snake
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- Jan 29, 2014
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Prior to a shoulder surgery, I spent about 4 months of leg training with Giant sets and picked up with the same routine for the last 4 months. Leg extensions to squats to leg presses to leg curls. 4 good working sets that left me hurting. Reps were 15 except on squats, they were 12.
When I first started this routine, my squat weight was respectable for 8 reps. I quickly found out that this new routine was going to take some time because I felt it was more taxing conditioning wise and less fatigue to the muscles. This took a good month or so to change and when it did, I was able to handle more weight without hacking up a lung.
I'm not at the point where I am going to add an inch on my thighs, those types of gains are over. But what I did find is that the quality of my legs increased while maintaining the same body weight. There were some cardio advantages to this workout also, not like you're going to lose weight from it but it does work your heart.
Now for the not so good. Like any part of training, you plateau and there comes a time for change. With this workout, you have to swallow some pride with your gym weight; a lot of pride actually. That's easy for me since I have no one in the gym I have to impress. Last week I made the switch back to squats for 5 sets. I know better then to start out hard and fast so I kept it within reason. I could not get over how heavy the weight felt. I finished up for reps of 8 that would have been a heavy warm up for me a little over a year ago. Safe to say, my training weight for 8 reps has dropped about 100 lbs.
This routine is great for quality muscle gain if you give it several months to work. Still, once you hear the call back to a more standard heavier squats, expect a kick in the teeth.
When I first started this routine, my squat weight was respectable for 8 reps. I quickly found out that this new routine was going to take some time because I felt it was more taxing conditioning wise and less fatigue to the muscles. This took a good month or so to change and when it did, I was able to handle more weight without hacking up a lung.
I'm not at the point where I am going to add an inch on my thighs, those types of gains are over. But what I did find is that the quality of my legs increased while maintaining the same body weight. There were some cardio advantages to this workout also, not like you're going to lose weight from it but it does work your heart.
Now for the not so good. Like any part of training, you plateau and there comes a time for change. With this workout, you have to swallow some pride with your gym weight; a lot of pride actually. That's easy for me since I have no one in the gym I have to impress. Last week I made the switch back to squats for 5 sets. I know better then to start out hard and fast so I kept it within reason. I could not get over how heavy the weight felt. I finished up for reps of 8 that would have been a heavy warm up for me a little over a year ago. Safe to say, my training weight for 8 reps has dropped about 100 lbs.
This routine is great for quality muscle gain if you give it several months to work. Still, once you hear the call back to a more standard heavier squats, expect a kick in the teeth.