Long legs, can't do heavy bar squats. But need leg split ideas for adding muscle.

Ase_james

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I have bone on bone is my L4/L5 lumbar spine. I can do most things but not real heavy bar squats and deadlifts. Just due to the pressure on the spine.

I currently just do legs as a once per workout cycle, basically once a week.
But I'm looking for split ideas so I can hit legs more often, but need a plan that doesn't rely on those two things too heavily.

I'm 6'1" 220# pretty lean very happy with my upper body, but my legs are so damn long that even though the measurements are right on, they still look small.

Diet and rest are on point. I'm on trt and will run my 4th cycle (blast) this summer.

I'm 41 years old and have been lifting consistently for 15 years.

Second issue is coming back from an injury. Fell on a truss plate on my knee last summer and had to stop doing legs for a few months. Better now, outside of some nerve damage and not getting the size back.

Any ideas would be great!
 
EMPIREMIND

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Invest in a belt squat. Spud inc has a really good one for a decent price. You can use it with a land mine set up and it works really well. Also things like Bulgarian spit squats and obviously leg press. Also hex bar dead’s seem to be a lot better on lower back. It all depends on your specific injury, some of these might not work. Also I would Hammer your isolation work before your compounds to preexhaust. Leg curls and leg extensions, tons of reps and rep schemes so by the time you get to your compounds you don’t need as much weight and your legs will be full of blood. Squats and dead’s are not everything!
 

Ase_james

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Invest in a belt squat. Spud inc has a really good one for a decent price. You can use it with a land mine set up and it works really well. Also things like Bulgarian spit squats and obviously leg press. Also hex bar dead’s seem to be a lot better on lower back. It all depends on your specific injury, some of these might not work. Also I would Hammer your isolation work before your compounds to preexhaust. Leg curls and leg extensions, tons of reps and rep schemes so by the time you get to your compounds you don’t need as much weight and your legs will be full of blood. Squats and dead’s are not everything!
That's a good idea. I currently do single leg squats to keep the weight down on my back, but I've been doing those as soon as I warm up. I'll switch that around tomorrow and see if I feel like I did more. Can't do a belt for heavy lifts as I still wind up in bed for a day or two.

Thanks man.
 
EMPIREMIND

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That's a good idea. I currently do single leg squats to keep the weight down on my back, but I've been doing those as soon as I warm up. I'll switch that around tomorrow and see if I feel like I did more. Can't do a belt for heavy lifts as I still wind up in bed for a day or two.

Thanks man.
Not using a belt for squats, belt squats, you hang the weight from the belt. Removes your back from the movement!

Also try these:

Or these:
 

Scottfalcon

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I'm 6'1 with long ass limbs too and have always had back trouble with heavy squats.. I just did about 10 weeks of no back squats, doing Bulgarian splits as my primary leg exercise twice a week. Started with 25lb dumbells because I couldn't even balance, last week I got 80lb DBs for 9 reps, then this week I finally squatted again and got an all time PR, plus my legs are looking much thicker.. I would definitely recommend the split squats.. just be warned I think they suck even more than heavy back squats as far as the burn in your legs and lungs 😁
 
jswain34

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Another vote for bulgarian split squats and belt squats. If you have sacroiliac pain, the bulgarians might irritate that initially. My recommendation would be to gradually work your way lower over the course of a few weeks to months. Only go as low as you can without causing pain at the SI and gradually work down to parallel. This isnt a super common thing, just wanted to mention it in case you try them out and experience it.
 

Scottfalcon

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Another vote for bulgarian split squats and belt squats. If you have sacroiliac pain, the bulgarians might irritate that initially. My recommendation would be to gradually work your way lower over the course of a few weeks to months. Only go as low as you can without causing pain at the SI and gradually work down to parallel. This isnt a super common thing, just wanted to mention it in case you try them out and experience it.
Good call on the depth.. I'll note that I had that issue, I started with my back foot on a 4" step, and increased the height weekly until I was working with my rear foot on a regular height bench.
 

Ase_james

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Another vote for bulgarian split squats and belt squats. If you have sacroiliac pain, the bulgarians might irritate that initially. My recommendation would be to gradually work your way lower over the course of a few weeks to months. Only go as low as you can without causing pain at the SI and gradually work down to parallel. This isnt a super common thing, just wanted to mention it in case you try them out and experience it.
I have done them, actually in PT, but not nearly as intense because I was still healing.

I'll switch back to making this a main exercise.
Never really bothered by the si, it's just the missing disc and cracked vertebrae.

Thanks for the info!
 

Ase_james

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Getting some good info and I appreciate it.
Any thoughts on a split?
I'm thinking to double my leg workout to twice a week to play some catch up.
 

Scottfalcon

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Same here man, always had lagging legs.. I do a 4 day upper/lower on M/T off W T/F. I superset everything on upper body day, and then lower day I start with either heavier squats or Bulgarian split squats, and then go into some hack squats/leg press/Romanian deadlifts and then finish with a ham/quad superset
 

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