New here/leg routine advice needed.

[ravengal]

This is an excellent discussion board. I've learned a great deal here already.

I'm 5'7", large-framed, breastfeeding, size 16/18, and 230 pounds (down from 268 since April '03 using a low carb diet). I'm currently in dietary limbo right now, having fallen off the low-carb wagon a few months ago. Thankfully, my weight has remained stable.

I'm not sure of my bf%, but most of the sites utilizing tape measurements peg me at 31-32% (perhaps someone could take a look at my gallery pic and take a guess). In the past, when I tried to diet, I always focused on attaining a certain prescribed "chart" weight. This time around, since I'm focusing on losing body fat instead of weight, I don't know what a realistic body fat level is for me personally. I can't think of any ideal physiques in the fitness or bodybuilding world to use as a reference point, as I find most of them too thin or muscular for my liking. I think I'd be happy to be a very fit size 10-12. I love my sturdy frame and big thighs and calves, just not in a soft and flabby condition.

On the exercise front, I've been either very sedentary or a step aerobic/walking devotee/vicarious weight lifter who faithfully read muscle mags and books with an eye toward picking up the weights "someday". I joined a gym back in September, and I'm pleased with my progress thus far. I usually train legs once a week and the rest of my body twice a week. I've cut down on my cardio lately to focus more on weight training.

I need some advice on my leg routine. My legs only get mildly sore after this workout.

Legs:
Squat 10r/bar
5-10r/30
5r/40
5r/50
3r/60
3r/70
3r/80
3r/90

Press 10r/200
10r/250
10r/300
5-10r/350
3r/400 (depending on how tired I feel)

SLDL 10r/30lb. DB in each hand
10r/30lb. DB in each hand
10r/35lb. Db in each hand

I finish my legs off with leg extensions and curls on the Nautilus equipement.

Thanks in advance for any advice/commentary/criticism.
Ravengal

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Not sure why you do so many sets on squats - are they warm ups? Do you hit close to failure on all them?

I would do just a couple warm up sets for squats, then hit 3 hard sets. If you aren't close to failure on the last set, why not bump up the weight?

If you are doing SLDL, I would drop the Leg Curl machine. Actually, if you incorporate some walking lunges, I bet you could drop both the Leg Ext and Leg Curl on a regular basis. IMHO, I think isolation exercises are gooid once the overall fat layer is gone, sticking to compound exercises give results faster.

Please post often! Welcome!

 

[ravengal]

Thanks, Daisygirl.

Squats wear me out!! Since I'm already huffing and puffing like a freight train during my "*ss to floor" squats, I'm going to have to build up the stamina to incorporate your suggestion on bumping the weights up and lowering the number of sets.

I occasionally use the smith machine to do lunges because I have a hard time maintaining my balance with regular lunges. Is that a good alternative for now?

Ravengal

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Smith machine is pretty good for lunges, especially if you are doing the "one legged squat" kind (for example, right leg in front, raise up and down for X amount of reps, then switch sides). Just concentrate on really pushing up through the heel of the front leg to incorporate the glute more.

Walking lunges are great though - they work the entire leg, major muscles and stabilizers. They are considered more function because they mimic "real life" more so than the Smith Machine. Walking lunges help with balance, inner and outer thigh, glute, hams, quads. Not to mention core muscles.