After 6 years of trianing i still get anxious before every set of heavy anything because I truly try to go to failure these days and its painful but I've seen great gains recently.
I agree a tough leg training is the best "high". I remember there was a session I finished, I went to my car and my quad felt like it caught on fire. I just started laughing. It felt awesome.
I feel the pain on the next day. I trained legs yesterday, woke up today and when I got out of the bed, I felt the pain and smile. Kinda love the leg soreness (the healthy one)
@@jorgenoname6062 maybe u should try doing it a different way. Still hard, but more like, idk if comfortable is the word, but make sure ur ready and primed and take it properly u know? It's like bracing before a punch vs hitting you out of nowhere. Also if u feel sick after squats that happens to me to, I'm planning to improve my cardio and general fitness.
I had major insecurities with how small my legs grows up..... it motivated the hell out of me to turn my weak point into strengths. 4 years of absolute destruction and 26 inch quads is the result. So painful.... so rewarding.
As person who mostly trains with calisthenics I know firsthand the feeling of having severely underdeveloped legs. It sucks and we should always hold ourselves accountable during training.
I started to discipline myself into not skipping my leg days a couple months ago. I did this by keeping them short and really minimalistic. And now that I don’t skip anymore, I can apply your video onto my training perfectly. Gonna put more effort into my legs from now on! Thank you for the great content you put out!
Biggest leg training lesson I've learned over the last 6 months is that building a high GPP/Conditioning base is everything! I used to gas out on volume squats way before my legs did. Started doing wenning warm ups as GPP and I can now take volume squats to technical quad failure with no conditioning issues! Leg growth has exploded because of this 🔥
Idk, what really improved my conditioning was doing front squats all the time. Not even high reps either (usually 3 - 5), but progressively getting better at them has definitely improved how gassed I get with training overall.
@@raijinx6064 like general physical preparation, basically anything that increases your fitness without hindering recovery. Farmers walks, sled pulls, swimming etc.
I found that focusing primarily on squats will give you most of your leg growth. If you’re looking to get big and strong in the most efficient way possible - hit some heavy squats and get progressively stronger on them over time. My legs blew up when I ditched all the accessory and just focused on progressive overload on the squats and deadlifts.
Squats are KING, and even when I've been lazy on accessories, if my squats went up.. I only got bigger. So I'm not one for minimalism, but the strength world got it right by focusing on the basic knee flexions + hip hinges.
@@AlexLeonidas nice! It makes sense. It’s such a big movements which incorporates so much! Would you say that strength training minimalism would be beneficial for someone who has their primary goals in something else like a sport? I.e football / mma etc?
I did 2 legdays in a row and i cant relate more to this video, the reason i did 2 legdays is because i pulled one of my tendons in my elbow and im letting it heal
Just like people get the runners high, I think there is such thing as squatters high, after a while the 'pain' starts to feeling good and rewarding you start to thrive of the burning sensation and shaking in the legs.
Agree 1 million %. Training legs is just as much of a mental game as it is a physical one. Hit 140 some weeks ago and I really think that if I just were braver or more stubborn with adding weight on the bar I'd have reached this weight way faster.
For me consistency with legs is all about finding something that I care about. For me it’s a 315 deadlift. I actually want that goal so I look forward to deadlift sessions. I have a similar process when it comes to squatting. Concrete goals are crucial for motivation.
Alex, youre the only channel I "religiously" watch. You're the biggest inspiration in my life by far right now, thank you for motivating me. Im late novice right now, but I hope one day to become an elite lifter like you. ps. also could you please do some videos on cardio and gpp, really interested in those.
I had a grade 3 hamstring tear, never got surgery because no Health insurance. Please train legs on behalf of the bros who wish they could! Been walking every morning, thats the only leg training I can do at this point. Miss the sick leg pumps and the DOMs from a killer leg workout.
Hamstring injuries are no joke, definitely need that extra attention (band leg curls are good option). Hope you manage to recover and come back strong.
I started training legs on Mondays at the start of my routine for the week so that I would get the hardest session done first. I never skip legs anymore and look forward to the mentally gruelling workout which gets me pumped for the rest of the week. My Squat has gone up dramatically aswell since applying your advice in previous videos.
I’ve always had above average legs so when i first started training I hit my legs harder than my upper body because in my mind i thought nobody can’t tell you anything and you can’t be insecure at the gym if you got some juicy legs 🦵🏽
You are completely right! I didn't used to train my legs and benching would be the hardest thing followed by rowing and OHP. I started to train legs seriously last autumn and got up to a 2x bw squat and RDL 2.5 plates for reps. During that time upper body training was a complete breeze and doing doubles on bench was nothing!
My first exposure to weight training was in an Olympic weightlifting club. Because of that, most people had very developped legs, low backs, upper backs and forearms. So my initial standards were all about getting bigger in those areas. Only when I started getting into the fitness culture through youtube and commercial gyms i gained knowledge on ''bro culture''. Now i predmoninatly traing olympic lifting but throw in some bodybuilding for the flex. Still feel lucky I knew the value of lower body training early on lol
Your novice program made my stick legs look somewhat decent. Actually, my whole body was a stick. The progression has slowed down now, nearing 200lbs paused bench for reps, 245 for atg high bar squat and 315 lbs deadlift conventional for reps. I've been working on a new program using evolving rep ranges and only one pure strength focus lift and I'm going to switch once I stall hard on your NP. Ty for an awesome and well rounded program ❤️💪🏻
Honestly, squats have been my favorite exercise since the beginning. There's just something more satisfying about completing a set since it makes you feel like you've accomplished something.
As a longtime calisthenics and wakeboarding enjoyer, I had weak legs and bad knees. I found thekneesovertoesguy back in 2020 when I decided I wanted the knee pain to stop and I wanted the powerful, resilient legs, too. Now I’m a semi-fluffy 6’0 208 lb tank with 25” legs, flat ground ATG split squats, and I can grab the rim now! I also have a 300lb total weighted chin and free handstand push-up😎 You have definitely influenced my training style a lot for upper body bro!!! Keep those gains coming🔥
I fully understand why there are so many guys that are top heavy but... I wish more guys understood how much more attention they'd get if they had a massive set of wheels to go with it. Women go as wild for men with developed glutes as men do for women with the same.
my feedback is that you are the UA-cam fitness GOAT, gem after gem, knowledge on knowledge, out of this entire part of UA-cam very few come close to you. Your calisthenics vids especially motivate me through the roof bro
Bro your numbers are very impressive, definitely one of the best natural lifter inspiration, showing the next gen what is possible with long term dedication 🔥
Hey Alex. Long time viewer. Was scrolling through insta when I saw an ad for Bells of Steel belt squat machine with you in it. Very cool to see your progression and success over the years. Cheers from Vancouver.
I love all variations of the squat and deadlift. I started in the gym wanting to to get jacked like a gym bro but training the squat and deadlift heavy is always what i do for the lower body. People, doing these lifts will change you both physically and mentally. The nervousness and grit going into a hard set will build muscle and toughens your mind at the same time.
Super big content mate!!! Well explained and obviously shared experience. Every time I do a legs day I even feel the physiological tension before going under the weight. At the moment I am zercher squatting. It seems by the fourth set my soul leaves my body and say good bye 😅🤣 but I like building that resilience. I think the 3 big are squat, hip hinge and hip trusts. Those 3 alone could make the skeleton of legs lifting.
Might sound kinda corny but I think no tank is a war machine without some massive tracks. Also I learned to associate the pain of doing legs with feeling truly alive and therefore I now enjoy the pain.
Just hit 110 PR on squats today,as handbalancer-weighted calisthenics-flexibility guy!!Im not saying this to get cocky but on December 14th I could only lift 50kg!!Yeah thats right,not even 2-plate squat,yet I didn't give up and neither anyone should with leg training!Hope this inspired some of you!!Happy training!!
4:45 That RPE thing is so true, the range of motion on squats is so great that a rep that feels long enough to be a grinder on any other movement is a normal rep on the squat.
I was one of those guys who generally focused on upper body development but in that last year or so have seen how important it is to also focus on lower body development.It is your foundation and has helped me to gain strength on other lifts as well!great video as always 💪🏽👍🏽
The part on percentages is important. Especially for deads. 85% of a 600 lb deadlift is 510 lbs, that’s gonna be a 5RM more or less. The numbers start getting very far apart
Looking for an attractive 20-something that wants to be a traditional Catholic housewife when she grows up. As I said I am extremely traditional when it comes to relationships so I am immediately attracted to women who look and act stereotypically feminine. Think pin-up-hourglass figure who also radiates those inner beauty traits such as: empathy, kindness, deference, patience and the like. Even better if she can do all of this while wearing a dress, heels, and most important - a smile.
Actually insane when you math out the numbers. I instantly noticed this difference when I started going heavy on legs, legit had anxiety for many workouts until I realized that's just how it is.
I was 220lbs at 5'9". Used to walk and ride bicycles a lot, most of my legs got built b4 I took leg training seriously. Squats and leg presses grew the rest. Now at 26 inches of thighs naturally. Still growing.
I find this very interesting. I hit 550 squat and 500 deadlift. I felt like I was done. Didn't need to push it more. I now do various leg work with heavy dumbbells and I really enjoy it.
My squats were stagnating for a long time, realized it was because of my lower back weakness. Brought that up to speed per your advice and squats feel so much better (still painful lol). Hope that helps any newer lifters!
Was dreading legs tomorrow...needed this video. Now I'm psyched for it. Had never really worked my legs till last year and still am only able to do band RDL and BSS with dumbbells because of limited equipment (and strength). Thought it was tougher than upoer body because I was behind.... But this video makes a lot of sense. Thanks
I love my combo SSB / ROMANIAN / sets of lunges and split squat. This training impacts my whole body composition. A week without a leg training is not a week of training.
I like to do supersets for legs with a moderate weight . (50-60% of your max For example you do 4 rounds of: Squat 20x front squat 40x kettle bell front squat 10x wallsit with plates for a minute Very fatigueing but makes legs fun to do.
Hey, I'm a novice with a cycling background so I didn't cared about getting bigger legs and a strong squat. I just do some unilateral work and health work for legs. But you're right I need to get a decent squat number and a lower body strengh base before specializing. I'll add 3-4 sets of 5 reps to work on my strengh, that might be optimal to avoid excessive mass. Great video as always!
There are two exercises that give me the "games are over" kind of respectful approach when I go heavy: the squat and the behind the neck push-press. And they're the most satisfactory when the set goes rolls fine.
I'm always excited for push day, confident about pull and anxious about legs. I think all the time about taking my rest before leg day all the time because I just need an extra day to feel like I can hit them
i like ur content and apparently i have always been lower dominant i cent deadlift ove 500 lbs but bench press dont even 300lbs now im learning from my mistakes to grow my upper streght and size ur videos are very helpful
i do agree but i feel most people will have to invest in some kinda shoe for the squats. i personally think that's a good thing to hold you accountable.
Leg day is my favourite day & when I started going gym. I trained only legs only for 3 months straight & my legs are by far my most best part of my body.
I remember one of the gyms in my neighbourhood had this old hack squat machine. The thing was so old you didn't have safety arms to unrack/rack the weight etc. So you had to start out of the hole. ROM was insane on that machine it would let you squat as deep as you wanted and if you took it all the way down you ended up with your knees at chin level and your ass fucking sticking to the metal bars of the machine. Me and my training buddy at the time made a thing out of this machine. We would shout at each other Dorian Yates style, do forced reps, build up in weight and make a competition out of it... Was it optimal for growth? I think it's debatable. But that machine right there built some fucking character for sure. That machine taught us what training hard is. Man, I remember getting of that machine in tears, sweat soaked, fucking limping all over the place. Epic times.
All good stuff Alex , I maintain legs should really only be worked once a week if your training seriously and pushing yourself every workout. I’ve heard Tom Platz say he often had to go longer than a week depending on how hard he went. I think the barbell squat is the single best exercise one can do. I’m of the old school belief than it brings gains to all aspect of your training and build. It sucks but it’s also amazing. When your willing to go to that place mentally and physically consistently, it makes you a warrior.
Been doing calisthenics before, and I always skipped legs since I hated the feeling of high rep leg training, plus I have good leg genetics so they didn't look tiny even if I skipped them. Been going to the gym for 4 months now, and my thighs went from 22 to around 25 and 1/3 inches in this small time frame, by focusing mainly on low rep hinges and knee flexions. I didn't think I would like the look of monstrous legs this much, and I want to see what I can achieve. Shooting for 30 inch cannons by the end of this bulk (roughly February 2024). Probably won't achieve them due to deminishing returns, but I'm beginning to believe
In my opinion I think big legs look cooler on tall guys. More room to spread the muscle out. You're right that I didn't start the gym to get great legs, but as a taller guy I think it adds to the overall look!
Thx bro to remind me how hell will be tomorrow. Cant squat so much because of low back issue but im pretty good on Split squat, reaching 2 plates before the end of the year I hope
I'm actually one of the outliers you mentioned in the start of the video..All I cared about since day 1 was building huge legs..and now it evolved into huge legs + arms💪 in other words a limb dominant physique.
My legs have become the part of my body I'm most impressed with. They aren't great but I've always had a decent upper body, and small fat legs. Now they have some muscle and solid separation. Gotta love it
@@AlexLeonidas yea i agree with that too, but anyway what u think about just doing deadlifts and squats for my upper leg? I want to grow my hams and quads
Hey Alex, out of topic, could you try to get K Boges on a podcast style interview. His stuff have been super helpful as of late for me. As always loved the video!
My legs blew up doing ass to grass squats for 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps. Only 135lbs needed for this. I promise you the gains are insane but this will test you mentally. Also doing that same rep scheme on the jack squat with higher weight will take you to the next level!!!
Breathing squats have made me start praying before each set. Three sets of breathing squats high bar is the most humbling leg training I’ve ever done. I’m finishing off with good mornings now for posterior chain and maybe some accessories. Hopefully this builds my legs to be tree trunks since I love that look, my legs are only 20inch Ed pumped rn and I’m 140lbs
My coach has once told to me in the gym : "if you can do and handle the barbell squat, you'll handle and be good at EVERYTHING." And then i didnt get what he mean't, until i tried it out for the very first time of my life, and with 35 kgs only (counting the bar, yes i was very bad at squats..) my legs were exhausted and heart rate going on to 140 bpm, as i NEVER felt before, Leg Days has teached me how hard physicallly and mentally it really is and this on the very first day. My goal in the future once i'll be strong at pistol squats, since i can't go to the gym anymore for now, is hitting the 70-80 kgs at barbell squats.
Happened to me this morning. 5 sets 365 @5-7 reps. This after 6 sets of lunges. The concentration and engagement has to be on point. Your mind cannot stray.
You know leg days are brutal when you’re anxious/scared sometimes before a set 💀
Tell me about it! 💀
After 6 years of trianing i still get anxious before every set of heavy anything because I truly try to go to failure these days and its painful but I've seen great gains recently.
I don't know who said it but: "If you're not scared of the weight you're lifting, then is not enough"
Exactly!! Hahah
started the gym for mental health and fight anxiety. Then i met leg days
"Pain is inevitable. You will suffer. Always."
Gonna make that my morning alarm.
😂😂😂💯
Waking up at 5am just got more fun than ever.
Leg training is a game of extremes: it's the most mentally taxing, the scariest to go into, but also gives the best "high" after you finish your sets.
that's so true ATG Squat is no joke
I agree a tough leg training is the best "high". I remember there was a session I finished, I went to my car and my quad felt like it caught on fire. I just started laughing. It felt awesome.
Meh I disagree after training legs i just feel overly fatigued but I knowno have to do it so it is what it is
I feel the pain on the next day. I trained legs yesterday, woke up today and when I got out of the bed, I felt the pain and smile. Kinda love the leg soreness (the healthy one)
@@jorgenoname6062 maybe u should try doing it a different way. Still hard, but more like, idk if comfortable is the word, but make sure ur ready and primed and take it properly u know? It's like bracing before a punch vs hitting you out of nowhere. Also if u feel sick after squats that happens to me to, I'm planning to improve my cardio and general fitness.
First bald omni man uploads a video about leg training, and now you too. I think the world is trying to give me a message...
Yes 🧔🏼♂️
I had major insecurities with how small my legs grows up..... it motivated the hell out of me to turn my weak point into strengths. 4 years of absolute destruction and 26 inch quads is the result. So painful.... so rewarding.
Now that's what I'm talking about!!!!!!
That’s impressive dude!! I’m at 21 inches but I only weigh 137 anyways
@@keelanenns4548 yeah, I got to 26 inch around 195lbs body weight. Go on a good bulk and you will get there. Keep at it bro.
@@keelanenns4548 pretty funny. I’m 136-137 with 21 inches lol
What's the leg routine you doing that's impressive!
As person who mostly trains with calisthenics I know firsthand the feeling of having severely underdeveloped legs. It sucks and we should always hold ourselves accountable during training.
Bro I have to say that you’ve got one of THE most aesthetic yet functionally powerful physiques in all of UA-cam. You’re an inspiration!
I appreciate that brother!!
Legs and back are still my favourites. They feel the most satisfying for me, I love that exhausted feeling from a good session.
I started to discipline myself into not skipping my leg days a couple months ago.
I did this by keeping them short and really minimalistic.
And now that I don’t skip anymore, I can apply your video onto my training perfectly.
Gonna put more effort into my legs from now on!
Thank you for the great content you put out!
Biggest leg training lesson I've learned over the last 6 months is that building a high GPP/Conditioning base is everything! I used to gas out on volume squats way before my legs did. Started doing wenning warm ups as GPP and I can now take volume squats to technical quad failure with no conditioning issues! Leg growth has exploded because of this 🔥
Yeah I have the same issue my conditioning sucks.
Idk, what really improved my conditioning was doing front squats all the time. Not even high reps either (usually 3 - 5), but progressively getting better at them has definitely improved how gassed I get with training overall.
Whats gpp ?
@@raijinx6064 like general physical preparation, basically anything that increases your fitness without hindering recovery. Farmers walks, sled pulls, swimming etc.
Huge props for putting in the effort. Right now I gas out after 5 reps no matter how much weight is on the bar.
I found that focusing primarily on squats will give you most of your leg growth.
If you’re looking to get big and strong in the most efficient way possible - hit some heavy squats and get progressively stronger on them over time.
My legs blew up when I ditched all the accessory and just focused on progressive overload on the squats and deadlifts.
Squats are KING, and even when I've been lazy on accessories, if my squats went up.. I only got bigger. So I'm not one for minimalism, but the strength world got it right by focusing on the basic knee flexions + hip hinges.
@@AlexLeonidas nice! It makes sense.
It’s such a big movements which incorporates so much!
Would you say that strength training minimalism would be beneficial for someone who has their primary goals in something else like a sport? I.e football / mma etc?
@ what rep range would you say? 5's? or typical 8-12?
@@davidrtrains 1-12 reps is most of what youll get out of squats. 12 is on the high side really, 8-12 should be used sparingly imo
@@cookiecutter1773 ok. what rep range do you think should be used most often.
I’ve skipped my last 2 leg days, feels like this video is calling me out! On point as always, Alex. Cheers!
same lol
When in doubt, it is way better to do a slightly easier leg day than to skip one. Habits are built one day at a time!
I did 2 legdays in a row and i cant relate more to this video, the reason i did 2 legdays is because i pulled one of my tendons in my elbow and im letting it heal
Just like people get the runners high, I think there is such thing as squatters high, after a while the 'pain' starts to feeling good and rewarding you start to thrive of the burning sensation and shaking in the legs.
Agree 1 million %. Training legs is just as much of a mental game as it is a physical one.
Hit 140 some weeks ago and I really think that if I just were braver or more stubborn with adding weight on the bar I'd have reached this weight way faster.
For me consistency with legs is all about finding something that I care about. For me it’s a 315 deadlift. I actually want that goal so I look forward to deadlift sessions. I have a similar process when it comes to squatting. Concrete goals are crucial for motivation.
100%, without specific leg goals it's easy to get very lazy. I'm the same way.
Strongly agree. I finally hit 300 deadlift and no cap it made me so happy
@@CuDerRaGer I think I'm probably there now. Definitely going to be fun when I hit it.
Currently trying to hit 315 lbs on romanian deadlift for 6, this will be you in 1-2 years
Alex, youre the only channel I "religiously" watch. You're the biggest inspiration in my life by far right now, thank you for motivating me. Im late novice right now, but I hope one day to become an elite lifter like you.
ps. also could you please do some videos on cardio and gpp, really interested in those.
I'm truly honored and will definitely make those videos. Continue pushing!
I had a grade 3 hamstring tear, never got surgery because no Health insurance. Please train legs on behalf of the bros who wish they could!
Been walking every morning, thats the only leg training I can do at this point. Miss the sick leg pumps and the DOMs from a killer leg workout.
Hamstring injuries are no joke, definitely need that extra attention (band leg curls are good option). Hope you manage to recover and come back strong.
@@AlexLeonidas thank you 🙏
Why not train the other leg?
@@Lugg187 I occasionally do, but my job requires me to stand 7-9 hours a day.
How much would it cost?
I started training legs on Mondays at the start of my routine for the week so that I would get the hardest session done first. I never skip legs anymore and look forward to the mentally gruelling workout which gets me pumped for the rest of the week. My Squat has gone up dramatically aswell since applying your advice in previous videos.
I’ve always had above average legs so when i first started training I hit my legs harder than my upper body because in my mind i thought nobody can’t tell you anything and you can’t be insecure at the gym if you got some juicy legs 🦵🏽
You are completely right! I didn't used to train my legs and benching would be the hardest thing followed by rowing and OHP. I started to train legs seriously last autumn and got up to a 2x bw squat and RDL 2.5 plates for reps. During that time upper body training was a complete breeze and doing doubles on bench was nothing!
My first exposure to weight training was in an Olympic weightlifting club. Because of that, most people had very developped legs, low backs, upper backs and forearms. So my initial standards were all about getting bigger in those areas. Only when I started getting into the fitness culture through youtube and commercial gyms i gained knowledge on ''bro culture''. Now i predmoninatly traing olympic lifting but throw in some bodybuilding for the flex. Still feel lucky I knew the value of lower body training early on lol
Your novice program made my stick legs look somewhat decent. Actually, my whole body was a stick. The progression has slowed down now, nearing 200lbs paused bench for reps, 245 for atg high bar squat and 315 lbs deadlift conventional for reps. I've been working on a new program using evolving rep ranges and only one pure strength focus lift and I'm going to switch once I stall hard on your NP. Ty for an awesome and well rounded program ❤️💪🏻
Awesome work brother!!!!
Honestly, squats have been my favorite exercise since the beginning. There's just something more satisfying about completing a set since it makes you feel like you've accomplished something.
legs for most are an afterthought but I love leg training.
As a longtime calisthenics and wakeboarding enjoyer, I had weak legs and bad knees. I found thekneesovertoesguy back in 2020 when I decided I wanted the knee pain to stop and I wanted the powerful, resilient legs, too. Now I’m a semi-fluffy 6’0 208 lb tank with 25” legs, flat ground ATG split squats, and I can grab the rim now! I also have a 300lb total weighted chin and free handstand push-up😎 You have definitely influenced my training style a lot for upper body bro!!! Keep those gains coming🔥
Beautiful!! 300lb total chin is the gold standard, combined with 25 inch legs and you got that classic look 🔥🔥🔥
watching this right before a leg day. your leg physique motivates me to push hard
Hard work 💪 Has no choice But to Pay off
Always brother 💪
5:04 yeah i think everyone can relate it FEELS like you can't do anymore phychologically but you have like 5 reps in the tank, as a novice especially
Alex cheeked the fuck up damn
A 507 squat + 600 sumo dead will do that homie!
I fully understand why there are so many guys that are top heavy but... I wish more guys understood how much more attention they'd get if they had a massive set of wheels to go with it. Women go as wild for men with developed glutes as men do for women with the same.
my feedback is that you are the UA-cam fitness GOAT, gem after gem, knowledge on knowledge, out of this entire part of UA-cam very few come close to you. Your calisthenics vids especially motivate me through the roof bro
Bro your numbers are very impressive, definitely one of the best natural lifter inspiration, showing the next gen what is possible with long term dedication 🔥
Hey Alex. Long time viewer.
Was scrolling through insta when I saw an ad for Bells of Steel belt squat machine with you in it. Very cool to see your progression and success over the years. Cheers from Vancouver.
Your Home Gym has gotten so good Alex.
I'm happy you like it Josh, makes me proud to film here 💯
I love all variations of the squat and deadlift. I started in the gym wanting to to get jacked like a gym bro but training the squat and deadlift heavy is always what i do for the lower body. People, doing these lifts will change you both physically and mentally. The nervousness and grit going into a hard set will build muscle and toughens your mind at the same time.
0:21
Yup thats the face of someone training legs
🤣🤣🤣
Mentally the hardest set of squats I've ever done was 315lbs for 20 reps. My lungs were on fire! :)
Rugby gave me big legs and thus I've always loved my leg days and big quads. Upper body is just a bonus to me.
You’ve come a LONG way! Gotta say I love what your channel has become
Alex’s legs getting huge 🔥💪
Super big content mate!!! Well explained and obviously shared experience. Every time I do a legs day I even feel the physiological tension before going under the weight. At the moment I am zercher squatting. It seems by the fourth set my soul leaves my body and say good bye 😅🤣 but I like building that resilience. I think the 3 big are squat, hip hinge and hip trusts. Those 3 alone could make the skeleton of legs lifting.
Might sound kinda corny but I think no tank is a war machine without some massive tracks.
Also I learned to associate the pain of doing legs with feeling truly alive and therefore I now enjoy the pain.
This comment is cool to me!
damn another great video gonna take leg trainning seriously 🔥
Brutally honest. I enjoy it!
100% agree with all of the points. Great video, Alex!
Just hit 110 PR on squats today,as handbalancer-weighted calisthenics-flexibility guy!!Im not saying this to get cocky but on December 14th I could only lift 50kg!!Yeah thats right,not even 2-plate squat,yet I didn't give up and neither anyone should with leg training!Hope this inspired some of you!!Happy training!!
My go to exercises for legs and front squats and belt squats
Yesss. This combo is amazing 💯
4:45 That RPE thing is so true, the range of motion on squats is so great that a rep that feels long enough to be a grinder on any other movement is a normal rep on the squat.
Your videos are always a pleasure to watch and very informative! Thanks man
Always solid content. Can learn something from your videos every time 💪
This video really insightful. Really open my eyes on leg training
It's so insane seeing your footage of you shredded, I just can't. You're not the same person lol
I was one of those guys who generally focused on upper body development but in that last year or so have seen how important it is to also focus on lower body development.It is your foundation and has helped me to gain strength on other lifts as well!great video as always 💪🏽👍🏽
Ever since I shifted into olympic weightlifting full-time, every day has been leg day... Feels amazing every time!
The part on percentages is important. Especially for deads. 85% of a 600 lb deadlift is 510 lbs, that’s gonna be a 5RM more or less. The numbers start getting very far apart
Looking for an attractive 20-something that wants to be a traditional Catholic housewife when she grows up. As I said I am extremely traditional when it comes to relationships so I am immediately attracted to women who look and act stereotypically feminine. Think pin-up-hourglass figure who also radiates those inner beauty traits such as: empathy, kindness, deference, patience and the like. Even better if she can do all of this while wearing a dress, heels, and most important - a smile.
Actually insane when you math out the numbers. I instantly noticed this difference when I started going heavy on legs, legit had anxiety for many workouts until I realized that's just how it is.
@@AlexLeonidas it’s a crazy ass feeling lmao. Had a similar experience with the SSB where I was like “there’s no way I’m hitting this for 12” 😂😂😂
@@burritodog3634 you got ignored random seeking for attention 🥴🥴🤡🤡
@@burritodog3634 how is he drawing interest when Alex literally said his name in the video? Get outta here clown
5:50 that was so me this sunday when I did 3x12 HB squat. And the worst part is that is only the first leg exercise of that that...
Came for the leg lessons, stayed to hear Alex say "watermelon pecs".
I was 220lbs at 5'9". Used to walk and ride bicycles a lot, most of my legs got built b4 I took leg training seriously. Squats and leg presses grew the rest. Now at 26 inches of thighs naturally. Still growing.
Bald Omni and you must be on the same wave length. Loving the content as always Alex.
In terms of general training philosophies, I resonate the most with Bald Omni Man.
love this..
I find this very interesting. I hit 550 squat and 500 deadlift. I felt like I was done. Didn't need to push it more. I now do various leg work with heavy dumbbells and I really enjoy it.
My squats were stagnating for a long time, realized it was because of my lower back weakness. Brought that up to speed per your advice and squats feel so much better (still painful lol). Hope that helps any newer lifters!
Was dreading legs tomorrow...needed this video. Now I'm psyched for it.
Had never really worked my legs till last year and still am only able to do band RDL and BSS with dumbbells because of limited equipment (and strength). Thought it was tougher than upoer body because I was behind.... But this video makes a lot of sense. Thanks
I love my combo SSB / ROMANIAN / sets of lunges and split squat. This training impacts my whole body composition. A week without a leg training is not a week of training.
I like to do supersets for legs with a moderate weight . (50-60% of your max
For example you do 4 rounds of:
Squat 20x
front squat 40x
kettle bell front squat 10x
wallsit with plates for a minute
Very fatigueing but makes legs fun to do.
Hey, I'm a novice with a cycling background so I didn't cared about getting bigger legs and a strong squat.
I just do some unilateral work and health work for legs. But you're right I need to get a decent squat number and a lower body strengh base before specializing.
I'll add 3-4 sets of 5 reps to work on my strengh, that might be optimal to avoid excessive mass. Great video as always!
18:36 FOR FREE???
Thats a CAKE!
Always enjoy and glean from your videos Alex.
There are two exercises that give me the "games are over" kind of respectful approach when I go heavy: the squat and the behind the neck push-press. And they're the most satisfactory when the set goes rolls fine.
I'm always excited for push day, confident about pull and anxious about legs. I think all the time about taking my rest before leg day all the time because I just need an extra day to feel like I can hit them
Amen🙏very true words... Exactly as I see it but could not package it in words... Thank you for this video, love it
i like ur content and apparently i have always been lower dominant i cent deadlift ove 500 lbs but bench press dont even 300lbs now im learning from my mistakes to grow my upper streght and size ur videos are very helpful
Love these philosophical videos
Honestly I love training legs
So nice to hear this...apparently I'm not alone!
i do agree but i feel most people will have to invest in some kinda shoe for the squats. i personally think that's a good thing to hold you accountable.
shit's always heavy
Literally bro
Due to having multiple surgery’s on my left elbow iv found myself dreading upper days and loving lower days
been using the sled to build up my work capacity to get the most out of my leg workouts. it really helps. cant recommend it enough.
Leg day is my favourite day & when I started going gym. I trained only legs only for 3 months straight & my legs are by far my most best part of my body.
I remember one of the gyms in my neighbourhood had this old hack squat machine. The thing was so old you didn't have safety arms to unrack/rack the weight etc. So you had to start out of the hole. ROM was insane on that machine it would let you squat as deep as you wanted and if you took it all the way down you ended up with your knees at chin level and your ass fucking sticking to the metal bars of the machine.
Me and my training buddy at the time made a thing out of this machine. We would shout at each other Dorian Yates style, do forced reps, build up in weight and make a competition out of it...
Was it optimal for growth? I think it's debatable. But that machine right there built some fucking character for sure. That machine taught us what training hard is.
Man, I remember getting of that machine in tears, sweat soaked, fucking limping all over the place.
Epic times.
All good stuff Alex , I maintain legs should really only be worked once a week if your training seriously and pushing yourself every workout. I’ve heard Tom Platz say he often had to go longer than a week depending on how hard he went. I think the barbell squat is the single best exercise one can do. I’m of the old school belief than it brings gains to all aspect of your training and build. It sucks but it’s also amazing. When your willing to go to that place mentally and physically consistently, it makes you a warrior.
Been doing calisthenics before, and I always skipped legs since I hated the feeling of high rep leg training, plus I have good leg genetics so they didn't look tiny even if I skipped them. Been going to the gym for 4 months now, and my thighs went from 22 to around 25 and 1/3 inches in this small time frame, by focusing mainly on low rep hinges and knee flexions. I didn't think I would like the look of monstrous legs this much, and I want to see what I can achieve. Shooting for 30 inch cannons by the end of this bulk (roughly February 2024). Probably won't achieve them due to deminishing returns, but I'm beginning to believe
In my opinion I think big legs look cooler on tall guys. More room to spread the muscle out. You're right that I didn't start the gym to get great legs, but as a taller guy I think it adds to the overall look!
Thx bro to remind me how hell will be tomorrow. Cant squat so much because of low back issue but im pretty good on Split squat, reaching 2 plates before the end of the year I hope
I'm actually one of the outliers you mentioned in the start of the video..All I cared about since day 1 was building huge legs..and now it evolved into huge legs + arms💪 in other words a limb dominant physique.
My legs have become the part of my body I'm most impressed with. They aren't great but I've always had a decent upper body, and small fat legs. Now they have some muscle and solid separation. Gotta love it
This is the prime reason why people skip legs i think, because its so mentally hard
Yeah, could be even more valid than the not caring reason.
@@AlexLeonidas yea i agree with that too, but anyway what u think about just doing deadlifts and squats for my upper leg? I want to grow my hams and quads
Hey Alex, out of topic, could you try to get K Boges on a podcast style interview. His stuff have been super helpful as of late for me.
As always loved the video!
My legs blew up doing ass to grass squats for 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps. Only 135lbs needed for this. I promise you the gains are insane but this will test you mentally. Also doing that same rep scheme on the jack squat with higher weight will take you to the next level!!!
I hit heavy singles on squats for the first time in a long time. There's something special about putting double your bodyweight on your back.
Today lower day for me as well > squat ? Leg press, deadlifts , hamstring curls , leg extensions hate lower day 🤣✌️
Breathing squats have made me start praying before each set. Three sets of breathing squats high bar is the most humbling leg training I’ve ever done. I’m finishing off with good mornings now for posterior chain and maybe some accessories. Hopefully this builds my legs to be tree trunks since I love that look, my legs are only 20inch Ed pumped rn and I’m 140lbs
I like the concept of simple, but hard
This 3,4,5 plates strength standard is a pipe dream. I never see anyone lifting that weight
Best thing about leg training: I get to lift heavy weights
Worst thing about leg training: I have to lift heavy weights
I entered a flow state deadlifting 250s and it was the best feeling ever tbh
My coach has once told to me in the gym : "if you can do and handle the barbell squat, you'll handle and be good at EVERYTHING." And then i didnt get what he mean't, until i tried it out for the very first time of my life, and with 35 kgs only (counting the bar, yes i was very bad at squats..) my legs were exhausted and heart rate going on to 140 bpm, as i NEVER felt before, Leg Days has teached me how hard physicallly and mentally it really is and this on the very first day. My goal in the future once i'll be strong at pistol squats, since i can't go to the gym anymore for now, is hitting the 70-80 kgs at barbell squats.
Happened to me this morning. 5 sets 365 @5-7 reps. This after 6 sets of lunges. The concentration and engagement has to be on point. Your mind cannot stray.
Man that's work right there!!
@@AlexLeonidas Preciate it big dawg.