My legs wont grow...

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  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,324 Member
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    Get off the leg extension machine and do some squats and deadlifts.

    Can you not read?

    Doing the squat movement, and doing a squat are two entirely different things. Muscles respond to stress, if your upper body is growing and your lower body is not it, you are not stressing your lower body enough. Get off the message boards and put some weight on the bar.

    (Quarter squats on the Smith Machine don't count)

    bro, do you even read?

    add some hypertrophy for a bit and see if it helps.
    i tend to go 2-3 weeks HT to 1 week heavy.
    like james said...add weight once you can consistently do all your sets at x 10-12

    ETA: am i missing something? coach where are you getting this info about his upper:lower ratio? sounds to me like hes training legs twice a week at the regimen he described up there.
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
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    Ride your bike, walk, and skateboard EVERYWHERE. You'll have tree trunks in no time.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    You obviously don't lift free weights either or you wouldn't be asking this question. When you program 20 sets of biceps curls a week and 5 sets of squats it's not hard to figure out why your legs are lagging behind.

    Maybe take a step back and read his OP. Pretty ridiculous to keep trolling with this line.

    He's doing a very standard strength training routine, plus he's eating 2700 calories/day. If he's a normal height and weight, he just won't have much to grow with. If he switches up to hypertrophy and eats enough, the legs should grow.
  • Seefylol
    Seefylol Posts: 197
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    Thanks for the help (most of you). I'll change things up over the next few months and see how things go.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Get off the leg extension machine and do some squats and deadlifts.

    if he's trying to add size i'd tell him to add some leg extensions to his squats and deadlifts. hypertrophy is about all those things are good for.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    What protocol are you using? Have you tried working in multiple rep ranges? Have your big lower body lifts improved at all?

    135x5
    185x5
    225x5
    275x5
    315x3-5

    This is my deadlift routine.

    And I do 5x5 with squats

    i think we've found the problem
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    Get off the leg extension machine and do some squats and deadlifts.

    Can you not read?

    Doing the squat movement, and doing a squat are two entirely different things. Muscles respond to stress, if your upper body is growing and your lower body is not it, you are not stressing your lower body enough. Get off the message boards and put some weight on the bar.

    (Quarter squats on the Smith Machine don't count)

    I don't use machines! Are you completely stupid?
    the ignore user button is very helpful and wonderful.:flowerforyou:
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    Get off the leg extension machine and do some squats and deadlifts.

    Can you not read?

    Doing the squat movement, and doing a squat are two entirely different things. Muscles respond to stress, if your upper body is growing and your lower body is not it, you are not stressing your lower body enough. Get off the message boards and put some weight on the bar.

    (Quarter squats on the Smith Machine don't count)

    I don't use machines! Are you completely stupid?

    You obviously don't lift free weights either or you wouldn't be asking this question. When you program 20 sets of biceps curls a week and 5 sets of squats it's not hard to figure out why your legs are lagging behind.
    you must be bored..nice attitude.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Some really weird advice in this thread. At least two or three mentions of doing cardio to gain size on legs? Suuuuure.

    OP, look into something more hypertrophy oriented maybe? I've been thinking about doing some Layne Norton PHAT when I start my bulk.
  • SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish
    SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish Posts: 831 Member
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    Well, after ignoring the people telling you to get off the machines when you arent using them, consider adding them instead! I would reduce the number of sets you do and increase weight, follow one of the more varied programs for variety to stress the muscles too (lighter weight one day with more reps, heavy weight with very few reps the next session, etc). Then afterwards, follow with some heavy leg press/calf press sets, and leg extension and hamstring curl machine sets. Again, not many: 1 warmup, 2-3 heavy sets.

    A bunch of people who dont know what they are talking about (just like they didn't read before answering) will tell you machines are no good, but they can be very good for increasing muscle mass, especially if you ADD them and go HEAVY, plus, since they are "safer", you can exert more. Sometimes its partially psychological, and you will go with your routine instead of increasing weight because you are not certain of your progress, or your spotters, and machines can eliminate some of this. This is what happens to me all the time with my bench press and squats: if I dont feel like I have a good spotter, I just cant do as much as I actually can do, and I end up doing lighter and not making progress.

    The other suggestion about reducing or getting rid of aerobic exercise like running or biking is helpful too: the body will adapt to your exercise patterns, and it is very inefficient to have more mass on your legs if you are swinging them rapidly. Instead of running or biking, I find hiking up mountains with a pack is a very good exercise that does not slim legs as much as lots of run/biking and widens the calves due to unstable conditions while hiking that you have to deal with. I was one who would have a ton of strength in my legs, but didnt show it as much, especially in the lower legs, and making my only change at the time to hiking several times/week definitely increased calf size.
  • phatguerilla
    phatguerilla Posts: 188 Member
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    Despite the fact that there are still so many functional fitness zealots around there's nothing wrong with isolation exercises especially if a muscle isn't growing. A combination of 20 rep squats, a hearty calorie surplus and well applied isolation would do wonders. How many days a week are you training legs op? If that's what you want to grow then make it a priority, two days at least. One day work up to your 3x5 or 5x5 sets then take about 30-40% off (maybe even more initially) and do a set of 20 reps. Increase the weight 5lbs/2.5kg every week that you hit all 20 reps. Google breathing squats if you're not familiar with high rep squat sets - you need to learn how to rest with the bar on your back. Then the following day hit extensions, leg curls, and leg press or hack squat machine if your gym has one, all 8-12 rep range.
    Assuming you eat enough I don't see how you couldn't grow doing that for 3-4 months.
  • CoachDreesTraining
    CoachDreesTraining Posts: 223 Member
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    Some people need tough love. Telling the kid "you're doing great, keep trying" is going to get him exactly where he doesn't want to be.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Do some Leg Press after your squats and deads, 8-12 reps, feet close together at the bottom of the plate, toes slightly turned in. Making my outer quads grow good at the moment.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    Some really weird advice in this thread. At least two or three mentions of doing cardio to gain size on legs? Suuuuure.

    OP, look into something more hypertrophy oriented maybe? I've been thinking about doing some Layne Norton PHAT when I start my bulk.

    Dope, mountain biking is a high stress micro rupture activity from low gear climbing (think 15 rep to failure stuff) that does impact leg size to some degree. It won't build hypertrophy in the bodybuilding sense but it will build a solid base.

    As an avid mountain biker I'd say only use it as a base, the most efficient thing is going to be the gym - move those 5x5 to x8-12s. Another protocol suggestion would be the allpro program. It's easy to transition from 5x5.

    Hypertrophy ranges of higher rep - add those.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    Some people need tough love. Telling the kid "you're doing great, keep trying" is going to get him exactly where he doesn't want to be.
    LOL...ok, kid.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    Some people need tough love. Telling the kid "you're doing great, keep trying" is going to get him exactly where he doesn't want to be.

    Do you even read bro? :laugh: :noway: :laugh:
  • Seefylol
    Seefylol Posts: 197
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    Some people need tough love. Telling the kid "you're doing great, keep trying" is going to get him exactly where he doesn't want to be.

    I just don't know anymore lol
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I agree with switching to a hypertrophy program, and are you eating enough? Are you gaining weight?
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,642 Member
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    I do at least 3 working sets of squats, leg press, leg curls and calf raises in a hypertrophy workout for legs.
  • Seefylol
    Seefylol Posts: 197
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    I agree with switching to a hypertrophy program, and are you eating enough? Are you gaining weight?

    Yeah I'm going to start next week. Seems like the right option. I'm eating between 2700-2850 daily. I'm gaining weight yes, 5lb over the last 2 months.

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