Pumped upper body with chicken legs

[kx250rider]

I've done really well on my upper body in the past year or two, and I'm just about where I want to be... But I never did anything for legs. I ride dirt bikes alot, and my legs are hard as steel, but skinny. I was looking in the mirror, and realized that my calves are half the size of my arms. I usually wear jeans, so not really a problem day to day... But I think I look kind of ridiculous in shorts.

Anyway, the issue is, I really don't want to add a big lower body routine to my lifting regimen, so I'm wondering if there's any opinion as to what I can do, with the least time involved, to at least bulk out the calves a little? I don't do squats (or any lifting where the weight is held by my upper body while standing up) due to sciatica, but I can do most any other leg work.

Charles

 

[ledhead]

I'm just curious how you can even get a decent upper body without doing legs?

 

[Discreet User]

I've done really well on my upper body in the past year or two, and I'm just about where I want to be... But I never did anything for legs. I ride dirt bikes alot, and my legs are hard as steel, but skinny. I was looking in the mirror, and realized that my calves are half the size of my arms. I usually wear jeans, so not really a problem day to day... But I think I look kind of ridiculous in shorts.

Anyway, the issue is, I really don't want to add a big lower body routine to my lifting regimen, so I'm wondering if there's any opinion as to what I can do, with the least time involved, to at least bulk out the calves a little? I don't do squats (or any lifting where the weight is held by my upper body while standing up) due to sciatica, but I can do most any other leg work.

Charles

Start an HST routine at use the following exercises: straight leg press (not incline), calf raises on leg press machine, leg extension, and seated calf machine.

In keeping with HST you will only be doing 2 sets per exercise.

Be sure to read through: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html

Contained in that website are rules about weight, reps, sets, exercise frequency, etc...

I have many clients with back issues, this is how I know these exercises should not aggravate your condition.

Hope this helps!

 

[joe d]

1 set of each 3x per week for the leg presses and 2x per week for the calf

20 rep leg press
30 rep calf ext

it needs to be heavy enough to where you are resting at lockout a few times

 

[ExtraMile]

I've done really well on my upper body in the past year or two, and I'm just about where I want to be... But I never did anything for legs. I ride dirt bikes alot, and my legs are hard as steel, but skinny. I was looking in the mirror, and realized that my calves are half the size of my arms. I usually wear jeans, so not really a problem day to day... But I think I look kind of ridiculous in shorts.

Anyway, the issue is, I really don't want to add a big lower body routine to my lifting regimen, so I'm wondering if there's any opinion as to what I can do, with the least time involved, to at least bulk out the calves a little? I don't do squats (or any lifting where the weight is held by my upper body while standing up) due to sciatica, but I can do most any other leg work.

Charles

I like rest pauses for calves, but it seems almost everyone does differant things for calves and it takes a while to figure out what works well for you personally...

I have seen good results from 20 rep leg presses for quads in the past and good results with RDL for hams, but Im guessing you cant do RDL's because of your back, so leg curls may be the only option, or bodyweight glute-ham raises if you have the right equipment for it, or you could even do some of those ghetto glute-ham raises aka natural GHR's

One thing you might consider is walking lunges with either a weighted vest or holding dumbells, you dont have to go rediculously heavy and you might find your back can take it...

 

[joe d]

definately walking lunges if your back can take it. i was asuming it cant.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Might also try bodyweight pistols and working into doing like 3 sets of 5 with a 50lbs db's cradled in your arms 2-3x a week.

 

[zedhed]

Just go buy a new pair of legs bro!! Just helpin out....

 

[kx250rider]

Just go buy a new pair of legs bro!! Just helpin out....

Not sure if I can afford new ones, but I'll call around and see if I can send them out & get them rebuilt like an engine

Thanks for the ideas... I'm going to try a few things that don't tax the lower back too much, and see where it goes. If I can just get a little size, it will balance out better. According to a trainer I know, my legs are super-strong due to years of motocross (anyone who rides, knows the seat is almost just there for looks, and you're on bent knees the whole time), and also when I was a TV technician, I was always walking up & down stairs with huge TV sets, etc. So my legs are tougher, and aren't responding like my upper body dies. No damage = no growth.

Charles

 

[zedhed]

Hmmm......Ebay?????

 

[spk55]

cleats for your bike shoes. you ever seen calves more developed that a cyclists?
ride the shit out of your bike, but get some cleats.

 

[ExtraMile]

I ride my bike all the time and its not done jack for my calves, and I actually position my feet so that only the balls of my feet are on the pedals, so my calves work on every stroke...

sucks because I see so many cyclists with huge calves lol

 

[spk55]

extramile
do you have cleats? do you ride with cleats?

 

[ExtraMile]

do you mean the clips on your pedals that attach to your shoes? if so then no I dont, but I dont see how that inceases the input from your calves....

 

[spk55]

yes .. cleats attached to the bottom of your shoe.

without these cleats you get power from 12 oclock to 6 oclock. .... thats it. that aint a full 360 degree power stroke is it?? thats only 180 degrees...where is the power from 6 back to 12 without cleats? momentum is what brings the food around from 6-12. no muscles involved... just momentum..
so you, with no attached cleat are getting 1/2 the power you need in a peddal stroke. you get it from 12-6. then all you have is momentum from 6-12.
cleats give you the power from 12-6 and 6-12.. because of the way you pull(giving you the great calves) from the 6-12 position.. you are getting a full 360 degree power stroke..

the way to explain it is like if you have mud on the bottom of your shoe, the way you scrape the mud off is putting the muddy shoe on a curb and pulling the foot towards you to get the mud off. this is the motion you use on the upstroke( 6-12) and this is what gives you calves.. cut to shread calves..

 

[Discreet User]

yes .. cleats attached to the bottom of your shoe.

without these cleats you get power from 12 oclock to 6 oclock. .... thats it. that aint a full 360 degree power stroke is it?? thats only 180 degrees...where is the power from 6 back to 12 without cleats? momentum is what brings the food around from 6-12. no muscles involved... just momentum..
so you, with no attached cleat are getting 1/2 the power you need in a peddal stroke. you get it from 12-6. then all you have is momentum from 6-12.
cleats give you the power from 12-6 and 6-12.. because of the way you pull(giving you the great calves) from the 6-12 position.. you are getting a full 360 degree power stroke..

the way to explain it is like if you have mud on the bottom of your shoe, the way you scrape the mud off is putting the muddy shoe on a curb and pulling the foot towards you to get the mud off. this is the motion you use on the upstroke( 6-12) and this is what gives you calves.. cut to shread calves..

I wouldn't mind trying it. Get somewhere + workout along the way.

 

[zedhed]

Too bad eddymerkx isnt around any more he would add a ton here.
But a good explanation of how it works with cleats. Once you have em you will seriously ride without em.

 

[ExtraMile]

yes .. cleats attached to the bottom of your shoe.

without these cleats you get power from 12 oclock to 6 oclock. .... thats it. that aint a full 360 degree power stroke is it?? thats only 180 degrees...where is the power from 6 back to 12 without cleats? momentum is what brings the food around from 6-12. no muscles involved... just momentum..
so you, with no attached cleat are getting 1/2 the power you need in a peddal stroke. you get it from 12-6. then all you have is momentum from 6-12.
cleats give you the power from 12-6 and 6-12.. because of the way you pull(giving you the great calves) from the 6-12 position.. you are getting a full 360 degree power stroke..

the way to explain it is like if you have mud on the bottom of your shoe, the way you scrape the mud off is putting the muddy shoe on a curb and pulling the foot towards you to get the mud off. this is the motion you use on the upstroke( 6-12) and this is what gives you calves.. cut to shread calves..

makes alot of sense but you said the thing that takes you from 6 back to 12 is momentum, well its not momentum its because then the other foot it back at the top, so its the pressing down from your other foot that bring the first foot back from 6-12. So yeah you only get the first 180 degrees but you alternate between feet, so when one foot has done their part, the other does theirs, so each foot takes full responsibility for their first half of the stroke. But with the cleats from what you said it sounds like each foot does some of the work on both sides of the stroke.

hard to believe it makes that much of a differance but if your speaking from experience i guess ill try it. Are the cleats expensive?

 

[spk55]

no matter what foot is at the 12 oclock position, the other foor , at the 6 oclock position "isnt pulling up".. get some cleats. you'll probably need shoes too. my shoes and cleats were $400.00.. got them for half that .. great deal.
but , like you said , if you have chicken legs, you best hit the squats very hard..
good luck

 

[ExtraMile]

my dad has some might even have more than one pair he used to be into mountain bike racing. Ill borrow his for a few days and see how they feel. Thanks.

 

[spk55]

extramile
remember, you need the correct peddals for the cleat to fit into..
another few $ hundred..