Does It Really Make Sense To Work On Legs? Let's Discuss really

[absolute hardgainer]

I back up what GenetiKing said on reasons to go to the gym, but I don't train legs very heavily.

1. I do NOT want to add size to my legs - this will almost definitely result in a loss of kicking speed.
2. Heavy leg work makes it extremely difficult, even impossible, to maintain full flexibility and range of motion.

I train legs for strength only, I don't care how ugly or pretty they look, when I roundhouse kick a guy to the side of the head or drop an axe kick, nobody ever comments "Oh your legs could look better!". It's speed that matters.

45' leg press, leg extension, and calf raise is enough for me - followed by 45 minutes of heavy stretching.

hardgainer (kick)

 

[mike peters]

Since I've been taking legs seriously, it's harder to find good fitting pants and shorts. I have to get the baggy fit because of thigh size. I have to get my suits tailor made. I'm a stripper, so my physique must be complete. Oh yes I hate training the legs, that's my nubain day though. Also there's nothing better than showing off nice calves while wearing shorts.

 

[flex4life]

you're gonna use your biceps to get a chick at the beach, take her home, take out your 'middle leg', and still keep your shorts on??
get real- do the work- get the legs-
chicks DO notice legs!
It's a total turn on to see a guy really sweat it out working legs at the gym- cause we know it's good, hard work
and we can tell how the clothes fit if he's got it or not- don't think you're fooling us.

 

[Sniperwolf]

First, in my opinion the upper legs are the biggest and most powerful in the entire body which also makes them the most visual, whether your wearing long shorts or not.
Also. if there was only one exercise you were allowed to do to train your whole body, the best one would be squats. Doing squats can increase your metabolism and hormone secretion more than any other one exercise. Therefore, if you want to grow bigger, you need to train legs, and on the other hand, if you want to lose weight, you need to train legs. Hard leg workouts benefit the entire body not just the legs and can improve your cardiovascular system. Although its tempting to give the leg workout a miss every now and then, if you bear in mind it's not just the legs that are benefitting but the whole body, you'll find it easier not to miss a leg session.

 

[GynoRhino]

3V - Awesome set of tree trunks, bud!

And here's my take on anybody that talks about not training legs:

When you try to make excuses for not training legs...
"Nobody sees your legs!"
"You might hurt your back!"
"Your knees will blow out!"
"Girls don't care about legs!"
"I just don't like the way legs look.."

You know what you are? You're a damned pussy. That's right. You figured out that training your legs is the single hardest thing in the gym. So instead of DOING it, you try and justify NOT doing it with some pussy excuse. What you need to say is, "God, training legs are hard! Good thing I'll never have to worry about being a good bodybuilder or looking good, since I'm too much of a pussy to work them!"

 

[Grizzly]

The problem with your argument, Curling, is that it's based on an assumption. This assumption being that the purpose of weight training is to impress women. I will say that when I first began training it was because I was fat and I wanted to get laid. However, it seems to me that there comes a point when you outgrow that. After the initial gains slow down and it becomes harder and harder, one must have a better reason to continue training. I would hazard a guess that the majority of the people on this board are straight bodybuilders. The kind of dudes who do it for themselves because they/we have a preoccupation with size and muscle. This is the reason for training legs. The completion of the physique.

 

[jamccorr]

Legs!

Ok i can understand the squat problem.. I use to powerlift and had a good 500lbs roll up my neck upon bringing the weight back up...needless to say i dont squat anymore.. Hurts to have alot of weigh on the neck, but you can still train legs just as hard and heavy without squats so quit complaining... I do leg extensions with drop sets way beyond failure along with HEAVY leg presses and then leg curls the same as the leg extensions.. Maybe im genetically gifted on legs, but you can achieve good legs by that way too!

 

[curling]

Man, I can't believe all the responses to this thread. I must have lit upon a sensitive subject. Like, I said I do do legs but I don't do squats. I work legs like jamccor does and it does build my legs so why do squats? For all you squat people you should be happy anyway one less station to wait on in the gym right?

I have another topic coming up about squats that ya'll are really not going to like but oh well maybe it will make ya think anyway.

Grizzly, you do make some good points on your "assumption" argument except if you are doing the lifting for yourself I still think you are doing it to get noticed by others and with long shorts that is still not going to happen.

 

[puregains]

I've only recently starting my leg work , it only recently clicked to me that I want to loose some fat , and I was already doing my best in other areas. So why not burns more cals by doing some legs , plus I also pickup from this board that the bigger the muscle the more cals it'll use. So why not increase the legs muscles too.
Dont flame me for realising so late , better late than never.

 

[ErikPhoenix]

I have some buds that have skinny legs and large built upper bodies. They look like chickens. They don't really seem to wear shorts out too often. Symmetry is the only way. Come on, we're guys, not boys.