Thread: Increasing Leg Size

I've read that before......good advice! I also hear lunges are good.

Well lunges mainly a glute exercise. I do lunges when I go into pre-contest training. Off season I live at the squat rack.

By the way, AWESOME pics, man!!!!!!!

Thanks Baboon. Weird to call someone baboon but thanks.

Good advise Game, hard to beleive but I never use to squat till about 2 years ago, no one did. (small town I guess).

Squats are without a doubt the best exercise for the legs and whole body for that matter.

When I was a beginner I did 3 working sets of squats 1 working set of front sqauts, and 1x25 leg extension and 1x20 leg extension, I did this 3x a week for 3 weeks I added 3 inches of leg mass in that time then I took 2 weeks off and I continued to grow anoth 1 1/2" in that time taking my legs to 27 1/2". Don't knock extensions cause all the message board propaganda says "only compound, only freeweight" Leg extensions can be valuable both as a finisher to really push your quads as far as possible or a pre-exhaust, whether you are a begginner or advanced.

Not knocking them, they are great for separation.

Originally posted by Thegame2001
Good tip for beginners. If looking to add size to your legs, drop things like extensions. Just concentrate on squats and leg presses. Stiff leg dead lifts and heavy ham curls. That should be the extent of your leg workouts. Just hammer those exercises hard. Deep squats. Leg presses with knees deep into your chest.

Incline leg press is my favourite exercise, I usually do three sets one 10 reps, one 8 reps and one 11 reps, I start off with 600 pounds and finish with 1,090...I can hardly walk afterwards but it feels so good.

How about step ups! Been told to use barbell on back with shoulders forward. Been doing them for about 3 weeks now and weight on bar goes up every workout. Doing 3 sec. neg.

I find leg extensions valuable for addding size down by the knee...vastus medialis and vastus lateralis. I think they can build size if done strictly and heavy..in the 6-8 rep range. I also think they work wonders when used as part of a "pre-exaust" superset, like extensions/squats or extensions/presses. The problem with beginners is they often use extensions and curls exclusively in their leg workouts and then wonder why they have bird legs.

Me to Mr. Gopro. I use to stick with a lower weight and did like 8-12 reps on leg ext but when I cut it down to 6-8 reps I found that I could really increase the weight and my legs really started to grow.

Some people have said its bad for the knees but its never bothered mine as long as they're warmed up.

Originally posted by gopro
I find leg extensions valuable for adding size down by the knee...vastus medialis and vastus lateralis. I think they can build size if done strictly and heavy..in the 6-8 rep range.

I agree, I have always used leg extensions.

Typically I do them every other leg work-out.

I'm sure leg extension machines everywhere feel much better!

Game 2001....while I agree that for some people, ass to the floor squats works great at building the vastus medialis or "tear drop," I have found hack squats to work far better for me. I also have been performing heavy extensions for years with no knee problems at all. I think that any exercise can build muscle if done with enough intensity. Extensions are sort of like kickbacks for the tri's...they give you a great peak contraction and pump...both important elements for building muscle. The problem arises when people rely SOLELY on extensions for quads. These lazy trainers will get nowhere like that. But if extensions are done right, in addition to squats, hacks, and/or presses...you will get great overall development!

Originally posted by Thegame2001
Heavy leg extensions are horrible on your knees.

Thats bodybuilding 101 stuff.....

I have never had a knee problem from any type of leg extension.

Well, I would say that if heavy extensions bother your knees then do not do them, as with any exercise.

Saying that you will not build any size with them, I disagree with that.

Yes, Shawn Ray probably knows what he's talking about. But everyone's different, and what works for Shawn may not work for the next guy.

So, my advice is to try everything out, and see what works best for you.

I would not listen to someone who uses copious amounts of drugs and then calls himself a expert. Leg extensions are fine.
Nuff said!

Originally posted by Maki Riddington
I would not listen to someone who uses copious amounts of drugs and then calls himself a expert. Leg extensions are fine.
Nuff said!

What? Shawn Ray is not natural?

Good point though, all pro bb's are so dependant on drugs, I'm not sure how they would know which exercise works and which one does not!

I'm pretty sure that Maki was not talking about you using juice, but Shawn Ray. We all know you've never done it.

I like to hear what pro bb's have to say.

But I also realize that they are filled with drugs, so it does not really matter what they do, they will grow regardless.

They will grow regardless? You don't even have to work out if you take drugs to grow? See thats what I mean, your misinformed.
I don't take drugs but you certainly have to train hard if you do and also have to eat correctly to grow.

Just blowing it off and saying they will grow regardless is dribble bro.

Yes, you have to train to grow. But when you're drugged up on GH and roids it does not take a lot of effort to grow.

No I'm not misinformed. I think you are.

OK.
Thanks for the explanation.
Very deep.

Originally posted by Thegame2001
OK.
Thanks for the explanation.
Very deep.

You're welcome. Glad I could clear things up for you.

Well actually you didn't really clear anything up for me.
I already knew the facts.
Just wanted to see how misinformed you were.

Thanks for clearning that up!

Ever seen a pro workout? Ever been in a gym that has pro's working out in them? And your saying they don't work out hard?

K, thanks.

I've seen some of them train, damn if that is easy training, i'd hate to see hard. Ronnie Coleman doing 6plates on each side doing front squats, sissy stuff.

Too easY!