Leg Day

Photo taken from bodybuilding.com

If you lift, you know about leg day.  If you are thinking about lifting, then you will soon learn about leg day.  For many, leg day means being cripple the day after leg day.  Today was leg day for me but I won't be cripple tomorrow; my legs are probably the strongest muscle that I have so it takes a great deal to actually feel anything.  Although over the months I have noticed a huge difference in my legs; but that wobbly cripple feeling of the after leg day workout isn't one.  What I have noticed as I've gotten older is my knees; gotta watch those joints.  So as much as I can lift a crazy amount with my legs; I do not want to blow out my knees.  

This morning as I waited my turn to use the orignal old style leg press I watched a man who was quite elderly nearly wreck his knees.  He was clearly not in shape but with four 45lbs on each side; he was risking a blowout.  Legs are strong, much stronger than most people think.  Just think about the fact that they haul us around all the time.  So to press only 100lb isn't really a struggle; BUT, if you don't lift anything now; then start with two 25lb weights and go up.  Most people weigh at least 100lb so your body can haul that around pretty easily.  I use three 45lb plates on each side.  It is becoming easier all the time but I'm not adding anymore.  Why?  Because I don't want to destroy my knees.  

Even though our legs are extremely strong; we must build the muscle around the joint to stabilize it.  The stronger your legs get the more protection your joints have from damage.  So when other people are having knee problems due to age and lack of activity, you won't be.   I see more people lifting ridiculously small amounts with their legs more than too much.  But too much can be very scary.  If I see someone on the leg press with 6 or more 45lb plates on each side, I can barely watch.  I imagine their knee blowing out and I don't want to witness that.  There is a good weight to lift and then there is a ridiculously stupid weight.    

My leg workout

-Treadmill warm up, 5 incline, 3.5 speed for 5 min. 
-Leg press machine (pictured below), 8 sets of 12, starting at 70lbs and going up to 250 lbs.
- Leg press (photo above) 4 sets of 12, 3 x 45lbs each side.  
- Quad leg curl machine 6 sets of 10, 8 and 6, starting at 50 lbs up to 110 lbs
- Hamstring leg curl machine 4 sets of 10, starting at 30 lbs up to 70lbs.
- Bent row pull, lower only 4 sets of 15, starting at 70lbs up to 110lbs. 
- Lunges with cable pull set on #10, 3 sets of 10.  

This is my basic leg day, I switch it up often.   



Huffington Post  image.

That age old saying "use it or lose it" is very fitting for our legs; well for our whole body actually.  As we age we lose muscle mass; if you don't work to keep it then you are going to become feeble, who wants to be feeble?  You don't want to be that person who says "I can't."  You might not be able to right now but start pressing and those legs are going to get really strong, fast.  Then you will never have to say "I can't," because "you can!!!!"