For the ultimate leg blast, try this lower body routine to shock your muscles into maximal growth. This routine should only be done every two weeks at the most. It's extremely hard and has been known to leave the complete lower body sore to the touch for up to 5 days! Granted, it's a little 'old school", but still effective. Sometimes, inexperienced lifters will mistakenly hold their breath and actually do what's known as a valsalva maneuver, thus giving themselves a terrible headache that could linger for days.
Anyway, we started using this leg routine with Ohio State football players back in the mid 80's. Jim Lachey, Mike Tomczak, Mike Lanese and Lamar Kuechler are a few names who come to mind. We also used it to train champion Bando kickboxers who trained there in Columbus, Ohio at the time. The results were phenomenal and also instilled incredible mental toughness. A few years later, the 20 rep squat routine was publicized by Randall Strossen in his book: SUPER SQUATS.
We borrowed the order of exercise from a bodybuilder named Sergio Olivia. The intensity approach had an Arthur Jones link, where the trainee moves quickly from exercise to exercise, with little or no rest at all.. It's a requirement to have at least one training partner with you for spotting and moral support. The routine goes like this:
- Squats: take a weight that you can get about 15 reps with top of the thigh parallel to the ground. With a spotter right behind you, somehow get 20 reps. Each rep must be perfect or it doesn't count and you'll have to redo the rep.
- Leg Extensions: after squeezing out the last rep on the squats, rush to the leg extension machine and tighten the seat belt. Use a weight that you can usually barely get 15 reps. Somehow manage to get 20 reps! Your quadriceps muscles will now be burning like never before. If they're not on fire, forget it....you're not doing it right.
- Leg Curls: Focus on the Hamstrings here.... make sure the pads come all the way up to your butt, then pause and lower the weight slowly....... 20 reps!
- Leg Press: Load a weight on the leg press that is super heavy. Do not deviate from proper form. The first ten reps will seem impossible..... too bad....you can't quit now! Get 10 more reps!
You should barely be able to walk and your legs may buckle at the completion as you head for a Gatorade and find a place to sit down.... or collapse. Now, be prepared for leg soreness that will be with you for 3 to 5 days. But, the strength gains from this routine will make it all worth it!
Train Hard.... Train for Results.... Coach C
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