Ultimate leg blasting, quad gutting training info

[Darb77]

Phil I love to squat but really like doing it after some lunges, leg presses and and some hamstring work. I just feel it more with the lighter weights on squats and my joints seem to like it much more. Bad idea? I haven squatted first in a long time.

 

[PHIL HERNON]

AND!

Take this advice guys! I met Phil in 2008. Had no idea what I was doing in the gym. First day at Phil's gym he told me to drop the volume and just squat twice per week.

and then boom!

**broken link removed**

I also told you to shave........hahahhahhah. Good job there. REMEMBER on squats.........do not let your knees trave over your toes.....VERY IMPORTANT.........so sit back and down.......not forward.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Squats develop my glutes significantly more than my quads. My wife told me "Baby got back" just yesterday.

I have a saftey squat bar in my basement that I just started using again.

Can someone in the know tell me what muscles the SSB targets more relative to a straight bar?

And OUCH - one set to failure - ala Mike Mentzer - takes a different kind of mind set to do that kind of squat set consistently. No brain no pain eh?

For my son, 18, and myself just seriously returning after an extended break this is working for me because I can do almost full body 3 times a week. It's also a mental thing know that this set is it. You don't need to hold back, or save anything for anything else, that when this set is over, so are you for the day. But Phil is right. The stronger my legs get (and they do thank God) I will need more reps and more sets with different range. I was power not BBing.

 

[renewlyf]

I also told you to shave........hahahhahhah. Good job there. REMEMBER on squats.........do not let your knees trave over your toes.....VERY IMPORTANT.........so sit back and down.......not forward.

I can do this on the Smith machine but not regular squats, at least not yet. I'll give it another shot on my next leg day.

 

[BigJB]

I can do this on the Smith machine but not regular squats, at least not yet. I'll give it another shot on my next leg day.

Ass goes back first, then controlled negative, positive just short of lockout, repeat, on your heels the whole time.

 

[w8tlifterty]

Phil's training

Phil's 'style' has been the back bone of my training since we first worked together damn nearly 5-6 years ago and a time or two since.

I haven't hacked, leg ext'd or leg pressed since, those movements felt unatural anyway. My quads are my best bodypart and I have no nicks, ticks or pings (injury free). I compete in both BB and PL yet my training really doesnt change all that much... declines, dips, pull ups, squats, dbell rows and deads (sorry phil, they are by far my favorite lift besides for the squat so I alternate them weekly).

SLDL and abductor/adductor round out my leg training (calves eod).

 

[renewlyf]

Ass goes back first, then controlled negative, positive just short of lockout, repeat, on your heels the whole time.

Thanks!
I'm practicing them in my office right now!

My knees naturally want to go forward when I squat down.
Plus they are beat to hell from playing hockey for many years and also from squating with bad form for years, I'm just realizing

 

[BigJB]

Thanks!
I'm practicing them in my office right now!

My knees naturally want to go forward when I squat down.
Plus they are beat to hell from playing hockey for many years and also from squating with bad form for years, I'm just realizing

Sounds goofy, but squat in your socks, will help you find your natural squat rom more easily. Just keep practicing the above form and you will be set

 

[Jude2]

Take this advice guys! I met Phil in 2008. Had no idea what I was doing in the gym. First day at Phil's gym he told me to drop the volume and just squat twice per week.

and then boom!

**broken link removed**

Serious question. Did all you do is squat for those 2 years? Your legs are HUGE compared to your arms.

 

[woodswise]

Thanks again for the excellent advice, Phil!

 

[BigJB]

Serious question. Did all you do is squat for those 2 years? Your legs are HUGE compared to your arms.

:yeahthat:

 

[myosaurus]

StevenGFH thats an incredible gains!

 

[StevenGFH]

Serious question. Did all you do is squat for those 2 years? Your legs are HUGE compared to your arms.

Yea squats squats squats. The occasional leg press or something if I needed to for whatever reason. But squats and stiff legs are all you need.

My legs BLEW up. I wish I could get my arms to the level of my quads. That pic is old. Arms are bigger now, but so are the legs haha.

Arms are like 15.5" and quads are over 25" don't know what else to do except trade in my genetics

 

[GreyScale36]

Dont ever LEAVE the squat for "new exercises" because it will screw you when you re-approach the squat again.... the lower back wont be as conditioned, maybe the knees are more vulnerable now...

You get HEAVIER in body weight and now you have limiting factor of too much tghtness/pumps in lower back etc...

I made this mistake and wont ever leave this exercise if I am healthy for it!

-FF

Couldn't agree with you more! I can attest to the above statement as I've experienced - still trying to reach a decent weight on par with past performances - exactly what FutureFreak advises what not to do. I made the fatal mistake of dropping squats for 8-months [substituted with hack squats & leg presses] & presently, I find it difficult to 're-adjust' to the stress due to lack of condition in my lower back. . .very frustrating, but at the same time, I can only blame myself!

Quad exercises I perform these days are exclusively front/back squats [alternating 3 times per week]. . .there's no doubt I'll ever deviate from what I consider the ultimate exercise

 

[comedycentral]

Foe effective squatting such as Phil describes sitting back not just straight down it can be very beneficial to work on hip and ankle flexibility.

Another tip I find effective is when you grip the bar pull the elbows down and into the body to engage the lats, this creates a strong upper back shelf and helps keep the back upright.

You can stand and try it. Just imagine gripping a bar and then pull elbows down like you would be trying to bend the actual bar over your shoulders. You will feel a tightness in your back for stability.

One more thing pre squats I stretch my pecs which helps stop my shoulders rounding

 

[Crom]

I really like this idea of training more frequently and is something I have wanted to do for some time now. Could this be compared to how powerlifters train with squats, back, chest 3-6 days a week? Would a powerlifting routine suit someone trying to put on mass and not just strength?

 

[zachbean79]

Phil,

Do you squat with the bar high or low on your traps?

I'm tall and can squat heavier low bar but it does cause my upper body to bend more. with high bar it feels better on wrists and shoulders though.

appreciate all these great training thread. It's refreshing to be reminded just how simple training should be

 

[ajdonutz]

Phil,

Do you squat with the bar high or low on your traps?

I'm tall and can squat heavier low bar but it does cause my upper body to bend more. with high bar it feels better on wrists and shoulders though.

appreciate all these great training thread. It's refreshing to be reminded just how simple training should be

For bbing high bar is better for building leg mass. Low bar like you said you can squat more but it cause more upper body bend and takes tension off of legs. High bar with a rigid back keeps weight placement on the legs

 

[zachbean79]

For bbing high bar is better for building leg mass. Low bar like you said you can squat more but it cause more upper body bend and takes tension off of legs. High bar with a rigid back keeps weight placement on the legs

Thank you bro

 

[AlphaMaleDawg]

Call me crazy, but I feel like front squats really burn my quads better than back squats. Of course I do back squats with every workout as the main component, but I'll do front squats every other week or so. I agree with the chocking part though. Breathing is harder with them, but you feel like you killed yourself after.