I dont want small legs anymore! Please HELP!!

[LittleNate]

Hey guys.
I realize using genetics as an excuse for small legs is a bunch of bs, and im ready to get serious and determined to make these things grow whether the like it or not. Ive always trained legs but not very intense until a few weeks ago. Im just not sure if im doing enough weight?...too much weight?....not enough reps?...exercises?...ect. I need a little guidence from you guys with big legs.

On leg day i do squats first. My max rep is 300lbs. I do warmup 135x10. Then 185x10, 225x10, 275x 5-8...then sometimes another slightly heavier weight for another couple reps.
After squats i do 4 sets of lunges (10 rep per leg )
Next i do Leg extensions for 4 sets (8-10 rep range)
Finish up with calves on the sit down calve machine. (high weight 8-10 reps)

If you guys could help me out a little id really appreciate it.
Thankyou

[ottomaddox]

How about those hamstrings?: Stiff legged deadlifts, and or lying hamstring curls.... If you want those calves to respond try increasing your reps to 15 to 20/set. It's all experimentation to find what works best for you. I've even tried some 100 rep sets at a lower weight for leg presses. Interesting feeling in those legs after 100 reps.
Peace,
CR

[Canadiantiger]

I changed my rep scheme to 20 reps for squats and have been getting better results than when I did 8-10. Something to think about.

[Perforator]

Try adding leg presses into your routine. I mix it up every couple of weeks. Start with leg extensions, squats, leg presses. Next time may be presses, squats, extensions. One week I may throw lunges in there. Vary your reps......one workout do lighter weight more reps say 12-15. Next workout hevier weight less reps.

Also try Swole Cats leg routine. I don't have the link but do a search and I'm sure you'll find it.

And yes, don't forget the hams and calves.

[Doc.Sust]

Hamstrings!!!!!!!

[jon77]

Ok man listen. On seated calf raises, your are isolating the "soleus' muscle,which runs down the length of your leg and stretches around to the inner portion of your leg UNDER the 'gastrocnemius' muscle ( calf muscle). Bending at the knees relaxes the gastrocnemius, therefore less emphasis is placed on your calves while seated. Don't get me wrong, seated raises is a good exercises. I do them myself. But if you want to bring out your calves, you have to stand to really stress this muscle. Standing calf raise machine, donkey machine, or a hack squat machine will do the trick. Also, high reps (15-25) at least. 10 reps ain't gonna cut it.

As for legs, you need to play around with your routine more. Don't try and do the exact routine you did last week. Start out doing squats, hack or bb, and pre-exhaust your muscles first. Do this as your warm up set. Then add your plates and do your sets. Try increasing the weight every set, and still do the same # of reps. If you legs are not burning like hell the last couple of reps, you need to be increasing the weight. Second, I'd do good mornings or leg press, again increasing the weight every set. Extensions and leg curls are isolation movements, therefore I like to save them for last to really pump as much blood into the muscles as possible. Again, no pain-no gain. It is not uncommon to see guys bring a pail or bucket with them to the gym on leg day. If you puke, at least you can leave knowing that you had a good workout that day. Hope I was able to help........cheers

[LittleNate]

thanks guys i really appreciate the advice. I did completely forget about hamstrings recently. SLDL i really like and will definitly throw them in to the mix. I red Swolecats leg routine and may try that out alternating between a "normal" workout and his.

jon77 i will defintly try calve raises on the smith along with the seated. make em burn!!...im looking forward to leg day already.

[Tbone1975]

Hey guys.
I realize using genetics as an excuse for small legs is a bunch of bs, and im ready to get serious and determined to make these things grow whether the like it or not. Ive always trained legs but not very intense until a few weeks ago. Im just not sure if im doing enough weight?...too much weight?....not enough reps?...exercises?...ect. I need a little guidence from you guys with big legs.

On leg day i do squats first. My max rep is 300lbs. I do warmup 135x10. Then 185x10, 225x10, 275x 5-8...then sometimes another slightly heavier weight for another couple reps.
After squats i do 4 sets of lunges (10 rep per leg )
Next i do Leg extensions for 4 sets (8-10 rep range)
Finish up with calves on the sit down calve machine. (high weight 8-10 reps)

If you guys could help me out a little id really appreciate it.
Thankyou

That routine doesn't look bad to me. Like guys mentioned above, hamstrings too LOL. If those are full squats, those numbers aren't bad at all. Your legs probably are not as small as you think. I love doing reps of 6-8 or 10, or even 3. I think all of them build size. Find out what rep scheme you like best and go with it. Doing full squats will add 1 exercise for your hamstrings by default. My favorite exercises for hamstrings are squats, and hamstring extensions (the lazy mans exercise). Other good leg exercises are hack squats and leg press. Doing a ton of different exercises may wear you out though. That above routine does not look too bad, like I already said. And......even if you do a million sets and exercises, nothing will happen if you don't eat enough. Believe me, I've done it. It stinks when I would follow it up with a much easier routine and sufficient caloric intake only to get much greater gains. Now on the other hand LOL, you don't want to take the easy way out and train like a wimp. Eat and train. In two months you probably won't even be thinking the same way.

[jojo2002]

have u tried the 5X5??? i had great results on quads biggest results ive every seen....