I am amazed that not many people train their legs

I'm a victim of slacking on leg workouts, but I've found I simply don't have the time. I'm heavy enough now that I try to do an hour of cardio a day just to get myself back to the point where I can do effective interval training. I barely have time to lift the 2 times a week for 30 minutes that I do, so I usually end up just alternating between chest and tris and shoulders and bis. If I had the time I'd probably get back into 5x5, I did quite like stronglifts when I had the time to do them. (Side note, if anyone knows of a stronglifts-like workout that doesn't take 60 minutes+ I'm all ears).

Now, all that being said, when I was in college and was lifting regularly for rugby, I had a 700 lb squat. I did some squats a couple months ago to see how I was doing (I hadn't done any before that in like a year or so) and I put up 550. A 20% loss is substantial, but I am confident that if I had given up say bench press for that long, the loss would've been MUCH bigger.

Lifting legs is extremely valuable, but if you only have time for two between cardio, upper body strength training, and lower body strength training, I think I made the right decision with cardio and upper body.

Id really like to see a 700 lb squat done by a college athlete. Given a pro body builder like Ronnie Coleman has only gotten up to 800 lbs after years and years of training. Id say you my friend will be a legend. And not training legs at all? I think your making the wrong decision. You say you work out two days with weights. Do one upper one lower and kill it. You will be back to doing700 lb squats in no time.

What boggles my mind is when someone told me the other day that it's better to run outside than on a "stupid treadmill" as they called it. I laughed and asked him why and he said "because you get a better workout running outside in the heat". Needless to say I educated him a little bit by explaining to him that first of all, running out in 100% heat isn't brave, it's stupid. He got offended. Then I proceeded to explain to him that running on the treadmill requires more than DOUBLE the amount of coordination and balance in your entire body over running outside thus giving you more of a workout.

I'm not sure I can accept this. I mean I accept that running in the heat is not always clever, but a treadmill needing twice as much effort as running outside seems counter-intuitive. Could you say where your number comes from?

I love athletics (and an argument:happy: )) and found this in an old Runner's World:

Many runners have trained exclusively on treadmills and then run brilliantly in races outdoors. While you know that you are running in a gym, your heart, lungs and muscles don’t. Running is running, and the physical reactions are nearly the same whether you’re on the road or on a treadmill. That said, many runners do find treadmill running easier than road running.

This could be due to lack of wind resistance, cosy indoor temperatures, cushioned footing, a smooth, flat surface and no chance of a downpour or a run-in with a dog. There’s also some debate on the differences in your gait on a treadmill, but that’s splitting hairs.

The time-tested remedy to make treadmill running more equivalent to road running is to increase the incline to one per cent. I’d also recommend running outside when the weather is good, to keep your body accustomed to the impact of harder surfaces and to stay in touch with the realities of varying weather and footing.

Surely there is little difference between road running and a treadmill as far as the mechanics of running goes, at least for an amateur like me.

Agree training legs is very important its actually mens weakest part if not trained, my husband always complains (hes a juicer). It was Arnolds weakest part too, my husband has arnolds bible book and read he trained legs everyday so now my husband will too.

I train my legs with the butt bible, wish I had a gym but aint happening any time soon.

This post cracks me up as I am guilty of the opposie. I dislocated my right shoulder tearing all the cartilage and ligaments in my arm pit 2.5 years ago. That said I do weights on my arms, its just hard to do it without pain, thus light weights. I have the exercises the PT gave me, so maybe I'll go back to those first. It's embarrassing that I can barely do 10 lbs on the arm machines but can do 190 on the leg press and 90 on abductor. SIGH, but at least I'm working out right?

running on the treadmill is worse on your joints/hips (according to the chiropractor that my fiancee sees). Having the belt basically be pushing AGAINST your feet every time they land isn't the best for you.

I don't really have any documentation for this, this is just what I heard from my fiancee who recently had hip problems from running (not from a treadmill).

While I agree that many people skip legs at the gym, I pretty much disagree with everything you said specific to running.

So because of cosy indoor temperatures, cushioned footing, a smooth flat surface as opposed to running on a sidewalk, and no rain (god knows a downpour will make for a better workout), and a run in with a dog.....running outside is better than running on a treadmill?

These are some of the reasons that running outside is 'harder' than a treadmill.

Explain to me the balance and coordination difference between running outside on the sidewalk versus running on a treadmill.

I thought that was my question! I thought I suggested that there is no difference between treadmill and outside (except that some people perceive the treadmill as easier because it is consistent). I was questioning the statement that the treadmill needs twice as much balance and co-ordination as running outside.

two points-
regarding the comment that marathon runners have stick legs. I'm married to a marathon runner and all he has is muscles on his legs and they are very sexy. Nope, not bulky, but I don't find the bulky muscles nice to see- they are rather disgusting to me. Muscles develop to what they are required/needed to do. If you need to be able to lift and load cargo you need different muscles than if you are going to get somewhere fast.
regarding the comment that treadmill is better than road running. I've never heard anyone say that- running is running, it's still one foot in front of the other. But on the treadmill you are missing the experience of pushing up that hill just a few seconds faster than last time, being on trails with roots and rocks or roads with potholes and dogs. You are missing the fun of a good run in the rain, or meeting a group and running with the sunrise. And, you're missing the added expense of the gym. Although the treadmill does have that nice water bottle holder so you don't have to carry extra weight yourself. I've done both and I prefer the road, but will use a treadmill if that's an option, air-conditioning and TV while you exercise can be ok, too.
Finally, if it's not something someone wants to do, if they don't find a purpose or enjoyment out of the process or result then they are not going to do it. Maybe their goals are different than yours, at least they are at the gym or on the road doing something and not eating a whole pizza and sitting on the couch.

Really? Not the case in my gym! I run and I much prefer leg training to arm training! I have strong legs though and weak arms so I find it easier.

A simple analogy would be this:

Leg Press vs Full Squats

Running outside (bike trail, sidewalk) vs Running on a treadmill


If you're going to throw out the "running up the side of a mountain or hill while on a bike trail", I will throw out the "turn the incline up on a treadmill". I would also be interested in seeing a study by the NIH or by Harvard Science that shows running on a treadmill surface is alot worse for your joints than running out on an asphault bike trail or on a concrete sidewalk.

I'm not "throwing out" anything. Just commenting that you can't easily compare the two as the outside world has so many variations. Every person's running route is different in gradient and surface.

I couldn't care less what other people do exercise wise, that is up to them. I prefer to be outside. I hate the gym atmosphere, and have neither the time nor inclination to join one. I do various classes with a private fitness instructor that fits in around my childcare and I run. That works for me. I find this criticising of other people's exercise regime's that goes on on this site pretty nauseating. Different people have different life styles and different goals. At least everyone here IS exercising. Try laying into the millions of people who don't instead if you want to feel superior to someone.

A simple analogy would be this:

Leg Press vs Full Squats

Running outside (bike trail, sidewalk) vs Running on a treadmill

There is ALOT more balance and coordination involved in doing Squats versus Leg Presses. The same with running on a treadmill than just running down the sidewalk in your city.


If you're going to throw out the "running up the side of a mountain or hill while on a bike trail", I will throw out the "turn the incline up on a treadmill". I would also be interested in seeing a study by the NIH or by Harvard Science that shows running on a treadmill surface is alot worse for your joints than running out on an asphault bike trail or on a concrete sidewalk.

Not trying to continously beat this dead horse down, but I'm just talking here.

All I can say is you must have perfectly flat sidewalks where you live! When I run outside, I'm up and down the pavement crossing roads, high-stepping over broken paving stones and where tree roots are busting through, feeling the burn of even the smallest undulation, changing surface from tarmac to concrete to paving stones to cinder paths to grass. And to doubly prove how much balance and coordination it takes, I've tripped over more than once in pot-holes and over irregular paving stones while running outdoors when I've lost my concentration, but never on the treadmill, where I barely need to lift my feet an inch to move forward!

It takes more coordination to run on a treadmill as the belt is constantly moving, forcing you to maintain an exact pace, as well as the cushion of the belt can lead to a small "bounce" that can throw off balance. That's compared to running on a track. Running outside is harder on the joints, as it's a harder impact on the ground.

Although, I'll put both treadmill running and outside running over the elliptical machine any day. You may burn a few more calories with an elliptical, but it doesn't train your body to do anything practical in the real world, unless you like riding your bike standing up on the pedals all the time.

I train full body 2 to 3 days a week, legs are definitely the hardest, but that's why I love them.