Leg training for a bench specialist

[benchmonster]

Guys, I am officially giving up the idea of becoming a 3 lift man. I just don't think it is in the cards, and busting ass on squats tears my shoulder's up, and I am not willing to lose anything off my bench as it is the only thing I am marginally good at.

Question I have for the board is, what to do about leg training if I have no intentions of competing in a 3 lift, but would like to retain some strength, explosiveness and size. I have asked a few members privately, and I appreciate your responses, but thought this might be a decent thread and maybe I could get some more ideas this way.

I have considered the following options:

Train with free squats, olympic squats and snatch grip squats, alternating one exercise each friday, doing higher reps, like bodybuilder's do them.

Train just like I have been, but alternate doing M.E. one friday, and then D.E. the next friday.

Still do box squats, but do higher reps bodybuilding style, alternated with plyometrics, and pull once per month.

any other ideas or thoughts on the above would be greatly appreciated. I want to be stronger all over, but 3 lift competitions just don't look practical to me. I am a bit of a puss, and don't want to go to a 3 lift and get my ass royally kicked when I can do bench only and be pretty competitive.

B.

 

[k1401]

Bro you mentioned the BB word.........you'll feel Arioch's WRATH!

 

[benchmonster]

I know, I feel a little emasculated just typing in the words. Like I said, I am a bit of a puss, but I aspire to be manly, Arioch, please be gentle, I am in serious need of help.

B.

 

[Deciever]

B, sucks to hear you wont be 3 lifting any more, but bench is your calling. Anyways, your plan now seems good, with the higher reps, although i've heard that snatch grip squats can be hard on the rotators and shoulders (dunno if thats right or not).

Besides the squats, you could do lunges (firm up those glutes for the mrs. ), leg press, front squats( these will help give you a masculine quad sweep, which i seriously have no trace of), and im sure you could still do GM's just for like sets of 8 or 10, same w/ stiff legs.

 

[CytoMel]

Band GM"S with the band wrapped around the back of the neck uses no shoulders so does sled dragging.

 

[Jagermeister]

I would suggest a compromise(sp?)

"do box squats, but do higher reps bodybuilding style, alternated with plyometrics, and pull once per month"


good Idea,


and I would not suggest that you do BB high rep squats all the time, maybe some type of periodization? 12 reps for a month, then 10, then 8, then 6, then 3, then start all over again.

You would get size, and some strength

 

[Screwball]

How about hitting a squat, good-morning and a deadlift in the same workout once a week? You could cover all of your bases. You could hit a heavy, medium and light exercise every week. Don't worry about any other accessory stuff. Just hit the big three hard and rest up for ME & DE Upper Body days. I've done this in the past and it works, especially if you're only going to do it once every seven days.

Example:

Week #1
Heavy Box Squats
Medium Arched-Back Good-mornings
Light High Pulls
Abs

Week #2
Heavy Anderson's
Medium Ultra-wide Sumo's
Light Snatch-grip Squats
Abs

Week #3
Heavy Rack Pulls
Medium High-bar Olympic Squats
Light Seated Good-mornings
Abs

 

[benchmonster]

Good suggestions all. Band gm's and sled dragging I had already thought off but neglected to mention. Deceiver, you crack me up. Haven't you already noticed from my good lookin pics the amazing quad sweep and ham striations I am so famous for?

Screwball, that looks like a good idea. Will it give me huge wheels like you have? What about sets and reps?

I will always keep reverse hypers no matter what, cause they make my back feel really good. Would not mind having some Irishpower or Screwball quads, though.

B.

 

[Screwball]

I think my quads are getting smaller. I'm going to start hitting hacks and leg extensions. NOT!

As far as reps on the training plan listed above, this is what I did.

Heavy Exercise (90%+) - Singles, Doubles, Triples

Medium Exercise (70% - 90%) - 5-10 reps

Light Exercise (50% - 70%) - 12-15 reps

Or you could use the 60% Rule. 100% (Heavy) - 60% (Medium) - 36% (Light)

 

[Deciever]

Bench- i've heard your quad sweep from your younger years(before you started powerlifting) was amazing.. i think i even have a pic of it...

http://www.geocities.com/xdecieverx/new.html

his quads are amazing...

bench is just to basful of himself to admit his body building back ground.