Thread: Legs

lunges are great.

Learn how to squat correctly bro. One of the best overall exercises you can do, it'll make you're whole body grow.
Start real light if you have to, then work your way up. And leg presses shouldnt hurt your back if you're doing it right. It'll only hurt your back if you round your back when the weight comes down.

NIce quote bro. Great underrated flick haha. thats where Duke Nukem came from.
"Hey She-Bitch.........Come get some"

Why are you uncomfortable with leg press? Your back is supported.

You're gonna have to do some kind of pushing exercises if you want to build your legs up.

Leg press with high foot placement (this way it hits your butt and hams more)
Leg extentions
Laying leg curls

Your back shouldn't be hurting from either squats or leg presses. However, I can see how squats might if you have a lot of back problems, which I doubt because of your age, but leg presses definitely shouldn't. Make sure you get multiple opinions on your squat form; it's hard to do just right.

Some other exercises that works your legs well are lunges, straight leg deadlifts, deadlifts, and calf raises. The straight legs and standard deadlifts also work your back pretty hard.

Lunges I agree are absolutely wonderful. Regular dumbbell lunges, Smith-Machine lunges, barbell lunges, walking bodyweight lunges, all are excellent at hitting your lower body.

Also you can give hack squats a try, I just recently started them and like them a lot. Stiff-legged deadlifts, regular conventional deadlifts, sumo style deadlifts, etc.

Hyperextensions are really great for your hamstrings/glutes/lower back. I would also recommend you try squatting in the Smith-Machine first to get your form perfect and then gradually move over to freeweight barbell squats. Good luck man.

Originally posted by Fade
Why are you uncomfortable with leg press? Your back is supported.

not sure about him, but I have knee and back trouble with many leg press machines, there is only one that I wil use now at my rec center, it's the type that has a weight stack and pin, it's the only one that does not bother my knees or back.

this Cybex one:

Originally posted by Prince
not sure about him, but I have knee and back trouble with many leg press machines, there is only one that I wil use now at my rec center, it's the type that has a weight stack and pin, it's the only one that does not bother my knees or back.

this Cybex one:

True but if he isn't even 18 yet he more than likely doesn't have the probs us old guys have.

If you are having problems with your back on leg presses you might be doing them wrong. It use to bother me but then someone was showing me how I was doing them wrong. I was just letting the weight drop into me lifting my ass off the seat then pushing it back up. He said instead of that control the weight coming down and dont ever move your back off the seat, and keep your ass planted.

Originally posted by Fade
True but if he isn't even 18 yet he more than likely doesn't have the probs us old guys have.

although squats have never bothered me, even ass to the floor.

Originally posted by DeadBolt
If you are having problems with your back on leg presses you might be doing them wrong. It use to bother me but then someone was showing me how I was doing them wrong. I was just letting the weight drop into me lifting my ass off the seat then pushing it back up. He said instead of that control the weight coming down and dont ever move your back off the seat, and keep your ass planted.

Yes, you're correct...never go down so deep that you butt rises.

Sorry for not being clear. I havent done leg presses...but after i tried squats and i didnt like it on my back....i didnt want to do leg presses afterwards...i was gonna wait till i was 18 until i had fully grown until i did squats...i might start trying leg presses; however, i want to be as safe as possible.

Originally posted by Brak86
Sorry for not being clear. I havent done leg presses...but after i tried squats and i didnt like it on my back....i didnt want to do leg presses afterwards...i was gonna wait till i was 18 until i had fully grown until i did squats...i might start trying leg presses; however, i want to be as safe as possible.

Safety is always a good idea, but you can do squats safely. I suggest you try doing sets of over 10, maybe even 12+. This way your growing joints won't get too stressed, but you muscles will.