Legs don't respond to training!!

[coolcolj]

Thanks Loudon and CoolJ!

My current routine is:

Once a week:

7-8 sets of leg extensions 5-12 reps

5 sets of squats, start off at 225 then move up to 315 on the smith machine. My 1 rep max would be around 405.

5 sets of leg presses, start off with 5 plates on each side and work up to 9 plates, 8-12 reps.

Lying leg curls, 5 sets 5-10 reps.

I do not train beyond failure. I do get nauseated every single time I do legs.

I see the problem already

Ditch the leg extensions, do free squats - not smith machine, ditch the leg press, ditch the leg curls

All you need is full squats, and romanian deadlifts or stiff legged deadlifts. You could add Glute Ham raises on the floor for extra hamstring work, but that's all you need. Front squats is a good alternative every once in a while.

If you need more volume, then add some Bulgarian split squats
or reverse lunges.

 

[AustinTX]

Sorry guy, and I thought my upper leg genetics sucked....

It may sound lame, but hip abduction and adduction may help. Since you have a problem with growth, I'd make sure to hit all of the muscles. I also saw bfold recommend those for someone who was having squat problems (knees going in or out, can't remember).

Are you hitting both quads and hams on the leg press, or mainly just one? I tend to push more with my toes instead of heels (even on the upper part of the platform/ham position) and work my quads more than my hams (which suck).

Also, are you doing full ROM on the press and squats?

 

[Deepsquat]

I see the problem already

Ditch the leg extensions, do free squats - not smith machine, ditch the leg press, ditch the leg curls

All you need is full squats, and romanian deadlifts or stiff legged deadlifts. You could add Glute Ham raises on the floor for extra hamstring work, but that's all you need. Front squats is a good alternative every once in a while.

If you need more volume, then add some Bulgarian split squats
or reverse lunges.

I am in total agreement...too many sets! keep your total ## at 3-6 for quads and 2-3 for dirrect ham ...or better yet read the whole Doggcrappp sticky for his recomendation of 1 all out set ./

 

[Lord_Suston]

yeah there are a few problems I see as well.

Do squats first in your workout and go at least to parrallel or lower.

you should do stiff legged deadlifts, skip the leg press you basically doing the same as squats but squats are son much better.

Then do lunges for a few sets pyramid up in weight.
if your legs don't grow a little doing this I have no clue what to suggest.

BE honest do you really go down all the way? do you work to failure? are you eating enough? are you hittin legs once a week?
when you can say yes then your legs will get huge

 

[Ffactor]

Very good points. When I do presses I don't use my toes. I go parallel for squats not all the way down. My diet is not great but not that poor either, my upper body has shown considerable improvement. I will try the squats/deadlift routine. Same day or on different days?

 

[Sebass67]

Put deads and squats as far from eachother as u can.
Otherwise, your erectors will be fried bigtime.

 

[jerkbox]

I'd agree with CoolColJ....start with the foundation movements.....you will definitely see some results.

 

[Tony104104]

Damn good advice bros....

 

[Vortexx]

I have found a nice way to train legs everyday(!!!), by using single leg exercises (wich by the way work very well to target your quads anyway) , training the left leg 1 day, the right leg, the following day.

Training a single leg, means that you use less weight on exercises, but make no mistake , high focus/intensity on the legs, rather than on your complete body (such as with squats and deads). Hence you will recover faster, also your leg gets one day rest cause you work the opposite leg the next day.

Sample "catch-up" program:

DAY 1: LEFT LEG

6 * 12 single leg press

6 * 16 single leg hack squat

4 * 100 (!!!) lunges, stepping out with the left leg


Some sets of 100 reps at the tail end of a workout are used by some modern bodybuilders to exclusively make inroads to slow twitch fibres for some additional growth, while in some muscle groups this will give only minor results, the legs, for biomechanical reasons happen to be packed with a lot of slow twitch fibres (now the hamstrings is another story, it prolly need low rep work, or short bouts of sprinting with sled resistance etc)


Train hamstrings on back day, combine stiff leg deadlifts with regular deadlifts to pair synergy with lower/back posterior chain development. Also do some sprints before or after you back/ham workout to make additional inroad to the hammies