Ready to learn about the science-backed optimal way to train your legs for muscle growth!
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QUADS
Let’s start with quads, I’m sure you’ve heard someone say it’s IMPOSSIBLE to train your inner and outer quads.
… And their arguments absolutely make sense. Because when you look at how the innermost muscle of your quad the Vastus medials or the teardrop muscle and the outermost quad muscle your vastus lateralis “your sweep” neither connect at the hip, they connect somewhere underneath all this crap high up on the femur so that’s when you hear people say it doesn’t matter if you open up your hips to do a wide stance or keep those feet close because they don’t attach at the hips and so those muscles aren’t lengthening or shortening at all so you’re going to target them equally no matter what.
But then I did some digging and there are more than a few SCIENTIFIC Reasons why you are able to effectively target and train your inner and outer quads…
The same exact principle applies to your medialis and lateralis they both work to stabilize your knee by pulling it in opposite directions.
HAMSTRINGS
Another interesting study I found showed that having your toes flexed towards your shins (dorsiflexion) will allow you to generate more force during leg curl movements... now I don't think that's why everyone in the gym does them this way, I think it's an unconscious decision but regardless... this is where I go completely rogue because I believe you should do the exact complete opposite!
And this is something that I figured out years ago by putting on a moderate amount of weight on a leg curl machine and then doing a few reps with my feet in a neutral position, then mid-set went into plantarflexion (toes pointed away) and it immediately became impossible so then I quickly forced my ankles into dorsiflexion and just like that the movement became too easy...
Now, Why is that? It has everything to do with your Gastrocnemius. Its main action is plantar-flexion of the foot but because it crosses the knee joint it also aids in knee flexion.
Also, remember when it comes to hypertrophy.... strength or how much force you can generate isn't the name of the game if that's your goal then you should be trying to recruit as many muscles to work as efficiently as possible to move the most weight
but that is the antithesis of hypertrophy where you're basing everything you do off of connection and isolation, you're trying to limit secondary involvement as much as what is biomechanically possible and just work the targeted muscle
GLUTES
The glute science lines up with what I've felt for years, any time you can exaggerate the stretch do it because it will lead to more glute activation. That's why I turn sumos into more of a hip dominated movement and why an assisted reverse lunge works better than a regular reverse lunge because you're able to exaggerate the stretch and tension put upon your glutes by shifting your husky body over top of that glute and really lean forward to enhance the stretch.
CALVES
When it comes to calves I've heard people say for years foot placement doesn't matter but it absolutely does and there are a few studies that are starting to show that but you have to read a little deeper than the general conclusion "pointing foot straight forward may be the ideal approach when the aim is to induce proportional improve-ment on both heads of the gastrocnemius" How much deeper do you have to read... the very next line... it says " pointing foot outward or inward may induce selective muscle growth" and that should be your aha moment.
SETS / REPS
QUADS
(No Quad Sweep)
Leg Press “Feet together - 3/4 rep - Toes up as you contract”
4 Sets / 20 Reps
Split Squat “Working leg positioned on your midline - 3/4 rep”
4 Sets / 20 Reps Each
OR
(No Tear Drop)
Leg Extension “Partials at the top - hold to contraction for a 3 count”
4 Sets / 20 Reps
Hack Squat “Feet close / low / 45 degrees - don’t lockout”
3 Drops Sets “Drop The weight 2x / Shoot for 15 Reps before you have to drop
HAMSTRINGS
Stiff Legs “Only come up 3/4 to keep it in your hamstrings”
4 Sets / 20 Reps
Seated Leg Curl “Plantar flexion until you fail then into dorsiflexion and… fail again”
4 Sets / 30 Reps
GLUTES
Sumo Deadlift “Hinge at your hips - Don’t pull it straight up”
3 Sets / 20 Reps
Assisted Glute Step-ups “Lean forward to force the stretch - don’t lockout and lean back on the way up and rotate over top of your hip”
4 Sets / 20 Each
CALVES
Seated Calve Raise 3 WAY “Make sure you’re contraction along with the orientation of the fibers in each head of you gastroc”
3 Sets / 50 Reps Each Way
#Quads #BiggerLegs #LegGrowth
24 авг 2024
