Leg myth?

[coffee-guy]

What about the difference between free sqauts and smith machine squats? I always get nervous when free squatting that I am going to lose my balance. Is there much difference between those 2 exercises?

Puma

For the most part - yes - there are huge differences. During free squats you are using calves, quads, hamstrings. glutes. back, abs. shoulders and the list goes on. Anything that detracts from "free weights" is going to "isolate" a particular muslce group better if that is the muscle group that you want to focus on by itself.

Don't get me wrong - EVERY machine and exercise serves it's own unique purpose. I am not opposed to most exercises as long as the person performing the exercise is doing so correctly and knows what muscles they are actually supposed to be focused on.

[Control]

The main difference between regualar squats and leg presses/smith-machine squats is that you have to balance the weight which forces you to use stabilizer muscles. I prefer barbell squats, as do most serious trainees, but you have to go deep and push yourself to failure to see real results and most guys don't. They squat almost to parallel, and rack the bar before they even start to breathe heavy. So many of my trainees tell me they can squat 400, 500, 600 lbs in our intitial interview and then when they show me how they squat I laugh and say "Now I know why your legs aren't growing". I get them squatting ass-to-the-grass with 95 lbs till they learn how to squat deep. When they get up to a respectable weight I have them doing forced reps till they vomit and 6 months later their legs are huge and they really can squat big weights....Damn, I kinda went off on a rant just now. Bottom line is, if you're scared to squat deep and push yourself to failure with a bar on your back but you can do it with leg presses or the smith machine then go for it.

[zed]

control where do u train at Id LOVE a session like that...one thing i gotta say tho is that sometimes i find when i squat heavy i lose my breath sooo quickly ...kinda sucks and fuggs up my set

[Control]

control where do u train at Id LOVE a session like that...one thing i gotta say tho is that sometimes i find when i squat heavy i lose my breath sooo quickly ...kinda sucks and fuggs up my set

What do you do for cardio? You should lose your breath doing squats, but not so quickly that you can't finish your set. I like up-hill sprints, that's my favorite cardio and it helps on leg day (at least I think it does).....

[BBAddict]

I like up-hill sprints, that's my favorite cardio and it helps on leg day (at least I think it does).....

I can't honestly say that I enjoy uphill sprints, but I do incorporate them into my cardio for the numerous benefits that you see from them. I usually job to warm up for a mile, do 1.5-2miles of uphill sprints (1/4 mile uphill, 1/4 mile downhill, repeat as needed), then cool-down by jogging the mile back home (which is somehow WAY longer than the mile to the hill!). I am positive that it increases anaerobic threshold and muscular development of the legs and probably even VO2 max. I definitely recommend it and it will definitely help with endurance during high exertion levels during lifting.

[daf2]

I can't honestly say that I enjoy uphill sprints, but I do incorporate them into my cardio for the numerous benefits that you see from them. I usually job to warm up for a mile, do 1.5-2miles of uphill sprints (1/4 mile uphill, 1/4 mile downhill, repeat as needed), then cool-down by jogging the mile back home (which is somehow WAY longer than the mile to the hill!). I am positive that it increases anaerobic threshold and muscular development of the legs and probably even VO2 max. I definitely recommend it and it will definitely help with endurance during high exertion levels during lifting.

uphill sprints and running steps greatly helped my leg endurance and even a little strength during my preparation for my contest.

[hlcn8]

has anyone else heard the theory that compound muscle groups being worked (i.e. SQUATS) also releases a lot of lactaic acid into the muscles, which when then worked away triggers the release of human growth hormone in the body?

i HATE leg days, but i don't want to look like a palm tree either so i do them.

if you're worried about balance, do your squats in a squat cage, set the bars so you can still go low but if you lose your balance it won't kill you. and good luck!

[redsquirrel]

Ive been doing legs once a week for 3 weeks now and they feel great and I am noticing a huge difference in size in my legs. I have been doing barbell squats, but some one told me at the gym that the leg press machine works just like squats, is this true?

And in addition, you use more muscles for stability and explosiveness when doing barball squats. W/ leg press it is more controlled motion; therefore requiring less energy/muscle expenditure.