• musclemecca bodybuilding forums does not sell or endorse any bodybuilding gear, products or supplements.
    Musclemecca has no affiliation with advertisers; they simply purchase advertising space here. If you have questions go to their site and ask them directly.
    Advertisers are responsible for the content in their forums.
    DO NOT SELL ILLEGAL PRODUCTS ON OUR FORUM

Tips on developing strong leg muscles

  • Thread starter robert.gaskins4
  • Start date
robert.gaskins4

robert.gaskins4

Member
Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
18
Points
1
Having strong back and leg muscles is crucial for having a proportionate and balanced body. Health experts say that the lower half of your body bears almost 50 percent of the total muscle mass. But, how much time do you actually spend on leg exercises? From my experience so far, I’ve noticed that most gym goers perform leg exercises occasionally. They have a common opinion that only the upper body is important and they can do away with leg exercises by wearing long shorts. However, the importance of having a proportionate body cannot be overstressed. Just imagine how you would look if you had a broad chest and strong arms and sparrow legs.

Muscle building in the upper half is directly related to muscle mass in the lower half. The largest muscles in the body are in the legs as well as the back muscles. Working on the leg muscles and glutes stimulates hormones, which affect all the muscles in the body. Therefore, you are indirectly helping build muscles in your upper body while exercising the lower body.

The front portion of the thighs, connected to the kneecap is a group of muscles known as quadriceps. These muscles help you straighten the leg. Hamstrings are muscles on the back portion of the thigh, which are responsible for flexing the leg. Both muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings work together with glutes and allow the body to perform a sitting and standing movement.

The best exercise, which most body builders recommend for legs is squats. Variety of squat exercises such as Smith-Machine squat, front squat, Bulgarian spilt squat, and Romanian deadlift can help you develop lean leg muscles. These squat exercises help you pull heavy weights and make your body proportionate. Practicing squat exercises and perfecting them will help you get the most out of your muscle building workouts. If you are worried about maintaining a good posture while doing squat exercises, use a Smith squat machine for some time. However, you should not make the machine a habit; perform the squats on your own when you feel you have attained the right posture, because working with free weights provides an overall definition to the muscle.

Leg exercises are strenuous and drain the body of all energy due to their size and energy consumption. It is vital to provide adequate hydration to the body through water or energy drinks, lest you get the dizzies. Leg muscles tend to show signals of fatigue after a certain time delay which leads to misjudgments among exercisers. Overtraining is a common fault with most people performing leg exercises and try not to commit this mistake yourself and keep a slow and steady progress towards a healthier proportionate body.
 
tim290280

tim290280

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Jul 13, 2006
Messages
9,163
Points
38
Smith machine squats are a shitty exercise to perform. You also can't learn to squat using a smith machine.
 
jonathan

jonathan

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Jun 16, 2007
Messages
1,135
Points
36
All smith machines should be melted and turned into 20 kg plates.
 
PistolPete

PistolPete

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
607
Points
18
I'll tell you first hand smith squats are a joke next to barbell squats. I was doing smith squats for a while in the beginning of my workout, at the end of my workout i would finish off with Leg extensions. I was doing about 145 pounds per leg and repping it very well.

Now, I switched the smith squats to Barbell squats and I can barely move 130 pounds for leg extensions at the end of my workout. My quads were barely involved during smith squats.
 
MrChewiebitums

MrChewiebitums

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
1,947
Points
38
currently i only do machine squat and i have seen quite impressive development in the leg area.. especially for being 6ft 4"

Ronnie does them

so i dont see why you have to go and act hardcore like you usually try to do.
smithy is for wimps
lat pull down is for wimps

yet these are all performed by people who sport crazy legs and backs
 
tim290280

tim290280

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Jul 13, 2006
Messages
9,163
Points
38
currently i only do machine squat and i have seen quite impressive development in the leg area.. especially for being 6ft 4"

Ronnie does them

so i dont see why you have to go and act hardcore like you usually try to do.
smithy is for wimps
lat pull down is for wimps

yet these are all performed by people who sport crazy legs and backs

:doh:

I posted a thread on squatting that you desperately need to read.

The reason smith machines suck is mainly about the transfer of forces due to the altered biomechanics. The forces that would normally act on the body are no longer spread according to the motion, but according to the angles from the machine. Put simply, there are more shear forces at your joints because that smith machine only moves up and down.

There are many other reasons why the smith machine sucks, but that is the big one.
 
El Freako

El Freako

LIFT OR DIE
VIP
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
8,142
Points
38
Smith machines are good for 2 things, hanging your towel and pullups... maybe hurdles too.
 
MrChewiebitums

MrChewiebitums

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
1,947
Points
38
:doh:

I posted a thread on squatting that you desperately need to read.

The reason smith machines suck is mainly about the transfer of forces due to the altered biomechanics. The forces that would normally act on the body are no longer spread according to the motion, but according to the angles from the machine. Put simply, there are more shear forces at your joints because that smith machine only moves up and down.

There are many other reasons why the smith machine sucks, but that is the big one.

dont get me wrong... i`d prefer to squat but i will always think that it has its place(scientific article or not) just like lat pulldowns do
 
tim290280

tim290280

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Jul 13, 2006
Messages
9,163
Points
38
dont get me wrong... i`d prefer to squat but i will always think that it has its place(scientific article or not) just like lat pulldowns do

Did you just dismiss science :gtfoslap:

Sure smith machines make a great chinup bar, coat rack, space filler. You can actually use them for partial ROM exercises, like lockouts, or for ballistic movements like bench throws. But these make up fuck all of the training volume anyway.

Squats are a cornerstone exercise and as such take up a large proportion of the training volume. They are not something you should compromise with poor biomechanically methods, crappy form, or dangerous methods.

Also you keep referring to lat pulldowns being an equivilent example to a smith machine squat: it isn't at all. Lat pulldowns actually have value, smith machine squats do not. Lat pulldowns have value in allowing different movement patterns (e.g. a face-pull not possible with a pullup unless very strong) to be trained. But once again they are generally abused as they are used as a substitute rather than as a supporting exercise.
 

MuscleMecca Crew

Mecca Staff
El Freako

El Freako

LIFT OR DIE
VIP
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
8,142
Points
38
Smith machines make baby Jesus cry.
 
Bulkboy

Bulkboy

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
4,199
Points
0
agree with tim here. my knees were horrible when i did smith squats. after making the transition to full rom regular squats my knees are alot better.

lat pulldowns is a different issue, they definetely have its value. most of all because training only pullups in my mind doesent fully hit the lats from that vertical plane. i feel pullups stimulate both the lats and upper back, but with pulldowns u are able to keep ur back more straight and focus even more on the lats. on top of that ure also able to vary grips more.

lat pulldowns have their value. but, it shouldnt be the cornerstone of ones back training imo. deads, db/bb rows and pullups are the best. but as with all other aspects of life, a middle path is better than a one sided view. machines shouldnt be totally excluded, but not totally relied on either.
 
MrChewiebitums

MrChewiebitums

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
1,947
Points
38
But once again they are generally abused as they are used as a substitute rather than as a supporting exercise.

so you agree with me.. it has its place which is what i`m trying to tell you
 
jonathan

jonathan

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Jun 16, 2007
Messages
1,135
Points
36
once again :p all smith machines should be melted and turned into weights haha
 
PrinceVegeta

PrinceVegeta

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Apr 7, 2007
Messages
10,156
Points
38
smith machine squats=/failure

I tried them a couple of times, and it never felt right, normal squats are much better, even the lever squats are far superior

Smith machine are good for only a handful of movements,.
 
miamiracing

miamiracing

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
5,792
Points
38
i like the smith machine for front squats. u can handle much more weight which speed up your growth. i switch up, every 4-5 leg sessions i try to put 1 smith ex. in
 
tim290280

tim290280

Mecca V.I.P.
VIP
Joined
Jul 13, 2006
Messages
9,163
Points
38
so you agree with me.. it has its place which is what i`m trying to tell you

You are quoting me out of context. It was quite clear that this statement was about the lat pulldown. A statement that was clarifying that there is no semblance between the lat pulldown and a smith machine, especially not a smith machine squat.
 

Similar threads

Top