Should I take a trainer's advice and do legs every other day?

[JJFigure]

I'm in cutting mode and 5 weeks out from competition. Upper body is looking great; lower body is losing inches appropriately, but the leg definition just isn't happening the way I want it to. A trainer at the gym told me to do some form of leg work every other day to bring out the lower body definition.

I practice high intensity workouts and limit them to 30-40 min max (depending on body parts). Right now, I'm doing the 8 sets of 8 workout (w/ 15 second rest intervals) preached by Vince Gironda. I either do legs or a sprint workout every fourth day, and I'm usually sore for a couple of days. If I do leg workout every other day, I would definitely be training on sore muscles. Isn't this overtraining?

Has anyone else used this approach, and can it be successful? I don't want to lose mass, just fat.

 

[fitbitch]

Legs are usually the last to go for women...I would not train them every other day...that is not necessary and yes that is overtraining. How does your diet look? I would hit them every 5 days...HIIT training is good to do when trying to get bf down...sprint for 1 minute and then walk for 1 minute. What leg exercises are you doing??

 

[BrickGirl]

Diet is going to bring out your leg definition, not working them out more, I prefer every 7 days for legs for me, any more than that, and I would be overtraining mine, new@ can work her's every 5 days, it works for her, but I seriously doubt anyone can work them every other day When is the growth supposed to occur?

 

[nikkita]

I would rather prefer one intense leg workout every 7 days, focusing on your lagging parts. In my opinion if you train them more than that you would get overtrained.

 

[Sassy69]

A first comment is are you on anything that will help prevent muscle loss (e.g. AS) Another is you are now 5 weeks out from a show & not the time to even attempt to build any muscle. Nuthin left to but lean out & not lose too much muscle. Therefore what you are doing with the "cardio" workouts is good towards fat loss. Cardio along with that should probably be no more than 45 min or so. (Although I got awesome results from 45 min AM cardio on an empty stomach 5x/week, then train and 20-30 min at night maybe 3-4 x/week while cutting for a show). Amount of cardio I think depends on you - how much you have to lose and also how it impacts your muscle mass retention. Diet is obviously the big one. And legs are the last to go on most of us so you have to remember to just stay consistent and not panic too soon - lots can happen in 5 weeks. And actually the changes in those weeks always seem the most dramatic and the things that aren't leaned out enough yet seem the most blaring. If you are still not leaned out by the morning of the show, then panic. LOL!

I have a friend who is training for a figure show - her trainer has her doing at least an hour of cardio/day including legs 3x/week - the training routine incorporates a sort of super setting w/ 5 min cardio, leg ext, leg press, lunges, repeat 3x. This or sessions similar to this are scheduled 3x/week. Especially considering recovery, I think that's alittle overkill. The interesting thing is it works for most of this trainer's girls. She is one of the best/winningest women's trainers in my area - for figure, fitness & bb. But I think its gonna depend more on you and your recovery time -- no point in over training because it comes back & bites you in the butt later. Seems you need to adjust to what gets you results, but also what is "doable" w proper recovery.

 

[wilson6]

Leg definition is primarily diet. Overtrain the legs and they'll go flat.

"She is one of the best/winningest women's trainers in my area - for figure, fitness & bb."

Are all these girls natural? That makes a huge difference in what happens with the legs.

W6

 

[JJFigure]

First, thank you all for the replies. My diet is a cyclical carb diet - I'm really low carbs, moderate fat and protein most of the time and carb load every 4 days. I count everything and right now I'm averaging 1800 calories/day (some days higher, some days lower to keep my metabolism guessing). I'm 5'10, weigh 133 lbs., and have lost a pound/week, which is all I want to lose per week. I'm not using anything to protect my muscle (other than glutamine/mutli vitas, etc), and I really don't want to fall into an overtraining mode out of panic. Sassy's reply that everything seems to speed up around this time definitely gave me hope.

I think I'll stick w/ the sprints and not go overboard on the legs. I spent too long building this muscle - I really don't want to lose it.

 

[JJFigure]

I forgot to add what I'm doing for legs. On sprint days, I finish up with 100 meter walking lunges (bodyweight) and do 2-3 sets. On lifting days I've been doing front squats or single-leg dumbbell squats - 8x8, stiff-leg deadlifts - 4x12, leg extensions - 8x8, and leg curls - 8x8. I literally can't do any more than that - my legs are shaking by the time I'm done. If you've never tried the 8 sets of 8 routine, you have to try it. It's sooooo intense!

 

[Realgains]

Anyone that says to train legs 5 days per week doesn't have a clue what he is talking about. I would seriously consider getting another trainer.

Definition is genetic and body fat related. Train your legs hard no more than every 6 days(or less) especially the squat.

RG

 

[Sassy69]

To W6 -- no, most of this trainer's girls are on supplement support. Her methods are also "old school" (early 90's). I've discussed the heavy leg training session schedule w/ some of her girls -- my issue is the same - over training. However whatever it is that she has them do, it freekin works.

JJ -- this trainer who told you this... is this someone you are working with or just some trainer you talked to one day? If you are working with someone for your comp, my suggestion is you stay with that person's schedule & not someone else's comments who may not know what you have done so far or "knows" your body. Also you said they recommneded "some form of leg workout" -- what exactly does this mean -- a lifting session or cardio or both? And as I said, unless you are running some AS, at this point its going to be very hard to get any more development in 5 weeks - you should focus on diet & training to lean out and try to tweak what you have. Some awesome stuff happens in the last month and all the way up to the last week pre-comp, so dont' panic. Just stay focused.