are lagging.

[greyghost]

Put your feet as high as on the leg press to work your hams.

[Optimass]

Mr Natural, what areas does the squats work opposed to press?

I need hammer my legs more this year, I'm findindg that I'm making good gains on the press good quads, but my hams are lagging.

Have you tried isolation leg curls .... push your upper body up off the bench on the lying leg curl. (kind of looks like the start of a press up). If you lock your hands either side of the bench its easy to lock your body flat while you do the movement - Really cuts into hammys.

Will also use very high inclines on treadmill during cardio sessions - Hamstrings get a thorough workout and great for calf development also.

[Grego]

Will also use very high inclines on treadmill during cardio sessions - Hamstrings get a thorough workout and great for calf development also.

:nod: and hill walking on uneven ground gets calves going for gold!

[luv.me.oats]

Will also use very high inclines on treadmill during cardio sessions - Hamstrings get a thorough workout and great for calf development also.

thanks guys!!!

I actually use the above - incline lunges pre comp. last 2 weeks to keep it tight!

but

and hill walking on uneven ground gets calves going for gold!

Ah but I get nervous I may roll my ankle, yes I'm unco and previously twisted my ankle back in 05'

Have been hammering calves on leg press hard - another body part I must thrash!

[mr natural]

I found the squats brought up my teardrop, i found the leg press gave me a good sweap but my legs were lacking on the inner part of the thigh in spade an size.I could see a massive improvement from my first show to my 3rd show and this was due to me squating i believe.

[luv.me.oats]

smith or rack?

how deep:

How are feet positioned?

so many q's I know, but I'm killing legs tonight, high calorie day you see :nod:

[Optimass]

I found the squats brought up my teardrop, i found the leg press gave me a good sweap.

My results are similar :nod:

[Laver]

Wow this thread has grown fast, to many off topic discussions to reply to now! So.... I leave you with a post which adds no value at all \:D/

[Laver]

Reply to Laver:

I just use weighted hyper extensions. Bro go for the deadlifts man. If it's working wonderfully for you, go for gold! But people go around saying you will never have a good over all back or spinal erecters without them?? Please..

Yes I would disagree if somebody said you can't have a good over-all back without deadlifts.

Sounds like hypers do a good job then, I was thinking deadlifts are fairly fundamental for hypertrophy the in spinal erectors and lower back, but if hypers do the job then obviously the deadlift isn't so crucial - Although if the hyper's didn't work for other people, I would strongly recommend deadlift as an alternative :twisted:

[Laver]

Reply to Laver:

I just use weighted hyper extensions. Bro go for the deadlifts man. If it's working wonderfully for you, go for gold! But people go around saying you will never have a good over all back or spinal erecters without them?? Please..

Yes I would disagree if somebody said you can't have a good over-all back without deadlifts.

Sounds like hypers do a good job then, I was thinking deadlifts are fairly fundamental for hypertrophy in the spinal erectors and lower back, but if hypers do the job then obviously the deadlift isn't so crucial - Although if the hyper's didn't work for some people, I would strongly recommend deadlift as an alternative :twisted:

[Gym rat]

I do high reps for quads and for hamstring the rep ranges from 8 to 12 reps plus I do lots biking as well and for when I am biking home from work I bike up some step hills plus when biking home from work after a hard quad that can be slow going.When I am getting close to home I think.I wish I had zimmer frame at home.

[tinytraps]

Reply to Laver:

I just use weighted hyper extensions. Bro go for the deadlifts man. If it's working wonderfully for you, go for gold! But people go around saying you will never have a good over all back or spinal erecters without them?? Please..

Yes I would disagree if somebody said you can't have a good over-all back without deadlifts.

Sounds like hypers do a good job then, I was thinking deadlifts are fairly fundamental for hypertrophy the in spinal erectors and lower back, but if hypers do the job then obviously the deadlift isn't so crucial - Although if the hyper's didn't work for other people, I would strongly recommend deadlift as an alternative :twisted:

Can you use more weight for hypers or for deadlifts? For bang for your buck dedlifts rule, they thicken the entire back. Do you tink ronnies or dorians backs would be as developed if the did hypers instead of deads? I think people just need to HTFU and hit the basics hard.