I just don't get it!!

[XX400EX]

Hello today i did legs and i always start off with squats. And everyone was looking at me like im crazy lol. I hardly see folks training legs period at the gym and when they do its machines only. Why are folks skipping there legs? Don't they realize you need a strong foundation? There is some who wont do full range of motion too on there lifts. Theres even one guy who uses wrist straps for 90 lb lat pulls. But i bite the bullet and do my workouts and keep my mouth shut. Maybe ill set an example and some will train proper. Thanks for listening needed to vent some.

[GoOrange]

Originally Posted by XX400EX

Hello today i did legs and i always start off with squats. And everyone was looking at me like im crazy lol. I hardly see folks training legs period at the gym and when they do its machines only. Why are folks skipping there legs? Don't they realize you need a strong foundation? There is some who wont do full range of motion too on there lifts. Theres even one guy who uses wrist straps for 90 lb lat pulls. But i bite the bullet and do my workouts and keep my mouth shut. Maybe ill set an example and some will train proper. Thanks for listening needed to vent some.

That's just the way it goes. No one trains legs anymore - they're not 'mirror muscles', the ones that look pretty when you stare at yourself in the mirror. Instead they just stand near the mirrored wall and do curl after curl after curl.

And those people think - Why bother doing full range of motion? You can lift a lot more weight and look so much cooler if you just jiggle the bar back and forth an inch or so. All the really cool guys use wrist straps for every exercise possible, especially when going heavy and using 90 lbs on the lat pulls.

[Ford_Power]

Training the legs, which is a subject hotly contested before, is hard work when you do squats, stiff-leg deadlifts or Romanian deads, heavy leg pressing and such. Not many people want to do that kind of work - they'd rather just use the extension machine or the ham curls machine and go on. I have one guy who says openly "I just use the resistance of the elliptical machine, I don't train legs at all." and he has chicken legs in my view.

Honestly - going by what I've seen when it comes to form is that not everyone is as "into it" as many of us - either the "recreational" or competitive bb'er - and they don't feel that hitting the weights properly is as big a deal as we all do.

BTW - I use straps for my lat pulls sometimes too, but it serves a purpose...I loosen up my hand grip a little so I can really focus on pulling with the lats instead. Sometimes I get in the habit of using my arms too much, and this helps me direct the focus where it needs to be. I sort of doubt that's what the guy in your gym was doing though from the description.

[Mortum]

Originally Posted by XX400EX

Hello today i did legs and i always start off with squats. And everyone was looking at me like im crazy lol. I hardly see folks training legs period at the gym and when they do its machines only. Why are folks skipping there legs? Don't they realize you need a strong foundation? There is some who wont do full range of motion too on there lifts. Theres even one guy who uses wrist straps for 90 lb lat pulls. But i bite the bullet and do my workouts and keep my mouth shut. Maybe ill set an example and some will train proper. Thanks for listening needed to vent some.

Lack of knowledge most likely...that or they're just plain stupid.

[Mafioso76]

They are upper body visualizers......no sense of how, much less what their legs would look like, if they actually worked them out.....

[namtrag]

people don't train legs because it hurts.

[boodog]

Just got back from the gym...Leg day...Heavy Squats on the Smith Machine...toe raises...can hardly walk........My wife is a leg girl...so while I enjoy lifting heavy upper body...I always do legs...gotta keep momma happy...

[Strongbadia]

You know, I do not get it either. I love these guys who work out in the gym and get "big" muscles on their torso and arms, but their legs look like pipe cleaners. Also, a lot of gyms really do not have many places for squats - at least a lot of the ones I have been to in my area. Sure, there a couple of stations, but not enough for many people to be doing them. I guess that is fine for me because it allows me to do mine.

The thing I do not get is how men and women get in shape when the muscle I see them working the most often is their mouth. They do a set and talk for 20 minutes to their gym buddies. And I wonder how they got in the shape they are in or if they hit a level and they just decided to not work hard.

It drives me crazy because they all huddle around the pulley machines and I have to either wait or ask to get in. Its just good etiquette to me to not monopolize something. But, that is another rant.

[bigwave916]

I just don't get it either. There are a lot of people training legs in the gym where I work out. Lots of heavy leg presses and squats on a sled looking apparatus. I don't know what to call it but it's not an eliptical/nautilus type but a seat and shoulder pads to be used with free wieghts.

What I see that I just don't get is what looks like super heavy weights being cheated by getting the weight moving with some other body part like legs or back. Example: Hammer curls where the person leans forward then jerks back to get the weight moving . The same guys do a lot of reps in like 1/3rd the total range of motion.

The other maneuver that cracks me up is the guy who thinks that if he doesn't slam the weight stack or drop the barbell with a loud bang that no one will notice him.

I don't know enough myself to be say anything to anybody and it really isn't any of my business, but from time to time I wonder if I'm the guy who is doing it wrong. I think I've detected a snicker or two when I'm curling a 10lb dumbell. I just tell myself that the guy who is getting a laugh out of it doesn't know that it's my 8th set to failure on biceps that day.

[tolewfo]

Originally Posted by bigwave916

I just don't get it either. There are a lot of people training legs in the gym where I work out. Lots of heavy leg presses and squats on a sled looking apparatus. I don't know what to call it but it's not an eliptical/nautilus type but a seat and shoulder pads to be used with free wieghts.

That sounds like a Hack Squat machine... I used it Tuesday during my leg workout. And, yes, I am sore... It's a good machine.

Oh, and let the haters hate and laugh all they want about the weights you are using. It's not their body but yours. Everyone goes at their own tempo in the marathon.

[ntrllftr]

Originally Posted by XX400EX

Maybe ill set an example and some will train proper.

Nope!
Even if Ronnie Coleman himself gave a lecture at your gym, people are gonna do what they want no matter what.

[excelguru]

Thankfully, I belong to what I like to call a "lifter's gym". Quite a few guys in there hit legs on a regular basis, but it still surprises me how many of them don't (or barely) hit legs. Some of them honestly just don't care about it.

I always start with squats then leg press, leg extensions and leg curls in that order. I go very heavy (for my body weight) and have created somewhat of a reputation in the gym for my leg routines. I'm usually sore for about 5 days if I do everything right. I hit calves on a different day.

I grew up with bird legs most of my life and I developed a complex about it. So in my mind, my legs are NEVER big enough or strong enough. Hitting them hard is a self-imposed requirement.

Mirror muscles... I like that term. I'll have to remember that one.

[billrich210]

I have noticed lately that other guys benching are using 2 and 3 times the weight I use and doing 4 inch reps. Set after set, and never doing even one rep for full ROM. I only do full ROM. Am I missing something?

[excelguru]

Originally Posted by billrich210

I have noticed lately that other guys benching are using 2 and 3 times the weight I use and doing 4 inch reps. Set after set, and never doing even one rep for full ROM. I only do full ROM. Am I missing something?

No. They are.

[buff_dad_dy]

I, in a way train legs everyday via work. Not huge but very good size.I by no means have chicken legs. Two reasons why i shy away from them heavily in the gym most sessions is:
1) Had MRI done and confirmed that both my knees have torn miniscus' requiring surgery at some point (winter) which i probably had for at least the past two years.

2) It kills me having to walk/jog 20+km daily with said tears' coupled with DOMS.Not good!

When knees are back to snuff i will train them.I do little bits here and there to keep them in check with my upper body.Right now my legs and knees put food on the table and a roof over my families head while training legs does not. For myself it is not a life ending moment not doing them.I am in better shape than most people i know my age and younger.

[kcmoto]

I work my legs every week...I have a routine....not that that is important but it keeps me disciplined....Sometimes I flex my quads or calves in the mirror at the gym...I think the floresent lighting gives off good light to show definition....sometimes I do it to make a point to some of the other lifters that dont work their legs. I have told this to a few people that I have that nod and wave relationship with and in a nice way "that the secret to bigger arms are bigger legs." They look at me quizically. I smile.

[RussianNick]

Originally Posted by Ford_Power

Training the legs, which is a subject hotly contested before, is hard work when you do squats, stiff-leg deadlifts or Romanian deads, heavy leg pressing and such. Not many people want to do that kind of work - they'd rather just use the extension machine or the ham curls machine and go on. I have one guy who says openly "I just use the resistance of the elliptical machine, I don't train legs at all." and he has chicken legs in my view.

Honestly - going by what I've seen when it comes to form is that not everyone is as "into it" as many of us - either the "recreational" or competitive bb'er - and they don't feel that hitting the weights properly is as big a deal as we all do.

BTW - I use straps for my lat pulls sometimes too, but it serves a purpose...I loosen up my hand grip a little so I can really focus on pulling with the lats instead. Sometimes I get in the habit of using my arms too much, and this helps me direct the focus where it needs to be. I sort of doubt that's what the guy in your gym was doing though from the description.

this

[RussianNick]

Originally Posted by excelguru

No. They are.

nope they def arent

[MACHZ]

Maybe it's just me but to be honest I have no idea what others are doing as I am focused on my workout...

[joatmon]

Originally Posted by billrich210

I have noticed lately that other guys benching are using 2 and 3 times the weight I use and doing 4 inch reps. Set after set, and never doing even one rep for full ROM. I only do full ROM. Am I missing something?

Bill,

Yep. An ego the size of Kansas.

Take care,

joat

[excelguru]

Originally Posted by RussianNick

nope they def arent

Yes, they definitely are. They're missing quite a bit. Bill isn't missing anything, though. (Except for the ego as previously stated.)

[theKurp]

Originally Posted by buff_dad_dy

Two reasons why i shy away from them heavily in the gym most sessions is:
1) Had MRI done and confirmed that both my knees have torn miniscus' requiring surgery at some point (winter) which i probably had for at least the past two years.

2) It kills me having to walk/jog 20+km daily with said tears' coupled with DOMS.Not good!

I'll see your torn meniscus and raise you a torn ACL.

Done properly, squats and deadlifts will increase stability in your knees and reduce joint pain from cartilage damage, arthritis, and in my case, a missing ACL. That's been my experience and there's a ton of data to support this. Just Google "knee pain exercise".

In fact, strengthening the muscles in my legs has allowed me to avoid surgery all together.

[XX400EX]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Now i feel better at least there is folks like us who believe in working the total package.

[swark]

I must be lucky. The gym I go to is only fairly small, but it has three squat racks, and at least one is always in use. I go to the gym in my lunchhour and there is a consistent group of around 10 of us that all seem to train at around the same time. We range in age from probably 20 to 60, but all of us squat and deadlift.

[mikieson]

If its not arms or seeing how much you can bench....MOST people arent worried about it. I hate doing legs BUT I love doing legs.....It just feels like you actually did something.

[phigg]

The irony is, of course, that well developed legs probably contribute more to a guy's sex appeal than upper body (if that's even why they're lifting - but it's a popular one).
Numerous polls show that the first bodily-physical attribute a woman will look at on a guy's body is his butt, and a "nice" butt doesn't happen from bench presses and curls.
Those guys just don't think about that, I guess, I mean, legs/ass are an incredibly important part of a woman's physique when it comes to their perceived sexiness, so why wouldn't that work in a guy's case as well? Pecs, biceps, and even six pack abs are not "list toppers", reportedly.

If lifting from a pure strength perspective, there's still irony there, as leg work contributes to a strong core and cardiovascular system. "nuff said.

Ah well, what ya gonna do?

BTW, OP - it's spelled "weakness", not "weekness".

[bikes4u]

OP--I think they start training their upper body then they get too intimidated by having to start at ground zero with their legs. We have guys at the gym that have little itty bitty calves that look like maybe they have something physically wrong with them but I know its just becuz they don't train legs. Looks funny to me.

[G8GXP]

OP - I use straps/hooks to counter my tendonitis in one of my elbows. Without the straps my grip on one hand fails well before the target muscle. If you have not suffered injuries, consider yourself lucky.

If you are going to critic people, at least critic the people that refuse to exercise at all, not the ones that actually in the gym doing trying to exercise, be it with partial reps, straps, or not doing high risk exercises (like ATG squats).

[beerbar]

Just uninformed I'd say. If your looking to lose weight, legs is a pretty good place to start IMO. Biggest muscles reside here, bigger muscle burn more calories.

I also agree with posters above, squats are hard work, most people don't even break a sweat, why would they even think of squats.

[tolewfo]

Originally Posted by mikieson

I hate doing legs BUT I love doing legs.....It just feels like you actually did something.

I can fully understand why at times people don't like doing legs. Right now I am on day 4 after my leg day and I still feel sore. But, I'll still do them.