gfs leg workout

[muscledog95]

Ok need a little help here. For a few months ive been drilling my gf on the notion of using squats for her legs. I had her doing them in the beginging but the last 2 months she has refused to do squats, she hates them with a passion and wont even bother with taking the time to learn proper from, because she hates squats so much. So now how would you all develop a leg workout for her. I have her doing 5x5 on leg press.......any thoughts

 

[Lord_Suston]

damn that sucks, just break up with her, lol. Hmmm I would suggest a hack squat machine if you really can't convince her, tell her it will make her ass real nice and firm, maybe she'll buy that

 

[Zander1983]

No, I do not want to swap girlfriends.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

Monica Brants leg training- (show her a pic of Monica awesome legs)-

leg press, extensions, leg curls & lunges....also Id add stiff-leg deadlifts & seated calves.

 

[FitFossil]

By not doing squats, she's really shortchanging herself. I used to do every leg exercise except squats. Ok, I did do squats on the Smith machine, and they're ok, but nothing changed my legs and my butt like real honest-to-God squats. Real squats are good on so many levels - legs, butt, inner thighs, outer thighs, calves, abs, and balance.

 

[makedah]

Muscledog, I empathize with your girlfriend. I hate squats. When I do them, it's like taking medicine - I only do them because they're good for me. What was her squat routine before she quit doing them? What about them did she hate? Was it just that it was too strenuous, or did her knees or back hurt?

 

[lucidblue]

When I first starting training nobody could convince me to do squats. Then I started doing them on the Smith machine. It was only about a month ago that I was convinced to start doing real squats. This was only after a lot of nagging and reading this site.... I'm a bit stubborn

Anyway, I'm so glad I started to do real squats.... feels so much better!

 

[muscledog95]

Shes real short and stocky. She cant go down very far and just doesnt like them. Nothing hurts she just hates them and shes stubborn as a mule.lol ill work on her some more hahah

She just did like 3 sets of 10

 

[Smurfy]

LUCID - when you switched from smith machine squats to free weight squats, how different was it? As far as FORM and how much WEIGHT?
I'm due to have my very first REAL SQUAT workout this friday and im kinda NERVOUS to even attempt squats outside of the SMITH. I know what correct form looks like, but i have never done it so im nervous and i dont wanna look stupid LOL
Did you have to drastically lower your weight on the bar? Im not even sure how much i should start with - although im thinking just use the BAR itself for a few warm up sets to get used to it and all.

 

[kentucky]

by her a bun and thigh max, or a thighmaster... The commercials say those thinks are unbelievable j/k

 

[FitFossil]

LUCID - when you switched from smith machine squats to free weight squats, how different was it? As far as FORM and how much WEIGHT?
I'm due to have my very first REAL SQUAT workout this friday and im kinda NERVOUS to even attempt squats outside of the SMITH. I know what correct form looks like, but i have never done it so im nervous and i dont wanna look stupid LOL
Did you have to drastically lower your weight on the bar? Im not even sure how much i should start with - although im thinking just use the BAR itself for a few warm up sets to get used to it and all.

Good idea to just start with the bar to get used to it. Hey, you could even practice a few times at home with a broomstick before you try it in the gym. (I did ) Form is the key. Get it right before piling on the weight. You'll prevent injury and progress much faster.

 

[Nonerz]

I agree with FitFossil...start with the bar and get your form nailed down.

For me, stretching my calves and inner thighs really helps me get a good range of motion when I squat. I like to go with a relatively wide stance with my toes pointed out an an angle...feels so much more comfortable! Have fun!

 

[blinddeafmute]

Might try having her do box squats.

That way she has a depth to aim for. Just a thought

 

[muscledog95]

I might try that......I have atleast talked her into doing hacksquats

 

[lucidblue]

LUCID - when you switched from smith machine squats to free weight squats, how different was it? As far as FORM and how much WEIGHT?
I'm due to have my very first REAL SQUAT workout this friday and im kinda NERVOUS to even attempt squats outside of the SMITH. I know what correct form looks like, but i have never done it so im nervous and i dont wanna look stupid LOL
Did you have to drastically lower your weight on the bar? Im not even sure how much i should start with - although im thinking just use the BAR itself for a few warm up sets to get used to it and all.

The first time I did real squats I used the bar for one set to warm-up. I had someone watch to make sure my form was good. Then I added weight little-by-little for each set. When I was done that first day, I ended up about 30lbs below what I had been doing on the Smith. You'll notice that real squats feel much more natural.

 

[JJFigure]

Smurfy - Most smith machines are counter-balanced so they only weight 10 lbs.; an olympic bar weighs 45 lbs.

I'd start with a conventional stance - approximately shoulder width - with toes pointed slightly out. This stance actually targets your glutes and hamstrings more; when you use a wider stance, your adductors come into play a bit more. If you're long-legged like me, a wider stance may be more comfortable, but I started with a conventional stance to learn form initially. Also make sure you keep an arched, tight back while squatting.

Muscledog - we can preach the benefits of the squat all day to you, but you're already a believer so it doesn't do your girlfriend much good. You may want to get her on the women's board so she can see what a lot of the other women are doing. Maybe when she realizes most of us wouldn't dream of NOT including a squat in our lower body training, she'll come around.