Leg Training at Home Question

[TrumpetLegend]

Hey guys, following a modified version of the Jim Stoppanie's Shortcut to Size Routine for 8 months and seeing some results, but no growth in my legs although weight goes up 10 lbs each week: Week 1: 15 reps, 13 reps, failure, rest 15 seconds failure. Week 2: 11 Reps, 9 Reps, Failure, rest 15 seconds, failure. Week 3: 8 reps, 6 reps, failure, drop set to failure. Week 4: 5 Reps, 3 Reps, Failure, drop set to failure. My leg routing consists of Back Squats, Leg Extensions, SLDL's, Ham Curls, and standing & seated calf raises. I work out at home and my equipment consists of a Marcy Smith Machine, free weights, and an incline/decline bench. Squats never feel right so I started to try a wider stance, but this totally burnt out my hams and glutes, which basically crippled my workout. Is there anything I can substitute back squats for so that I can get more quad development and have the strength/energy left to work hams? Keep in mind I do not have access to a leg press and my main goal here is aesthetics......Thanks!

 

[PaulBlack]

Well, depending on how much weight you have added and how many times per week!?, the leg work, if one is thin and taller, limb work can take a little longer to see some results. Lots of time, with novices, strength can increase with little size, since you are just getting the muscles and CNS to be able to respond more efficiently and elicit more fiber recruitment at first. You have to stick with it however IMO.

Next, eating enough is always very closely connected to overall mass.

What is it about regular parallel squats that bug you? Since most kinds of squatting, done pretty heavy,(ie: 4-5 sets of 5-15 reps) can be rather uncomfortable, which is why it is a good overall mass and full body system builder.
High bar oly squats with a closer stance than a power squat, can put more emphasis on the quads, along with a slight heel.
You can also try...

Front squats
Zerchers
Suitcase lifts/ or a trap bar off blocks with a heel
Hack lifts


More ham shift...
power squats
BLDL's
RDL's
SLDLs
GM's
GHR's
Leg curls/banded leg curls
Pull throughs

But I still think reg back squats are actually easier, or at least better to master and use a good bit of weight on.

You said you have a smith!? (bad for squats IMO) but, do you ever lay on the floor and leg press with it?

As far as size and depending on your genetics somewhat, lower reps are going to help with more power and strength and higher reps might aid in building your mass some.
Lastly, I think you might feel that you got no increase at all, but you most likely got some and will continue if you keep at it and make training consistent and hard a focus on your leg days.

 

[nicksox15]

Pauls pretty on point there! I did the shortcut to size a year ago and saw great gains in strength but have always had a hard time putting mass on my legs. I'm 6'3 so it must spread out, lol. But don't get discouraged, numbers going up is great just make sure you're eating enough to properly build mass.

 

[mountainman33]

Front squats made a huge difference for me. Once a month I pre-exhaust with leg extenstions to add to my volume for hypertrophy since most of my leg work is strength based.

 

[TrumpetLegend]

Thanks guys! I work everything once per week. It's frustrating though because I have hashimoto's hypothyroidism and have the skinny fat thing going on. I know legs are the most important workout especially if I hope to reverse this, but it seems like everything is getting slightly bigger than my legs and I most definitely don't want to be the big guy with the little legs....I'm trying really hard and currently doing the low carb (under 30 grams carbs) per day diet with high fat and protein. It's bad enough that I've got some new stretch marks on my arms from lifting. How do I perform the leg press on smith machine? I've heard of people doing it before, but how to you rack/unrack the weights? I really appreciate all the help and advice by the way!!!

 

[mountainman33]

You have to remember, carbs are a big part of anabolism. Don't cut them too low. Legs can be done more than one a week as well. Check out the Smolov protocol. Can be difficult to complete, but can offer huge gains in strength and size of done correctly.

 

[PaulBlack]

Well, I am not sure what kind of Smith you have?
Probably the easiest way is to set the Smith to stop (bottom out) at a low point and climb under and press upwards with legs.
Otherwise, if you have stops, you could set those, then move the stops with hands, then turn the stops back in place after the last rep.

I have an old Dax pressing machine that I have set up for occasional leg pressing. I slide a heavy block under the bar to catch it. When I start, I slide the block away keeping my hands near, then when I am done the set slide the block back under the bar to stop it at a higher point.

I do mine something like this gal...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIQjxGaL7Ag

And agree on most any body part can be done more than once per week.
I think some of this gets translated and used by novices or intermeds, but in actuality, it is an advanced person whom is using huge loads, that might benefit from once per week only big stuff, since they are working with loads that are very taxing to the system and recovery becomes a big factor.
Still, that all said, most advanced guys I know, train the big lifts more than once per week, even if they train them on a heavy/light pattern thru the weeks.