training question for quads

[particleacc]

I have just got back into lifting after nearly a year off for a back injury. My problem is that my quads have always been small compared to the rest of me. I competed once as a novice in a powerlifting contest years ago, but only did deadlifts. (I did take first!) However, I was strong all over and many times got close to competing in bodybuilding as well, which was my true passion.

I did heavy squatting a few years ago, but think that the heavy deadlifiting took a toll on my back. I got to the point that I could not squat any more due to severe back pain. These days, I stick to a horizontal leg press as my main exercise for quads since it puts the least amount of stress on my back. I do leg extensions and V-squats and whatever else my back can take too. I see a chiropractor now fairly often since my lower vertebrae seem to slip out quite a bit. I can feel him push it back in every time I get an adjustment and the pain goes away for another couple weeks.

I am 6'3" and usually around 260 to 270 lbs. My upper body is nice and big (or gets that way when I am training) but my quads have always lagged behind, even at my highest strength. My legs will get very strong, but stay fairly small looking compared to everything else. I have often been asked where I left my legs when people evaluate my physique!

I am not interested in site injection to bring up the size and cannot do squats any more. I am looking for suggestions on what can bring up the size of my quads. I train my legs just as hard as everything else and my quads still get very strong. I am 34 and have been training since I was 15. I can get in great shape with a huge upper body and even calves too, but the quads, while strong, seem to be so much smaller in comparison. Any suggestions?

 

[b-boy]

do some high rep low hack squats, leg press', and that thing you see the women on all the time for your inner thighs (adductor? abductor?). getting your inner thighs bigger will give the illusion of thicker quads. too bad you can't squat though

 

[xmyb420x]

I agree , and use as many press/hack squat/press machines you have and every possible variation of feet placement.

You may also want to see if you can tolerate trapbar deadlifts if your gym has the bar,
or you can just stand feet over the bar deadlifts.
It should put the focus squarely on your thighs.

For extensions, again use every possible variation, shocking principle and feet placement (IE: toes in,toes out etc)

Also, I don't know your training schedule is like but you may want to up the frequency of your leg workouts, and trim the volume.

 

[particleacc]

good suggestions

My training schedule is anything I make it right now, luckily. Any suggestions as to what is a good number of sets? I'm assuming a general good idea is simply to up the reps I do for each set. I have always done in the 8 to 10 rep range for EVERYTHING and everything always grew well except the quads.

To tell you the truth, I'm nervous about any type of deadlift. Just saw my chiropractor AGAIN today since I yanked my back out of place putting up hurricane shutters for that massive tropical storm we got in Florida yesterday. It was way out of place and in a lot of pain again. I will give the trap bar deadlifts a shot though. I have to do something to bring my lower back strength back up again.

Again, thanks for the suggestions. I'll add more variations and up the reps to see what sort of results I get.

 

[hellraiser27]

Quads can be trained with much higher reps than 8-12

I train doing 20 reps.

And I also do free squats 50 reps 2 sets.

Try the free squats(no weights) and tell me what you think

 

[hard2core2]

what weight do you work up to Mr. H.R.?

Quads can be trained with much higher reps than 8-12

I train doing 20 reps.

And I also do free squats 50 reps 2 sets.

Try the free squats(no weights) and tell me what you think

For your high rep squat routines what weight have you worked up to? 50 reps 2 sets??

I like doing higher rep squat routines myself... I work my way up to 1 set for 20 reps... I worked up to about 395 eventually...perhaps slightly higher..this was back in 02 during the offseason.

These days.. I sometimes hit 20 reps..usually about 15 or so...I worked my way up to 405..this year..before I got burned out a bit...I am working my way up again however.

 

[cuz]

Like hellraiser said, 20 reps and go deep. Don't forget to concentrate on the muscle. Can you possibly do light front squats on a smith machine? This is a good quad exercise.

 

[hellraiser27]

For your high rep squat routines what weight have you worked up to? 50 reps 2 sets??

I like doing higher rep squat routines myself... I work my way up to 1 set for 20 reps... I worked up to about 395 eventually...perhaps slightly higher..this was back in 02 during the offseason.

These days.. I sometimes hit 20 reps..usually about 15 or so...I worked my way up to 405..this year..before I got burned out a bit...I am working my way up again however.

The 50 reps/2sets are no weight. Just body weight.

I use only 195 for 3 sets of 20 reps. I'm not a big guy. But I have big quads.
Check out the thread "site injectors beware" for a close up about 4 monthes ago. Also check in the Photos "June Show"