By taroOn the Path To the Most Effective Leg Workout
It’s all about the deadlift. If you struggle to build leg mass your only hope is to hoist heavy weights from the floor. Squats alone aren’t enough – they need to be potentiated by weekly deadlifting.
The deadlift is key for several reasons:
- Deadlifts are the ultimate stressor. If you disagree with this statement you have too little horsepower to tax your fuel tank. Using your whole body to lift gland busting weights is guaranteed to trigger adaptation. Your metabolism will boost muscular growth and your nervous system will become more powerful. Deadlifts make you more capable at all physical tasks.
- It is the ultimate spinal erector exercise. A weak back will limit the development of massive legs.
- Deadlifts feature a low centre of gravity. This facilitates greater stability. Stable exercises allow greater loading then unstable exercises. Greater loading means higher levels of tension within target muscle tissue.
Complete muscle activation is another major key to leg growth. Always stretch the antagonists of target muscle tissue prior to a set. The increase in activation will result in better growth and muscular balance. For the quadriceps, try stretching your calves prior to sets of squats. Although most believe the hamstrings are the only antagonists of the knee extensors, if the heads of the gastrocnemius are tight they will also impede quadriceps contraction.
Add maximum mass to your thighs by including this routine in your program:
Monday
A1. Perform a lateral gastrocnemius stretch for 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds.
A2. Perform a set of full squats with your heels on the floor for 10 reps. Rest 3 mins before repeating A1 and A2 three more times.
B1. Medial gastrocnemius stretch 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds.
B2. Perform a set of 3/4 squats, with your heels elevated by 1 to 1.5 inches (omit the top 1/4 of each repetition), for 10 reps. Without rest, repeat B1 and B2 three more times.
Thursday
A1. Perform an Iliacus, psoas or abdominal stretch for 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds.
A2. Perform a set of bent-knee deadlifts for 5 reps. Rest 4 minutes before repeating A1 and A2 six more times.
Insert this routine into a complete, periodized program. While it is very simple it is also brutal – requiring very high dedication to recovery. Avoid spine extension intolerance. If you survive, it will provide the greatest gains possible.
Old timers will tell you. The gains were greatest during the glorious days of the deadlift!