Achieving Quad Definition ?

[houseofpain]

I've been working hard on my quads doing hack squats, smith machine squats, and seated leg presses with as much as I can lift with good form. (The gym where I work out right now doesn't have a free squat rack ) The last set weight that I'm getting to during 5 sets of 8 rep on each exercise is as follows:

Hack Squats - 685
Seated Leg Press - 400
Standing Smith Machine squats - 270


Here's my question...

I'm getting definition down by the knee from my inner and outer lower quad progress. And I'm seeing increased mass in my upper thighs. But I'm not seeing any "definition" in my upper thighs between my inner middle and outer quads.

Is there anything additional I could be doing to will help to begin creation of the definition in my upper thighs?

 

[louden_swain]

Its all about diet.

 

[SeanHolmz]

Mostly what louden said. However, are you locking out every rep? This causes the muscle to squeeze together resulting in more seperation/definition.

 

[houseofpain]

BUMP

Diet isn't the issue. I'm an ectomorph with very little fat on my body, which adds to the hard gain issues I have with quads.

And I haven't been locking out at the top of the movements, just because I was told you run the risk of knee hyper extension when you do that with heavy weights.

Based on the exercises I've been doing, hack squats, smith machine squats, and seated leg press, should I be adding something else to achieve upper quad definition/mass gain?

I thought about seated leg "extensions", but the weights I use on that machine don't seem like they're heavy enough to build any mass and going much heavier would put major strain on the knee.

Anymore suggestions?

 

[tiger88]

GENETICS AND DIET.....leg extensions will do a bit of toning

 

[guldukat]

BUMP

Diet isn't the issue. I'm an ectomorph with very little fat on my body, which adds to the hard gain issues I have with quads.

And I haven't been locking out at the top of the movements, just because I was told you run the risk of knee hyper extension when you do that with heavy weights.

Based on the exercises I've been doing, hack squats, smith machine squats, and seated leg press, should I be adding something else to achieve upper quad definition/mass gain?

Let's back up for a second: you're doing almost 600 lb. hack squats, but leg pressing 400 and Smith squatting 270?

What kind of hack squat is that, exactly? I would like to try IT sometime

Seriously though bro, if you're already lean, then all you gotta do for definition is get bigger.

Look at it this way. Some street bums are probably real lean, aren't they? People that the Nazis stuck in death camps were certainly very lean.

Why, then, aren't concentration camp survivors or bums ripped?

Simple: they have no muscle to define. I'm not saying you're anywhere near that small--just that you've gotta have more muscle to define if you're already very lean, yet dissatisifed with your cuts.

I would bust my ass on full range squats, hacks and leg presses (not in each workout...I'd only do one of them for a single heavy work set of 6-8, then a death set of 20-30, both to failure). I'd be sure your protein was in order. Chances are good that if you think you're eating enough already, you need to slap 100 extra grams on top of that. Focus on eating tons of small meals and just giving your system a constant influx of nutrients.

After a short while, your legs should be measurably bigger, and they'll be more defined even if you put on a tick of fat while bulking up.

 

[BodyByFinaplix]

guld, I was thinking the same thing. I can leg press 1500 ibs for reps, but his 685 hack squats? Damn. I haven't gotten anywhere near 600.

house of pain, if you want to develop your lower quads, what I do is fairly deep hack squats with my feet together. Try heavy leg extentions and hold for a second or two and squeeze hard at the top of each rep. Like LS said though, once the muscle is there, the rest is your diet.

 

[houseofpain]

I'll give the peak contraction a shot for a while and see if that's what I'm missing in gaining more mass in the upper area of my quads.

With regard to the 685 hack squats. This is a standing machine with padded rests that sit on your shoulders and it takes regular olympic weights on a horizontal bar that's out in front of you. (alternately you can turn around so that weights are behind you too, but I face them). The platform you stand on is inclined to tilt you toward the weights as well. It looks just like this:

http://www.pro-fitness.com/Front_Squat_Machine_Web_2002.jpg

I'm not kidding myself that the pivot action of the machine is what's giving me the ability to lift that much. If it wasn't, I wouldn't just be going 270 on the Smith Machine. But the reason why I keep doing them is because it makes my ass hard as a rock and sets up a pretty good quad pump for the Smith Machine and Seated Leg presses that I do afterward.

 

[louden_swain]

Exercises do not build definition!!

They break down muscle tissue. Muscle tissue is surronded by fat. Controlling your diet brings the definition. . .look at pro bodybuilders in the offseason. . they are all blocks. . come diet time they are shredded.

 

[tiger88]

for the lower quads, (closer to the knee) do some front sqauts and maybe only not go all the way to 90%.....here is why maybe not 90% on the front squats because the lower you go the more the butt and upper quads will be worked....also u can put ur heels in 10 lbs plates and front sqaut that way too...that changes the angle the muscles are worked....i heard from juice head that the vastus medials (inner head by the knee) is a muscle that comes along alot quicker with the use of drugs then wihtout the,.....NOT TOTALLY SURE ON THAT