Quad seperation question

[sstaulcup]

I am looking for more ideas from others that compete. What do you do for more Quad seperation? I am 10 days out from a show, I flex them and pose often, along with high reps in workouts, I do the stationary bike at high tension levels 2 - 20 minute sessions 6 days a week, and I walk with 20-30 yard sprint bursts thrown in with the walking for 6 miles 6 days a week. Any other suggestion or tips for Quads and when is your last Quad W/O before a show? Will it be okay to do bike and sprints right into the show? Thank you for any ideas.

Sincerely Steve

[bigswole30]

I recently read an article about flexing you quads for thirty seconds after every excercise, not just leg excercises. Also, make sure you stretch. Try running the sprints uphill.

[AussieTank]

Dont train your legs 7-10 days b4 the show and there will be more separtion. (i read that somewhere)

[Nicole]

The 7-10 days is pretty standard. If you train them closer to the show they will hold water. I also stop all cardio the last week and perform my final workout 3 days before the show. I am currently 2 days out from my show and am using this regime. It works!

[BigRig]

1. Make sure you do not pump your legs before going onstage. This is fine for other muscle groups but will destroy the cuts in your legs.
2. The last leg workout should be at least 7 days before the comp.
3. Taper the cardio off the last week.
4. Keep your legs elevated as much as possible prior to going onstage while at the show waiting for your class to go on.

The above suggestions will work fine for improving separation by manipulating fluid levels (i.e., subcutaneous water retention) in the legs. But none of them will work if your legs have fat remaining on them, so make sure you do your homework and are as lean as humanly possible.

Good luck.

[str8flexed]

Originally posted by BigRig
1. Make sure you do not pump your legs before going onstage. This is fine for other muscle groups but will destroy the cuts in your legs.
2. The last leg workout should be at least 7 days before the comp.
3. Taper the cardio off the last week.
4. Keep your legs elevated as much as possible prior to going onstage while at the show waiting for your class to go on.

The above suggestions will work fine for improving separation by manipulating fluid levels (i.e., subcutaneous water retention) in the legs. But none of them will work if your legs have fat remaining on them, so make sure you do your homework and are as lean as humanly possible.

Good luck.
\
i agree with 1-3... but how is 4 going to help you?

[AussieTank]

Whats with no cardio the week b4 comp, what are the reasons i mean ?

[freaker]

At both 2 weeks out and 1 week out, I perform the following leg workout. Warm up with 5 minutes on the bike. Do a light set of squats to warm up. Do a set of squats where it is tough to get 20 reps. Immediately follow it up with a triple drop set of hack squats(3 back-to-back sets). Immediately do a quadruple drop set of leg press(4 back-to-back sets). Immediately do a quadruple drop set of leg extensions. Rest 1 minute and do walking lunges. If you can do more than 25 walking lunges for each leg, rest for 1 minute and do a drop set(hold weights until you burn out and then do walking lunges until you burn out). After the walking lunges, do the exact same thing again starting from the squats(you use less weight the 2nd time around). Stretch for a few minutes and do the following circuit with no rest between exercises: Sitting calf raise, standing calf raise, lying leg curl, stiff-leg deadlifts using dumbbells. Rest 1 minute and do the calf/hamstring circuit again. Stretch for a few minutes and finish with 10 minutes on the bike.

[AussieTank]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Above Post

= Catabolic Mode

[ManofSteel]

What Show are you doing?

[sstaulcup]

Mid Illinois, in Ottawa Il. NPC

[BigRig]

Originally posted by str8flexed
\
i agree with 1-3... but how is 4 going to help you?

I always heard from trainers and such that gravity causes more fluid retention in the legs. By elevating them immediately before going backstage to pump up, the amount of fluid retention may be minimized.

Yes, it may be a stretch. But hey, why not prop up your feet and relax and if it helps with the leg cuts, great!

BigRig

[str8flexed]

Originally posted by AussieTank
Whats with no cardio the week b4 comp, what are the reasons i mean ?

working out a particular bodypart actually causes water retention in that area.
Peace

[str8flexed]

Originally posted by BigRig
I always heard from trainers and such that gravity causes more fluid retention in the legs. By elevating them immediately before going backstage to pump up, the amount of fluid retention may be minimized.

Yes, it may be a stretch. But hey, why not prop up your feet and relax and if it helps with the leg cuts, great!

BigRig

Uh, when you stand up that water (as if it actually leaves that area) will just fall right back down... sorry I always found this one to be a bit funny.

[freaker]

Originally posted by AussieTank
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Above Post

= Catabolic Mode

Outside of the warm-up and cool-down on the bike, I can do that workout in 30-40 minutes. I'd imagine my muscles have a pretty high mitochondrial content by the time I'm 2 weeks out, so they should be able to handle that kind of workout pretty well(predominantly works slow-twitch muscle fibers). It may be different for someone else, but I feel that workout has always worked well for me. It's short, it gets my heart rate up pretty high, and I'd think the stimulus could even elevate growth hormone levels. I've given you my logic of why I don't think it's catabolic, so I'm just wondering where is your logic in saying "Catabolic Mode"?

[willow]

i think the point has been missed. i would say keep off your feet as much as you can the day before and the morning of the contest so when you go on stage your legs are nice and rested.as for last training of legs i stop eleven days before but i am an old man and need longer to recover. as for seperation in quads if you have spent the last year just squatting aslong as it has been hard and you have dieted using your brain rather than some muscle mags 9000 cal a day cutting diet you will do just fine just enjoy the experience. good luck mate

[BigWard]

Originally posted by str8flexed
Uh, when you stand up that water (as if it actually leaves that area) will just fall right back down... sorry I always found this one to be a bit funny.

Yea...... I think that guy came up with that 'trick' from Sadek's precontest "day of the show" article. His trainer advised him to elevate his legs to get some water out of them. I guess it could be worth a try if you got nothing to do before prejudging.....

[jazon7]

HEY THAT DOES WORK.......I DO IT EVERYTIME ......IM THE ONLY ONE BACKSTAGE LAYING ON BACK......LOL......REALLY THOUGH IT DOES WORK

[Most Muscular]

First off.... high reps do NOT build definition.... biggest myth in the gym.

Second... when doing cardio do it at the LOWEST tension not the highest. cardio isn't meant to build your legs but rather to work up you heart.... go as fast as you can for a short period of time. Working your legs too much (especially with high reps) makes them into endurance legs.... do you want to look like a marathon runner up there or a bodybuilder? Proper diet, low bodyfat will bring out definition... if your legs are smooth you probably are not lean enough.

Third.... lay off the legs at least 7 - 10 days out... no leg workout 10 days out... no cardio 7 days out.... if the fat isn't gone by then brother it isn't going to be gone in a few days.

[sstaulcup]

Most Muscular, are you natural or on the juice in that picture. You look great!

Sincerely Steve

[Most Muscular]

Lifetime Natural

[sstaulcup]

great! keep up the nice work!

[BigWard]

I found doing the stationary bike, set so your legs are never locked out, have done wonders for my quads........

I was doing 40mins in the morning on the stationary bike for about 8 weeks.

[sstaulcup]

Quads look good, I like the bike as well.

Steve