out . The more walking that I incorporated during my training , and day to day schedule , the faster my body fat reduced . If people are struggling to burn body fat or have hit a plateau , adding in fasted LISS would be my number 1 tip here .
I can ’ t stress enough to females reading this article to try different methods ! Everyone ’ s body is unique , and what works for one person may not work for someone else . Only with trial and error can you be sure of the fastest way to get the legs which you desire !
Challenges I ’ ve had with my legs I ’ ve always found it tough to get my legs into a state that ’ s fit for competition level of conditioning to be tough . My lower body is where I tend to hold body fat , and this has led me to using other training methods to target the stubborn areas . Mentally , more than physically this has challenged me . Progress in these areas has been slow . I have always stressed that my legs won ’ t be in condition , in time for the show . As any competitor will know , this added stress and cortisol is the enemy when prepping and trying to look your best .
During my last prep , I experimented with some plyometric exercises during one of my two weekly leg sessions . This proved to be beneficial , and made me realize that giving the body multiple training methods can lead to faster results and breaking through fat loss plateaus . The combination of Rosie Harts and Tracy-Anne ’ s ( Owner of Yorkys Gym ) guidance helped me bring my legs into condition .
Intensity techniques Although I have built size in my legs with heavier loading , I have seen great improvements using a higher volume approach with extended sets and maximizing time under tension . This means increasing the number of sets you perform and increasing the duration of each set . Slowing down the tempo of each rep is also a great way to increase the time at which your muscle is under the load during each set .
Intensity techniques such as drop sets also help achieve this . Performing a set to failure , dropping the weight by 20-30 % and then performing as many extra reps as possible without any rest . These are especially painful and I apologise in advance , as the muscle floods with so much lactic acid , and creates a strong burning sensation .
Another way to increase the TUT is by adding super sets to your programme . A super set is performing two exercises back to back without any rest . A couple of my favorite supersets for legs are :
Courtesy lunges with Dumbbell Sumo Squats
Leg extensions with Walking lunges
Seated Hamstring curl with Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift
Exercise Tips and Execution Volume , loading and exercise selection , play a key role in building your legs . But , your efforts will be in vain unless your technique for each exercise is optimal . This was highlighted to me by Tracey Ann- King who gave me many tips on how to get the most out of each individual exercise . Small variations in foot placement , posture , squeezing and activation can make a huge difference to how effective an exercise is .
One mistake I see many people in the gym make is not using a full range of motion on all movements . It ’ s great if you can squat a heavy weight but if your squat looks more like a knee bend I can ensure you your legs won ’ t be doing much growing !
Mind and muscle connection are key . If you are performing your reps too fast and swinging the weight around you will not be contracting the targeted muscle . Instead , try to slow down your repetitions : using a three second count on the lowering phase of the exercise and pausing for a second when the muscle is maximally contracted , this should help to really engage the area you are targeting . This works great for leg extensions and leg curls- you really will notice the difference .
82 FLEX | APRIL 2018