top 3 leg exercises for females

[FitFossil]

My vote for the top 3 would be

squats
SL dead
sprints

 

[MS]

I hope ya'all realize I was joking in my previous post. I have to say that lunges have done wonders for this female on 2 levels. The first is that they were invaluable to my off-season training as a competitive telemark skiier. The second (since semi-retiring from that sport) is that I can't squat due to an ankle injury, so they are my next best bet for hitting glutes/hams. It really depends on what you mean by "best" as PPM said. Doing a variety of lunges is a wonderful thing. Alternate lunges, reverse lunges, off of a box, onto a box, with one foot hanging off a bench, jumping lunges......and my all time favorite jumping off a box lunges! Great stuff.

 

[MS]

Ha gotcha! Now don't be so spineless next time. If realgains had said what I said you would been down on him like the proverbial ton of bricks for his ignorance, NO? Though I see your point. What if I came clean and swore black and blue that I had only ever done leg extensions, leg curls and stairmaster for legs???? It would make me an obvious imposter or outright liar IMHO.

 

[Gladiola]

Corn, she is talking full cleans. The "gym" where she trains does not have a squat rack, and so should be the recipient of a full-scale nuclear attack. Gladiola is learning to perform ful cleans so she can at least front squat.

Hey now, that "gym" is the fitness center of an ivy league university Lots of great medical research has come out of there -> so while the fitness center is seriously lacking (ONE set of each weight in dumbells! ) the university itself is a cool place.

Anyway - I was worried there for a sec that I had the wrong impression of the move! It does seem quads power the initial acceleration of the bar, somewhat.

Fortunately though I only train at this place 1-2X per week. Usually I'm not there on leg day, but my regular place - which DOES have a squat rack. I just like the cleans & I'm intrigued by fast & powerful movements.

Good Mornings: I've left my lower back up to pilates & yoga - which of course don't train me for power & strength, just muscular endurance & isometrics. Maybe I ought to rethink that????

 

[Gladiola]

If there's ANYTHING I can do to convince you that your lower back and abs are CRUCIAL to your squat, let me know.

On the contrary, I need no convincing that my 'core' needs to be strong. I just need convincing that what I"m doing currently is not sufficient for my core! Know what I mean?

I guess I thought the yoga & pilates plus regular strength training (since lower back is working near constantly as a stabilizer with moves when I'm standing, etc.) was sufficient.

OK, so if I add in the Good Morning - I guess it goes on Back day?

Where on back day? Right now back day is:
pull ups or lat pull downs
rows
some more rows
shrugs if I feel like it
rear delt flies

 

[The Shadow]

On the contrary, I need no convincing that my 'core' needs to be strong. I just need convincing that what I"m doing currently is not sufficient for my core! Know what I mean?

I guess I thought the yoga & pilates plus regular strength training (since lower back is working near constantly as a stabilizer with moves when I'm standing, etc.) was sufficient.

OK, so if I add in the Good Morning - I guess it goes on Back day?

Where on back day? Right now back day is:
pull ups or lat pull downs
rows
some more rows
shrugs if I feel like it
rear delt flies

Gm's at the end as you will need a fresh lower back for the rowing.

 

[Gladiola]

Also, they require such strict form, that I would be afraid to do them after being fatigued.

Iwould agree - they seem to be a high risk move - and I err on the side of caution when it comes to potentially injuring myself!

Any idea on weight?

So I guess that means you think all types of rows & the yoga & pilates are not sufficient lower back work???

 

[magdelana]

hi rainbow

Hi Rainbow,

It is Janine. I use my second name here because there is already a janine on this board.

I do leg extensions, one full rep then down a quarter then up again, for a whole set. Then i jump to the full squat ass to the floor. Go to failure, rest a few seconds then a few more reps. Then two minutes later more leg extensions and back quick to the squats again.

I finish with stiff leg deadlifts. These are my favorites certainly.

 

[The Shadow]

You don't squat last to keep your strength up for extensions.

True - but quads are generally not the weak point in the movemenet - low back is just as it is normally the limiting factor in rows.

You wouldn't do reverse-hypers b-4 squats would you??




Like the superset???


Muuahahahahahah!!!!

 

[The Shadow]

No, but a reverse hyper is a more isolated movement and a GM is compound. I would do GM's instead of squats and do reverse hypers after both.

True - I have a bad habit of always assuming that GM are seated.