| Nobody empathizes more with the skinny-legged guy | | | | power, size, and balance in your lower body. |
| who feels self-conscious about his underpinnings than I | | | | I shoot for six to eight repetitions on all leg exercises |
| do. I grew up with sisters who laughed at my legs | | | | (usually six). Neither I nor my clients have ever reaped |
| whenever I'd put on a pair of shorts. It wasn't until we | | | | much muscle gaining benefit by going after the higher |
| were both adults that one of my sisters confessed: | | | | reps. Some trainers hypothesize that it works the slow |
| "Scott, I was jealous of your skinny legs when we | | | | twitch fibers by doing so (thereby building all fibers). I've |
| were kids." Well, thanks for telling me now, Sis. "Do you | | | | found that it builds lung capacity more than muscle |
| realize the childhood trauma you could have spared | | | | size. If you want to have impressive workouts more |
| me if you'd revealed that before I'd hit puberty?" I | | | | than impressive muscles (or you want to be able to |
| inquired with irritation. | | | | sprint up a mountain), then by all means, go for fifteen |
| When I reached high school, I finally talked myself in to | | | | reps. |
| not caring about my underdeveloped "wheels" and | | | | On squats as well as the following isolation exercises, I |
| decided to show them off when I was getting in shape | | | | recommend doing four to seven sets - only the last |
| for the wrestling season. I was on the first quarter mile | | | | one going nearly to muscular failure. |
| or so of an after school jog when I saw two | | | | Exercise #2: Horizontal Leg Press Machine with Feet |
| attractive females walking home together from our | | | | Apart/Toes Pointed Out |
| school. I overheard one of them say "look at his legs". | | | | After the squats, I target the Vastus Medialis (inner |
| Then they both burst out laughing. I felt my face turn | | | | thigh) with very controlled presses on an Eagle Leg |
| so friggin' red that passersby in cars probably thought I | | | | Press machine. I like to believe that this machine offers |
| was a stop sign. | | | | more control for this movement, but maybe I just feel |
| It was early experiences like these that motivated me | | | | like doing a lying down exercise after performing |
| to build my muscles. And yes, I was really hell-bent on | | | | squats. At any rate, I position my feet wide apart on |
| getting some respectable lower limbs beneath me. In | | | | the platform, point my toes forty-five degrees outward, |
| my early twenties, I read all the bodybuilding magazines | | | | and don't go deeper than parallel with my thighs. I also |
| that told me to squat, squat, and squat some more. | | | | don't lock my knees at the top of the movement, |
| And what did I do? Well, I followed this simplistic advice. | | | | thereby creating constant tension on my trembling |
| I did free weight squats until steam was coming out of | | | | inner thighs. |
| my ears and members at my gym were scared to | | | | Exercise #3: Inner Thigh Leg Extensions |
| death that they were going to get called on to be my | | | | Many trainers don't realize that they can really hone in |
| spotter. I performed my squats as heavy as possible | | | | on the inner and outer thigh muscles (respectively) by |
| and with full range of motion. I became a squatting | | | | doing leg extensions in a specific manner. For inner |
| machine. | | | | thighs, move the leg extension seat as far forward as |
| So what were my results? To put it mildly: not | | | | possible, point your toes straight up, and then try to |
| commensurate with my efforts. Oh, I did build some | | | | face the soles of your feet toward each other. It |
| size in my thighs, but not nearly what I'd wanted for | | | | should feel like you're positioned in a "pigeon-toed" |
| adequately distancing myself from the "bird legs" which | | | | manner. As you bring the weight up and extend your |
| had been a focal point of my pubescent | | | | legs, lean your upper body forward while keeping your |
| self-consciousness. What I really wanted was that | | | | feet in the position described. You will feel this in the |
| unmistakable "sweep" in the appearance of my thighs | | | | Vastus Medialis (inner quadriceps). |
| when looking at them straight on. I wanted muscular | | | | Exercise #4: Horizontal Leg Press with Feet Together |
| contour that shows, even while wearing a pair of | | | | Weight on Heals |
| jeans, that I've got some serious power in the | | | | At this point, I go back to the horizontal leg press |
| foundation that's holding me up. | | | | machine and target the front quadriceps. In order to |
| In my many years of natural bodybuilding, I finally | | | | really hit the Rectus Femoris (front quad), you should |
| discovered what I think is one of the most effective | | | | put your feet together on the platform so they're |
| thigh-building routines. It builds sweep in the thighs by | | | | touching each other, with your toes pointed straight up |
| intensely targeting both the inner and outer quadriceps | | | | (no angle). Lift your toes up off the platform so that |
| muscles. When performed diligently and consistently, it | | | | your heals are all that's touching the surface. To really |
| will soon give you a feeling that your quads are | | | | hit those front and outer thighs, you need to take your |
| vibrating in muscular power with each impact your feet | | | | weight off your toes and put it on your heals. This |
| make with the ground when you walk. | | | | shifts the stress from your hip and glute region and |
| But what do I mean when I say "performed diligently | | | | puts it on the front legs. |
| and consistently"? What I'm alluding to is the number | | | | Again, only descend until your thighs hit the point of |
| one rule for successfully adding muscle to any area of | | | | being parallel with the platform. Drive the weight back |
| the body; adequate tissue breakdown and | | | | to the start top position and don't lock your knees. Try |
| recuperation. No specialized routine or sequence of | | | | to keep continuous tension on the thighs. |
| exercises will produce positive results if we just | | | | Exercise #5: Outer Thigh Leg Extensions |
| haphazardly go through the motions of working out | | | | Similar to the inner quads, we can target the Vastus |
| and taking some rest days between those workouts. | | | | Lateralis (outer quads) with a bit of customized |
| We must pay close attention to how much tissue | | | | maneuvering on the leg extension machine. This time, |
| breakdown we're inflicting on a muscle and how much | | | | move the seat back as far as it will adjust so that |
| rest time that particular muscle needs to fully | | | | you're almost in a supine position as you reach your |
| recuperate. This varies from one person to another | | | | feet to the extension bar. Point your toes forward |
| and even varies within the same individual from one | | | | instead of upward. Keeping your toes pointed forward, |
| time to another. Nowhere is this principle more | | | | extend the weight upward while putting outward |
| important than when working the thigh and glute | | | | tension on your thighs, as if you are attempting to |
| muscles, which constitute a lot of tissue that needs | | | | spread your feet apart, but can't. This "feet-spreading |
| recuperation between workouts. | | | | tension" with your toes pointed as forward as you can |
| That said, let's get to the meat (or muscle) of the | | | | point them while raising the weight will really isolate |
| matter for building a nice "thigh sweep". | | | | those outer quadriceps muscles. |
| Exercise #1: Compound Movement for the Entire | | | | So there you have it. Perform this front thigh workout |
| Lower Body | | | | (along with some leg curls for hamstrings) no more |
| I believe in starting an effective thigh workout with a | | | | than once a week. Strive for higher weight volume |
| compound movement. It can be full squats with free | | | | levels through intensity of effort and adequate |
| weights, machine squats, or leg presses. Regardless of | | | | recuperation. With applied diligence, this routine will bring |
| which you feel most comfortable with, you need to | | | | that coveted "sweep" to your upper legs. |
| work the entire area, including the glute muscles, for | | | | |