We all have them. You know our favorite body parts. The one we love to pound and make grow. The muscles get pumped just thinking about them. You like them so much that sometimes you work them three times as hard and several times a week. They get massive and you admire the progress. You own the gym when you do this part. You know what I mean.

But what about the rest of the body? Are they getting equal time and tonnage of weight? Pretty much everyone loves their upper body but when it comes to legs….."kiss off Scott". Yep, I am back at it again.

I know….I know…..you really don't like those quads, hamstrings and calves as much. They are hard to work. They hurt and frankly you say to yourself, "I have to wear pants most of time anyway".

Dan Decker in Shorts - Perfect Symmetry Top to Bottom

Yeah I know it I could be another body part on your list, but it seems to me legs are more universally the bodybuilder's least favorite body part. I can't tell you how many behemoths I see in the gyms that have absolutely stellar upper bodies. And then I glance down at their legs. They look like Big Bird or a victim of muscular dystrophy they're so out of proportion. Often they wear sweat pants in gym to hide their disproportionately small legs.

Okay so what do I do?

The purpose of this article is not to rev you up to the point that you want murder those legs, but rather give you a prescription to start on the road to recovery a little at a time. If you start off like you have worked them for years, it may be you last leg workout for some time….maybe ever again. So let's get started.

Here is the 5 S's of Success:

1. Start
2. Short
3. Small
4. Specific
5. Step it Up

 

1. Start

Yes just START. Just get Legs in your routine for crying out loud. Like you would any other body part, schedule it in once a week and don't miss doing them. Get accustomed to doing them.

2. Short

Keep the work out short. You don't need to do 5 exercises of 4 sets. Pick two basic exercises and work maybe 2-3 sets or one machine for a 4 sets. Call these baby sets for the legs. Keep in mind your legs are quads, hams and calves. If you did 2-3 set for each of these 3 areas you could be done in 15- 20 minutes.

Is that too much to ask?????

3. Small

Use small amounts of weight starting out. The goal here is to get started and not bail out. Use enough weight to actually be a workout but not so much that you are so sore you can't walk the next day. Keep in mind you are only doing 2-3 sets so this will be an a piece of cake.

4. Specific

Think before you walk in the gym what the routine will be. If you don't have a clue what exercises work legs you're lost and will waste time.

Here is an beginners leg routine:

Quads

• Leg Presses 2-3 sets
• Leg Extensions 2-3 sets

Monty Rogers Bodybuilder - Leg Press on Hammer Strength Machine

 

 

Monty Rogers Bodybuilder - Leg Extensions

 

Hamstrings

• Leg curl machine 4 sets

Monty Rogers Bodybuilder - Hamstring Curls for the leg bicep

Calves

• Seated calf machine 2-3 sets
• Calf raises on standing calf machine or on Leg press 2-3

 

5. Step it Up

As you get comfortable doing some legs every week, begin slowly increase the Sets, Weight and Exercises. You will find it is not so difficult to do when you begin to see progress.

And the next time you run the beach, your "wheels" will look as good as your upper body.

Miles Hannaman, College Jock

 

Sweat eventually hardens to Muscle".....Scott

This article is property of Bodybuilding Program Zone and may not be reproduced without written permission from Scott Jameson. Besides it wouldn't be right....Scott