Olympic speed skaters - Legs!

[Justinmoo]

I am dieing to know, if anyone has any idea what these athletes do for their legs.. but my god are they huge. Is it all the ice time that they get? I'm mad jealous lol Possibly steroids as well?

[bigtallox]

I am dieing to know, if anyone has any idea what these athletes do for their legs.. but my god are they huge. Is it all the ice time that they get? I'm mad jealous lol Possibly steroids as well?

Please post a video or image of these huge speed skater legs. I've searched youtube and can't really find very much. I found this one...



At 0:13 is shows a close up of his legs, they look pretty skinny to me, ie my powerlifting buddies would put those legs to shame, lol.

[Justinmoo]

ADD /www4/ to the front of this .pictures.gi.zimbio.com/ISU+Single+Distances+Speed+Skating+Championship+44 W8OXws7-nl.jpg
Purrttty large.

cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jezebel/2009/09/speed_skater.jpg

[r_graz]

A lot of the short track specialists seem to be lighter and have less bulky leg development. Some of the longer distance skaters are bigger (like US skater Chad Hedrick). I think one reason speed skaters' legs seem particularly big is the relatively little upper body development. Look at guys like Ohno or Celski - their legs are not "huge", but big compared to the relative lack of muscle mass up top.

I think it's funny how we see these "how do I get huge legs?" threads right around the winter Olympics when speed skating is front and center. Compare that to the other 11.5 months of the year when all you see is "I don't want to squat because I don't want big, ugly powerlifter legs"

[Justinmoo]

lol yeah, i do heavy squat workouts lol so I guess it is kind of a stupid post but i was just shocked at these skaters legs. You are probably right about the illusion though, never thought of that haha

[JZ1986]

Same illusion with most cyclists. Watch any big bike race and the legs look huge, but a tiny withered upper body.

Some of the other racers like those guys that race on the oval (velodrome?) track just sprinting really do have huge legs though.

[twondastinct]

For the workouts which are done by speed skaters, I've learned that even though I have 27" thighs and can deep squat over 500lbs raw(NO knee wraps or squat suit).. You have to condition the legs for an improved lactic acid threshold while mainting strength and maintain the fast twitch fibers funtionality. The squat postion which they hold while skating naturally inspire growth in there legs being that they are doing single leg squats and lunges into each turn.

check on my profile and watch my video.... p.s. it requires flexibility which will also change appearance in thighs.

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I am dieing to know, if anyone has any idea what these athletes do for their legs.. but my god are they huge. Is it all the ice time that they get? I'm mad jealous lol Possibly steroids as well?

[esoxhntr]

Here's an article on how one train(ed)

http://journal.monkeybargym.com/boar...ad/199/?page=1[/QUOTE]