Sometimes that makes training hamstrings an afterthought. Rather than trying to muster the energy to push through ham-specific movements, many bodybuilders simply opt to train their hammies on another day, often separated by at least 48 hours from their main quad session. Just about every exercise science text you'll read recommends choosing a weight you can do for just reps for muscle growth hypertrophy.
But when it comes to leg day, Calum says that going with slightly higher reps works best: "I find [legs] respond best to higher reps because it takes a while for the blood to get pumped down there and fill up the muscle," he says. Rather than reducing your working weight, strive to do more reps—up to 15—on your heaviest sets.
This is an especially useful technique to try if your leg workout has gone stale and you're not seeing results. When you're huffing and puffing toward the end of a fairly brutal set of squats or leg presses, it's tempting to momentarily take a break and lock out your knees.
When you lock out a joint, some of the stress shifts from the working muscles to the joint, which puts ligaments and tendons under considerable strain. It also reduces the tension on the target muscle translation: less growth stimulus , providing momentary relief from the pent-up fatigue while allowing for a short "break" during the set. For joint safety, it's never a good idea to lock out a joint, especially when you're training with heavy weights. Take each rep through a full range of motion for maximal benefit, but stop just short of lockout.
When you reach a training plateau, it can feel like nothing will help you over the hump. That's exactly when you need to start thinking outside the box. For Calum, that's when he starts breaking all the training rules he normally applies, following a principle called muscle confusion.
So I like to surprise them by doing extra sets, reps, and different exercises than what I might have done the prior week. So long as you're struggling to walk properly afterward, you know you've done enough. If your hamstring workout includes exercises like lying leg curls, standing leg curls, and seated leg curls, you're still only halfway home. All those exercises initiate movement from the knee joint. However, the hamstrings attach at both the knees and hips. You can focus on the upper ham region by including movements in which action takes place at the hips.
The best way to do so is by including Romanian deadlifts RDLs in your hamstring routine. While it takes some time to master this particular movement—push your butt back, make sure to keep your back flat throughout, keep your knees bent, and don't try to lower the weight all the way to the floor—it's a great way to complement leg curls for more complete hamstring development. Calves are usually done last on leg day, and most lifters throw on an exercise or two before calling it a day.
But it would be a mistake to assume that all calf exercises are alike. While most calf movements are done with straight but not locked-out legs, bent-knee calf exercises are different in one important way: the soleus takes on the brunt of the workload. This is because the gastrocnemius one of two major lower-leg muscles attaches above the knee joint, making it unable to contract very strongly when the knee is bent.
With straight-legged movements, both muscles are called into play. Hence, doing a straight-legged calf exercise such as standing or donkey calf raises , in addition to seated calf raises done last , most effectively targets these lower-leg muscles. How do you mentally prepare for a killer leg workout like the kind Calum does to build his thighs? Try taking Calum's approach.
Everyone has his or her personal preferences for getting amped for a good workout, but don't expect to just show up and enjoy an incredible workout. Prep your mind so that it's ready to take your muscles through a hardcore training session. Pain in your calf or thigh can be caused by muscle cramps, a pulled or strained…. Muscles in your legs can get tight after exercising or playing sports. Here are four leg stretches to improve flexibility and reduce the risk of…. These five alternative exercises will target your leg muscles without much equipment.
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See the manual treadmills that our expert…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. But you may wonder where to begin. Movement patterns in a good leg workout. How many sets and reps should you do in your leg workout? How many times per week should you work legs? I always do at least 2 sets right away. The first few sets determine the rest of your workout.
You can set the pace with high intensity and focus. After the first two sets, I can pretty much tell you how the rest of the workout will be. This may be the most important tip because it not only gets your muscles warmed up, but also gets you to think in the right mindset for the rest of the day. Focus is key to making the muscle do what you want it to do. Tip two: Go hard, go heavy. Since the machine helps guide proper form, I like to increase the weight each set as I go.
I keep reps in mind as I do each set. The purpose of increasing the weight is so that you can still hit the projected number of reps. Tip three: More heavy lifting. As you pick your next movement, remember that you just taxed your muscles in the last couple of exercises. Get a good feel for the machine on the first set and then increase the weight after that. The first set should be a solid 15 reps using a comfortable weight. Bring back that intensity and drive through the next few sets of this exercise.
When you finish this exercise, you should be feeling the pain of gains. Tip four: Change angles and foot positioning.
Where your feet are positioned on the platform or ground will ultimately determine what muscles you hit when performing the exercise.
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