Not being skinny means hypertrophy. No-one ever looked like a bodybuilder by accident either so just squatting won’t transform you without genetics, full time training and serious drugs.
I wouldn’t use Louie’s method for building up the size of my legs. I’d incorporate bits of it - the accessory work and the explosive speed, but everything else he says about squats is about building and engaging the posterior chain to lift bigger weights. Yes you’d grow as you got stronger but if you’re naturally lean then this method is not the optimal way of going about getting thicker legs.
Keeping with squats as the example, I would suggest that the optimal method of putting some size on would be to switch to -
Time under tension, slow eccentrics (not using tendon elasticity bounce that Louie tries to use in his fast down=fast up)
Higher rep ranges, and varying these between 4-6; 8-12; 15-20 (yes that will fucking hurt but it will cattleprod your CNS and metabolism)
Less sitting back and box squatting - this is absolutely great for hams and posterior chain, but it’ll do nothing for your quads - for that you need to be breaking at the knees not the hips, shifting the knee forward, not trying to keep your shins vertical
But still using box squats as accessory work as they hit the glutes and hams really well (or you could Rom deadlift
Hard flexing at the top of the movement
Trying to use your mind to create the connection with the muscle you’re trying to get to fire up
Using various intensity methods as you start to plateau - different set structures, pre exhaustion, rest pause, supersetting etc
What I’m doing now is for hypertrophy, though I do like to work up to a heavier set I’m doing higher reps right now. I’m also doing as many reps as I can for a lot of the accessory work, where I’m not actually counting the reps. What I’ve done is taken ideas from Louie and other places and just worked out my own thing.
Thanks for the good advice, it is pretty close to what I’m doing at the moment. I don’t box squat and lower the bar to the pins so use no bounce at the bottom. I will try box squats at some point but good mornings are working quite nicely right now.
My legs feel better than ever right now and I think the variety they use is something that will keep me lifting in the long term, so want to incorporate that.
I only did 20 reps for one session when I wasn’t feeling well and keep meaning to do more but I do hate them. I might force myself to do some now you’ve mentioned them, ffs
I really hate high rep squats - but I think everyone does. They’re as much a mental test as they are physical. As a gymnast I didn’t do any leg work at all which is great as I have short skinny legs and they’re a plus for doing rings, bars and horse in not carrying any weight that doesn’t add to your ability to perform the routine.
Now I’ve stupidly committed to run this damn half marathon, I’m using explosive squats and going up and down the rep range on light weights to build a foundation for running but without stressing them too much, although running is good for leg doms (apparently). Overall less weights and especially heavier work and more bodyweight stuff and swimming is going to be the recipe for the next 29 weeks.
The typical reason why its harder on compound movements is that the effort involved is usually distracting and you’re trying to focus on good form etc.
This is why learning/ re-learning this at low weight is a good idea. When I did the GVT before Christmas I used the opportunity of lower weight/ higher rep and sets to practice getting away from effort focus. Because I was using lower weight for squats- 2x30kg dumbells, and doing 10 sets of 10 reps it meant that I could concentrate on slowing down, time under tension and directing my mind to what my quads in particular were doing. I’ll not try to fool you - its not easy and counter intuitive if you’ve taught yourself to put the pain somewhere else and grind through.
I find it much easier on pressing and rowing exercises which are less taxing overall. But that’s the difference - if you get good form, time under tension, mind muscle focus and don’t obsess about the weight you’re using and getting the damn thing up then you might be surprised by your results.
Lower body today and went up then back down with weight on squats. Final set I normally do 10 reps but thought I’d go for as many as possible with the aim of 20, seeing as I was bullied into it last time on here . 10th rep felt easy, 12th felt hard and so did 14th but I at least wanted 15 so made it happen. Got out from the bar and must’ve looked up or something during the lift as had strained my neck and it felt like ligaments were being twanged when I moved.
Still managed some good mornings and it feels ok now but I was cursing @crimsondonkey for a bit!
Hey don’t blame me! I think your bar placement and upper body positioning need diagnosing. I suspect shoulder mobility but I always say that . Seriously though, as daft as it sounds a short video of you doing squat reps from the side and back would help you reflect and others diagnose what’s causing the pain.
Yeah, I should do that anyway. This was not the same pain I had before, shoulder felt good today as I made sure I really got my shoulder blades tight which I think was the problem previously. I had started gripping the bar in a different position which I thought was more comfortable but it meant I wasn’t getting as tight.
This was a real strain for that final rep and I knew I shouldn’t have went for it. Felt it at the base of the skull afterwards. I know they say leave on in the tank and I think that was the one that should’ve been left.
Anyway, it wasn’t bad or anything and I was pleased with the session.
I do find this difficult but focussed on this today. Especially good when doing good mornings as it really helps engage the glutes .
Before upper body I did a set of 20 squats with 70kg and two sets of 20 good mornings with 40kg. Didn’t want to be beat by it
Good upper body session today and finished doing kind of half-dips on the bar which was on the safety pins. I really need to get some kind of dipping bars as even these, which weren’t proper, really hit the triceps.
Not too bad, I think I’ll feel it more tomorrow. In order of soreness today it’s hamstrings, lower back then triceps. Posterior chain is where I’m weakest so I did two sets of good mornings and I can tell. It seems I didn’t manage to engage the glutes as much as I’d thought though, will try harder next time.
The only time I had access to dipping bars I was too weak to do them fully and imagine that’s the same now but will definitely look into getting something for that.
. Seriously though, as daft as it sounds a short video of you doing squat reps from the side and back would help you reflect and others diagnose what’s causing the pain.
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