Suggestions of gaining leg size...?

[SofaGeorge]

If anyone can make some suggestions for a routine to pack some size onto my legs... I'd really appreciate it.

My current routine is:

Sprints 5 X 220 yards

Deadlifts 5 X 5
Squats 2 X 6
Hack Squat 2 X 8-10

Straight leg deadlifts w/dumbbells 3 X 8-10
Leg curls 3 X 10

Calves 5 sets of whatever.

I've had many leg injuries in my life... but no knee problems. My legs are FULLY recovered and I want to start hammering them to regain size.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gettinlarger]

I recommend moving the conv. deads to back day and lose the db's on the SLs.

 

[Night Fly]

First off...are the sprints mandatory or could you do some other form of cardio?

I would up your squat sets 4 X 5 or 3 X5 whichever you prefer.
Hack squat reps seem fine.
I like to throw in 2 sets of 15 reps on the leg press to help with lactic acid formation and muscle endurance. I've found that it has helped me out a lot. You may want to consider doing that instead of doing sprints/cardio. Leg day is NOT a fun day to do cardio on.
Drop the deads to back day like gettinlarger said...

Cut out the db and use the barbell for the SLDL.
Do either good mornings or glute ham raises. Those both hammer my hamstrings.

I hope that made sense! It's helped my legs grow, for sure.

 

[supersizeme]

like nf said...up both your reps and sets for squats. your leg workout should revolve around squats. like if your workout was HBO Saturday Night Boxing, the main event would be squats(except the main event would be fought before the other less important fights) and the other fights would be some combination of leg press, hacks, lunges, and leg extensions. My legs grew best at a higher rep range than nf suggested. i would do a couple of warmup sets at 10 reps, then about 4 working sets starting off with a weight that i could just barely hit 10 for, then moving up 20 or so pounds with each set until I was down to 6 reps on my heaviest weight, then drop to a weight that I could get for 10 on my final set. Then I would 3 sets of 10,8,6 on either leg press, hacks, or lunges, and then 3 burnout sets of leg extensions. I do hams and traps on a separate day, so that's when I would hit the stiff legged deadlifts. and, like nf said, lose the db's on the deadlifts. not only can you not use decent weight unless your db's go well over 100, but i have found that my form suffers if i'm not using a barbell.
oh and sprinting is not going to do very much as far as increasing the size of your legs. i'd get rid of those.

 

[mekannik]

supersizeme
oh and sprinting is not going to do very much as far as increasing the size of your legs. i'd get rid of those.

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Sprinter's have crappy legs? Sprints might not be the best for quad development, but considering the size/function/appearance of the hamstrings - could you afford to not do these?

Besides - doing sprints (not miles worth at a time) doesn't equate to a cardio session.

 

[CrimsonKing]

Sofa -

IMO throw it all out..

I gained the most size on my legs doing 20 rep heavy breathing squats. That is the most intense exercise you can do for max anabolic reaction.

Throw what you normally do for 10 clean reps on the bar then do that but instead of putting the bar back on the rack keep it on your shoulders. rest for a few seconds, take a few deep breaths and do 1 more rep! Repeat this until you reach 20 reps. Do this no more than 1 per week. Also, everytime you step up to the bar to start the 20 reps add poundage to the bar. YES everytime. Work up to 1.5x your bodyweight fro 20 reps. Your legs will have to grow!

 

[SofaGeorge]

Sprinter's have crappy legs? Sprints might not be the best for quad development, but considering the size/function/appearance of the hamstrings - could you afford to not do these?

I added the sprints after talking to several pros and top amateurs with massive legs. They all universally said sprints 100-200 years were the best size builder there is for hamstrings. It's also an exercise that almost everyone overlooks for building size... but back in the old days when I was in high school was the gospel. (I'm an agnostic on whether or not it is good.)

Per everybody's suggestion I'll switch to barbell instead of dumbbell SLDL. I had been using DB for variation and hated them.

It also seems like most of you agree that high rep sets build size. I've been low repping my squats. I'm a fan of squatting heavy and first liked NF's numbers... but then I saw she followed it with high rep on the leg press.

Thaks for all ideas.

 

[Night Fly]

It also seems like most of you agree that high rep sets build size. I've been low repping my squats. I'm a fan of squatting heavy and first liked NF's numbers... but then I saw she followed it with high rep on the leg press.

Thaks for all ideas.

I think that the heavy squats will benefit you more than anything. OH, and I only do the leg press about every 3 weeks or so....just to add something different. My workout focuses around my squat, though...

 

[gymtime]

I think that the heavy squats will benefit you more than anything. OH, and I only do the leg press about every 3 weeks or so....just to add something different. My workout focuses around my squat, though...

Agreed. Keep the squats heavy, but also keep the volume a little higher. Legs can handle and respond to a lot more volume than upper body.

Hi NF!!

 

[SofaGeorge]

I think that the heavy squats will benefit you more than anything. OH, and I only do the leg press about every 3 weeks or so....just to add something different. My workout focuses around my squat, though...

Kewl... this is old school and what I grew up on. In the old days bodybuilders were strong. They took pride in strong lifts... and equated strength with size.

Somehow that concept got lost.

I shalt squat heavy with more sets.