# Advice for my leg workout?



## kindanewtothis (Jun 13, 2014)

I've been doing this leg workout together with 2 friends for the last 6 months and it destroys us each time. I did this workout 2 days ago and my legs still feel 95% destroyed. I wanted to know what you guys think and if you have any suggestions. So far, it's been doing wonders for us. We're all usually struggling to bend or walk for the next 4-5 days on average. We're 19-20 years old and have been training legs for about 1 year, 6 months of which were very intense. We're all 5'10 and our vertical jumps have improved to the point where we can all either grab or touch rim on a 10" hoop=] This was without any direct jumping/plyometric workouts, only light basketball after some non-leg workouts. We are looking for a good balance of strength and size in our legs.

Pre exhaust: 4 light sets of leg extensions/leg curls
Warm up:1 set body weight bulgarian (rear foot elevated) split squat
3 sets of Dumbbell Bulgarian (rear foot elevated) Split squats
4 sets of  Smith Machine Bulgarian (rear foot elevated Split squats)

Drop Set on Squat Press: we load up plates on squat press, 1 of us will squat press, while other 2 rapidly remove plates after every 8-10 reps until only 2-45 plates remain. It's about 5-6 sets with 1 second rest between sets.

(Note, even standing up after this is painful, takes 3-4 minutes for our walking ability to return)

3 sets Squat press sets with feet close together, really feel hamstring and outer quad

4 sets of Superset Leg Press/leg extension followed by 3 light sets of hamstring curls

Finish with 4 sets of barbell hack squats


----------



## Pinkbear (Jun 13, 2014)

Needs more squats


----------



## kindanewtothis (Jun 13, 2014)

lol man, I need seat cushions in class after this, and you telling me more squats.

Bulgarians and Hack Squats are a type of squat 

We only have 1 squat rack in our school gym and it's always hogged with 2-3 guys waiting, plus this is lighter on the lower back. On the last set of bulgarians, we go half way down with front leg, back up, then all the way down to 1" above ground each rep, the quads feel so confused they don't know what hit them.


----------



## Dtownry (Jun 13, 2014)

Pain.  Pure pain and agony.

You are maybe doing a little too much fella.  With the terms you are using like preexhaust, drop sets, super sets I think you have been reading too much muscle and fitness.  Do not use a program from one of those magazines unless you are on 3 grams of test a week like the gentlemen in the pictures.  You are most likely not going to recover from your superman leg day.

Cut your volume back.  Do maybe 12 total working sets of three exercises once a week so 3x4 or 4x3.  Eat, and rest.  See if you get some results.  Once you start getting big and a lot stronger you can entertain more volume and some other fancy shit.  Look up a thing called Prilepin's table for sets and rep range for strength.  

You get stronger in the bedroom and kitchen dude not in the gym.


And no hack and bulgarians are not squats.  A squat is free weight, on a barbell, in a rack on your back or shoulders.  You squat down so the crease of your hip is below your knee.  Repeat.
You get all you young bucks on the squat rack and you keep running through, 4 dudes can use a squat rack.  Excuses suck man.  Make it happen.


----------



## Dtownry (Jun 13, 2014)

After re-reading your post, why are you asking what we think if you are getting results?  That is the number one mistake.  It doesn't matter what anyone thinks.  If you are getting results stick to it man.

I still stick by my point of volume though if you guys are natural...which at your age you better be.


----------



## kindanewtothis (Jun 13, 2014)

Yes, natural. Didn't get this workout from a magazine nor do I own any. Just kinda felt right. I think my legs respond to volume for some reason. 
Bulgarians I prefer over back squats, especially useful if you jump off 1 foot. We went from 95-175 lb Bulgarians in 6-7 months. I view them as the primary
exercise in my leg routine. I think more volume is possible with these type of exercises than if I were to focus on back squats anyways. 
Even with all the volume, it's about 50 minutes in the gym max. Any reason you feel back squats are superior to bulgarians for legs?


----------



## kindanewtothis (Jun 13, 2014)

Dtownry said:


> After re-reading your post, why are you asking what we think if you are getting results?  That is the number one mistake.  It doesn't matter what anyone thinks.  If you are getting results stick to it man.
> 
> I still stick by my point of volume though if you guys are natural...which at your age you better be.



Just wondering if anyone has had success following a similar high volume routine so I can gauge how long before I plateau in the weights. I totally agree though, food and rest is probably the most important thing for us. Also wondering if other  people use unilateral movements as their primary leg exercise.


----------



## Dtownry (Jun 13, 2014)

It is a good exercise do not get me wrong but it is not the main exercise you should be focusing on.  Nothing activates all the muscles you need to be activated like a deep squat does, period. 

I am not going to go into it any more than that as there is plenty of reading available to you on the web regarding your question.  There is a reason the "split squat" is not a competition powerlift and the squat is.  Go ask any accomplished running back or power athlete about the benefits of the squat.

I recommend you read Staring Strength by Mark Rippetoe, Read the Blog Lift Run Bang, Look at EliteFTS and Juggernaut Training (probably most appropriate for you and your goals).  

Read that stuff and it will open your eyes a little wider.  You will get it.

Good luck. 

OH and FYI a high % of HS coaches and even some college have no idea what the **** they are doing when it comes to strength training for athletes.  Be careful.


----------



## snake (Jun 13, 2014)

Dtownry said:


> It is a good exercise do not get me wrong...



Dtownry,
I think you are being nice about it. With all do respect I would like to weigh in.

kindanewtothis,
Don't do that, don't ever do that! If I saw someone I cared about even setting up for that I'd strip there weight and send them home with a note to their Mom/ Girlfriend/ Wife. I could get into the details about why you don't look down a loaded gun barrel but I prefer you just take my work for it.


----------



## Dtownry (Jun 13, 2014)

snake said:


> Dtownry,
> I think you are being nice about it. With all do respect I would like to weigh in.
> 
> kindanewtothis,
> Don't do that, don't ever do that! If I saw someone I cared about even setting up for that I'd strip there weight and send them home with a note to their Mom/ Girlfriend/ Wife. I could get into the details about why you don't look down a loaded gun barrel but I prefer you just take my work for it.



Yes Snake you are correct.  I am trying to turn a new leaf LOL.


----------



## TriniJuice (Jun 14, 2014)

You wanna train legs?
Ditch the machines...Squats, Front Squats, Calf Raises, & Stiff-Legged Deads
5sets each 2x a week, and thats basic
i wish i would've started doing legs 2x a week a long time ago


----------

