leg exercises

[Steve]

This is the same thing as incorporating the db bench into the workout right?
You need to stabilize the db in order to press it and that makes it more difficult than the bb bench.

Right.

Unilateral exercise is commonplace and well accepted for the upper body.

Unfortunately it's not so much for the lower body, which in my mind is very strange. In the athletics community it's not even well accepted and that's where it's most beneficial in my mind. It's beneficial for all though, really.

Most of us have more dysfunctions/imbalances in our lower bodies than we do in our upper bodies which make unilateral exercises much more difficult for the lower. Plus then involve more joints in general. Big ones too. (hips, kness and ankles)

I am really intrigued by this now.

Would unilateral squats help with overall leg strength the same way as db bench has help with my bb bench?

I'd say so, sure. Strengthen your adductors/abductors via unilateral work and that will certainly translate into more strength in the squat.

Or, at the very least, it will optimize your mobility, which should increase the ease of something like the full squat.

In other words- are they beneficial or just a really nice trick to show your friends?

Considering most things you do in live involve exerting force with one limb, I'd imagine they're pretty damn useful, lol.

 

[Steve]

T-Nation.com | Single-Leg Supplements

 

[Bigguy]

Alright- I am going to look into these. looking to change some things in my workout anyway since I am getting a little bored with what I have been doing. It has been 3 months so I really am not surprised. I am seeing good gains but the interest is there.

That piece about the gains being said- is it an issue in your mind to replace lunges and/or step ups with a split squat to progress to the one legged items?


Still think it would be a good parlor trick......

 

[Steve]

Pistol squats always gets people staring in awe.

I would go to Bulgarian split squats, assuming that's not what you've been doing, and focus on using the rear leg merely for balance and driving most of your weight with the down/front leg.

From here I'd progress to one leg box squats.

 

[Steve]

Oh yea, and here' a great little resource for pistol squats from Steve Cotter... a guy a really respect:

 

[Bigguy]

As always- thanks Steve.

I'll of course let you know if I have any questions.

 

[Steve]

You're welcome, anytime.

You know where to find me.

 

[Nika2]

Try supersetting lunges and deadlifts. They work really well when combined together.

 

[Steve]

Try supersetting lunges and deadlifts. They work really well when combined together.

Why?

Work well how?

Personally I don't like to do deadlifts in a fatigued state, nor do I like my clients doing so either.

 

[i_love_muscle]

Unilateral exercise is commonplace and well accepted for the upper body.

Unfortunately it's not so much for the lower body, which in my mind is very strange. In the athletics community it's not even well accepted and that's where it's most beneficial in my mind. It's beneficial for all though, really.

Most of us have more dysfunctions/imbalances in our lower bodies than we do in our upper bodies which make unilateral exercises much more difficult for the lower. Plus then involve more joints in general. Big ones too. (hips, kness and ankles)

Maybe the US is different ... but I've been doing unilateral work since my sprinting days. And that was pretty much in the Jurassic Era ...

Almost everybody who uses free weights (and is serious about weightlifting) at the gym I go to now does some unilateral work, and it's mostly lower body work. Once they see somebody doing any unilateral work, they're on it like white on rice because they can see the benefits in the people who do it. Bottom line: unilateral work is highly effective because it instantly tells you where your weakest link is.

For me, working out is all about balance, symmetry and strength. The fact I get a decent enough body out of it is just a bonus

 

[Steve]

I don't know if the US as a whole is different. However, unless you have access to a quality coach/trainer, in my experience there aren't many people doing squats, let alone unilateral work.

 

[i_love_muscle]

Steve, maybe that has to do with what type of gym that the Average Joe is a member at? It's really hard for me to believe that people who work out don't squat, because I've never been in a gym where the guys didn't do squats or clean and jerks, or snatch lifts, etc. However, I will say that I am one of three women in the gym I go to that squat (there may be more; I just haven't seen them). All the rest of the females do cardio exclusively.

You must see a lot of different gyms being a Master Female Body Sculptor (I just had to say that!), and you're the expert on what people are doing and what equipment is available in the average gym, so it surprises me at how poorly some gyms are equipped and how the members of those gyms are so willing to accept mediocrity.

Just as aside, we used to do a lot of the lower body unilateral work blindfolded. I'm not sure that made it easier or harder, but I still do most of my workout with my eyes closed. I think it makes the exercises easier, but I'm probably wrong

 

[Steve]

Yea, the gym scene in my neck of the woods is pretty atrocious. I've been to every gym available and I could build a better set up with a few thousand dollars in my shed.

Gym owners solely cater to what the people believe to be best; that being cadio equipment and machines. There is also a terrible misconception here suggesting anyone who lifts heavy with free weights is a meat head and isn't what gym goers/customers want to see. "It's intimidating."

Rather than outfit a gym with the 'good stuff' and work on client education, they'd rather take the easy route and cater to the misconceptions of the masses and I'll tell you what... most of the masses around here look at a squat rack or a BB and see no utility whatsoever.

I don't see how any passionate owner/fitness professional could do this happily. Not only is it selling out with regard to your principles, but it's not fun. It's lame.

I know 3 gyms in driving distance that disallow deadlifts.

I know 1 gym that is outfitted (as in it does have one squat rack) yet the trainers don't take their clients into the free weight area. They stick with machines.

I know 5 gyms that don't have squat racks.

I don't know any gyms in the area with a platform.

I don't know any gyms with olympic plates.

I could go on and on.

It's unbelievably lacking. That's why I have no interest to train for a local gym here. None whatsoever. I train a few of my clients as a contractor at a couple of the local gyms and when I do, the trainers look at me like I have 3 heads. I think they're in shock b/c we're not using the bosu ball or stability ball.

***

Eyes closed making things easier.

You're a nutso

It's great for proprioception/balance.

 

[i_love_muscle]

As a trainer, that must be one of the most frustrating issues for you: how can you train people effectively without the right equipment? Is that pretty much a general commentary on gyms in PA?

I'm sure they look at you like you have 3 heads, but I get those looks in the gym, too!! Not so much because I'm training people without BOSU and Swiss balls (because I don't know enough to train anybody). I think it's because they wonder why I'm doing what I'm doing because I'm FEMALE and I'm sure they're wondering why I don't look like a guy because it's a well-documented fact that women who lift weights end up looking like men, right?

And, of course, my eyes are closed while I'm doing the exercises, which I'm sure, looks ridiculous. Then I open them up and everybody is looking at me. And no, I'm not paranoid

Yeah, I'm completely nutso. I like the world I live in

 

[Steve]

As a trainer, that must be one of the most frustrating issues for you: how can you train people effectively without the right equipment?

You don't.

I have agreements with a few gyms in the area that do have enough equipment to train people properly and that's what I use. I'm in the process of deciding how I want to build out a home gym now that I'm in the new house which I'll train people out of as well.

Most other trainers I'm aware of don't need good equipment b/c they wouldn't know what to do with it.

Is that pretty much a general commentary on gyms in PA?

Not all but most that I'm aware of. I'm sure there's some gems hidden that I'm not familiar with, but they are few and far between. It's all about 'modern fitness' and the basic equipment is outdated in many people's eyes... or so it seems.

I'm sure they look at you like you have 3 heads, but I get those looks in the gym, too!! Not so much because I'm training people without BOSU and Swiss balls (because I don't know enough to train anybody).

Oh you know enough to train people; at least relative to those who call themselves trainers in my area.

I think it's because they wonder why I'm doing what I'm doing because I'm FEMALE and I'm sure they're wondering why I don't look like a guy because it's a well-documented fact that women who lift weights end up looking like men, right?

Haha.

Yea, the women who train appropriately in my area on their own I can count on one hand. And people stare at them too. Then they go do their good girl/bad girl exercises (adductor/abductor machine) followed by 18 hours of cardio. They look like hell yet can't put two and two together.

It's sad.

That's why Gordy (my partner) want to do things a lot different.

a) we aren't going to do a lot of one on one training. Instead we're going to do supervised training where there are 10-12 people on the floor and we're supervising all of them. This way there's no one in the gym setting a bad example.

b) weekly or monthly educational seminars for free. Trying to educate gym owners and random gym goers is a losing battle. I just want to control the flow of information as best I can once I have my own facility.

And, of course, my eyes are closed while I'm doing the exercises, which I'm sure, looks ridiculous. Then I open them up and everybody is looking at me. And no, I'm not paranoid

Yeah, I'm completely nutso. I like the world I live in

Most any world that's different than the norm is good by me.

And as Mal loves to say, "Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

 

[Trusylver]

wow, i am amazed at how under equiped those gyms are and sooo relieved I have access to good gyms and training the only place i have encountered such under equiped gyms is in the closest city to me where they had the "no meat head attitude". I get a bit of the 3 head look from new gym members until they get an education from the gym owners and other trainers (almost every member uses free weights) and they don't mind my chalk

 

[i_love_muscle]

You don't.

I have agreements with a few gyms in the area that do have enough equipment to train people properly and that's what I use. I'm in the process of deciding how I want to build out a home gym now that I'm in the new house which I'll train people out of as well.

Most other trainers I'm aware of don't need good equipment b/c they wouldn't know what to do with it.

That's pretty sad But in a weird way, that will just make you and Gordy's future plans far more economically viable. Once people find a good trainer, it's like a woman finding a good hairdresser: they can never take holidays and you hope they never die because you're so afraid you'll never find anybody else that good Seriously, it's true.

Not all but most that I'm aware of. I'm sure there's some gems hidden that I'm not familiar with, but they are few and far between. It's all about 'modern fitness' and the basic equipment is outdated in many people's eyes... or so it seems.

Over the past few years, I've noticed that a lot of gyms don't allow chalk, don't allow deadlifts, don't allow cleans, etc. And some chains don't allow "grunting" either

I don't know why so many people focus on cardio, and leave everything else out. I don't know about you, but I'd rather drop somebody with a good kick or punch than take my chances that I can outrun them

Oh you know enough to train people; at least relative to those who call themselves trainers in my area.

Thanks ... but I know I don't know that much. Compared to the amount of knowledge you have, I know virtually nothing. My knowledge, although it's better than the average bear, isn't that comprehensive.

Haha.

Yea, the women who train appropriately in my area on their own I can count on one hand. And people stare at them too. Then they go do their good girl/bad girl exercises (adductor/abductor machine) followed by 18 hours of cardio. They look like hell yet can't put two and two together.

It's sad.

I just had to say that I couldn't help myself

So many of the girls in the gym ask me how I got my body. I always say "weightlifting". Invariably, they all say "why don't you have bulging muscles all over and look like a man?" Then I say "Because I'm female. You'll never look like a guy because you don't have enough testosterone running through your veins. You'll look like me or much better if you lift weights."

That's why Gordy (my partner) want to do things a lot different.

a) we aren't going to do a lot of one on one training. Instead we're going to do supervised training where there are 10-12 people on the floor and we're supervising all of them. This way there's no one in the gym setting a bad example.

b) weekly or monthly educational seminars for free. Trying to educate gym owners and random gym goers is a losing battle. I just want to control the flow of information as best I can once I have my own facility.

That sounds like the perfect gym. I wish we had something like that here. We do have some private gyms with extremely limited memberships that are similar to what you're proposing, but they are not nearly as good as the idea you have.

Most any world that's different than the norm is good by me.

And as Mal loves to say, "Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

I'm so far from normal I don't know what normal is anymore

I like Mal

 

[FEELthePUMP]

well i have been going to ballys gym. they have most of the stuff but not really anything for deadlifts. I've been meaning to check out some other gyms to see what they have. I would love to start dead lifting and Trap dead lifting. I haven't seen a platform since i was in highschool nor have i seen those rubber weights for deadlifting etc. anyone know of any big name gyms that have those?

 

[jeffisbig]

I think it's because they wonder why I'm doing what I'm doing because I'm FEMALE and I'm sure they're wondering why I don't look like a guy because it's a well-documented fact that women who lift weights end up looking like men, right?

There are two women who work-out around the same time I do during the week. Both are very lean and fit. Both could outlift me. I doubt anyone, ever confuses them for men. They must have missed the memo too.

I know 1 gym that is outfitted (as in it does have one squat rack) yet the trainers don't take their clients into the free weight area. They stick with machines.

My gym has Olympic Weights and one squat rack. Its right next to the smith machine. The smith machine the Personal trainers use for squats (/boggle). I saw one PT have their client doing bench presses on it. While facing one of the two benches set up exclusively for that reason. That really threw me for a loop, and my knowledge of weight lifting is limited to what I've learned in the past month.

The machine area at my gym has two of every kind of machine -- 2 different brands. Some of the equipment in the free weight room is the same brand and make of the machines only you put free weights on. I don't get the benefit of using one over the other. Outside of the ability of putting on more weight.

When you don't know anything its extremely intimidating to use free weights. However, when I used the free PT session I could have been shown how to use the free weights. Even when I bought sessions we never touched the free weights. We used machines and I never improved. I've seen significant gains in everything I'm doing now. The difference in free weights over machines is pretty amazing. I guess I prefer more of the PTs at my gym don't use them, since then I would have a lot more competition for using the equipment.

 

[Steve]

well i have been going to ballys gym. they have most of the stuff but not really anything for deadlifts. I've been meaning to check out some other gyms to see what they have. I would love to start dead lifting and Trap dead lifting. I haven't seen a platform since i was in highschool nor have i seen those rubber weights for deadlifting etc. anyone know of any big name gyms that have those?

For deadlifts all you need is a bar and plates. They don't need to be rubber. The gym I currently train at doesn't have a platform or anything. More often than not I'm doing heavy deads between machines, lol.