Legs Exhausted

[BillyBobJimboJr]

Most days I feel great after workouts but some days my legs feel exhausted to the point that they feel like jelly from the knee down. Well, not really jelly but weak. Is this an age thing? I've only been going to the gym for a few months and have only noticed this a few times.

My workout schedule: Sat, Sun, Tue, Thur.

The leg exercise is riding stationary bike 25 minutes as a warmup at the beginning and 15 minutes at the end of the workout. Usually about 10 or 11 miles.

I just turned 37 yesterday.

[magic15]

25 minutes is a long warmup, anyway your legs feeling like jelly... I don't think its an age thing probably just a great workout

[HoosierHardGain]

Your leg "workout" is riding a stationary bike? That isn't leg work...that's cardio.

[BillyBobJimboJr]

Your leg "workout" is riding a stationary bike? That isn't leg work...that's cardio.

Not to be a smart ass but I'm working my legs therefore it's a leg workout.

All my workouts are cardio. Even my weight training exercises I treat as a cardio workouts because I do circuit training style workouts with little to no breaks between sets.

I see a lot of guys at the gym standing around between sets texting or talking and not even breaking a sweat the entire time they're there. I'm drenched in sweat by the time I'm finished.

[HoosierHardGain]

Not to be a smart ass but I'm working my legs therefore it's a leg workout.

All my workouts are cardio. Even my weight training exercises I treat as a cardio workouts because I do circuit training style workouts with little to no breaks between sets.

I see a lot of guys at the gym standing around between sets texting or talking and not even breaking a sweat the entire time they're there. I'm drenched in sweat by the time I'm finished.

Ok, great, you're sweating....hats off for that. But again, riding a stationary bike is NOT a leg workout. It is cardio. Sure you could build up muscular endurance with it, but you won't increase muscle mass or stength.

[BillyBobJimboJr]

Ok, great, you're sweating....hats off for that. But again, riding a stationary bike is NOT a leg workout. It is cardio. Sure you could build up muscular endurance with it, but you won't increase muscle mass or stength.

You're pulling things off topic from my original post but I'm not looking for muscle mass anyways as I'm trying to tone and strengthen my legs which riding a bike does do.

[johnnymalkavius]

Sounds like a result of a lot of biking man. Same kinda feeling you get after jumping on a trampoline or running on a treadmill too long.

[HoosierHardGain]

You're pulling things off topic from my original post but I'm not looking for muscle mass anyways as I'm trying to tone and strengthen my legs which riding a bike does do.

Nope. You stated your leg workout was riding a stationary bike, and I said that isn't a leg workout.

But fine. You want to strengthen your legs? Look around on here for a number of good leg workouts that will do the job.

[Capt_Lou]

Not to be a smart ass but I'm working my legs therefore it's a leg workout.

^^^^^^^^^^WTF????^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I just ate lunch so I just got a Jaw workout and my right arm got worked out since I was bring the fork to my mouth..

Oh BTW I walked from the car to my desk so I was doing a leg workout there too.

[ironwill2008]

You're pulling things off topic from my original post but I'm not looking for muscle mass anyways as I'm trying to tone and strengthen my legs which riding a bike does do.

If your goal is to strengthen your legs, riding an exercise bike is about the last thing you should be doing.

[BillyBobJimboJr]

Okay, I'm riding the bike for cardio which I enjoy. I warm up with that then weights then back to the bike to finish off my workout.

I don't deny it's a cardio workout but I am in fact working my legs right? I mean, I'm sure as hell not using my arms so it kind of seems to me that it's a leg workout.

Damn, such a hostile crowd. I say one word that's maybe not considered exactly correct and here comes the bashing. WTF?

[ironwill2008]

Okay, I'm riding the bike for cardio which I enjoy. I warm up with that then weights then back to the bike to finish off my workout.

I don't deny it's a cardio workout but I am in fact working my legs right? I mean, I'm sure as hell not using my arms so it kind of seems to me that it's a leg workout.

Damn, such a hostile crowd. I say one word that's maybe not considered exactly correct and here comes the bashing. WTF?

I don't see any 'hostility' ITT, only people attempting to help someone with seemingly misplaced effort.

[BillyBobJimboJr]

I don't see any 'hostility' ITT, only people attempting to help someone with seemingly misplaced effort.

Misplaced effort?

What does that mean?

[HoosierHardGain]

Okay, I'm riding the bike for cardio which I enjoy. I warm up with that then weights then back to the bike to finish off my workout.

I don't deny it's a cardio workout but I am in fact working my legs right? I mean, I'm sure as hell not using my arms so it kind of seems to me that it's a leg workout.

Damn, such a hostile crowd. I say one word that's maybe not considered exactly correct and here comes the bashing. WTF?

Not trying to be hostile, but you also have to consider your audience. The site is called "BodyBuilding.com" so most of us will look at problems from that angle, through weight training.

[ironwill2008]

Misplaced effort?

What does that mean?

Not yet quite sure whether you're trolling or just totally uninformed, but either way, I'm done here.



Good luck meeting your fitness goals for 2013.

[BillyBobJimboJr]

Not trying to be hostile, but you also have to consider your audience. The site is called "BodyBuilding.com" so most of us will look at problems from that angle, through weight training.

I came to this site because it seems to be the main one that pops up when looking for fitness advice. I came here for help and advice but get hassled about small things like what is considered a "workout" or not instead of help for the actual topic I posted.

[orangegoblin]

Okay, I'm riding the bike for cardio which I enjoy. I warm up with that then weights then back to the bike to finish off my workout.

I don't deny it's a cardio workout but I am in fact working my legs right? I mean, I'm sure as hell not using my arms so it kind of seems to me that it's a leg workout.

Damn, such a hostile crowd. I say one word that's maybe not considered exactly correct and here comes the bashing. WTF?

It is always best to learn the social culture of an online community (or sub-community here in the O35) before entering it with posts and threads. Especially in subcultural stuff, whether it's bodybuilding, Jeep owners, gun owners, cops, or whomever.

I think that because this is a bodybuilding forum, when most people refer to leg workouts here it is assumed that the post will be about a heavy squat workout. Then, when it was pointed out that stationary bike workouts don't really qualify as "leg workouts" (at least not to those who used to the jelly-legs that can come after an intense bombing of squats or sumo deadlifts or whatever), you made a post about other people in the gym (assuming weightlifters?) lolly gagging around in the gym between sets and not even becoming "drenched in sweat."

So, it could sound like you are saying that lifters are lazy slobs who lounge around the gym and only the cardio guys are really working out. I'm not saying that is what you intended to say or that is what you believe. I personally do not think that it is. I am only trying to give you the social context here.

I didn't take offense to that, but I can see how others here might. Part of it too is that we quite often get new posters here who insist that they don't want to become "bulky;" or get "too big;" (as if they have to be very careful or they could easily out-mass everyone here who has been lifting for years) and basically come across as insulting to those here who do want to lift weights and gain mass as part of our personal goals. They don't mean to be insulting, but it can be perceived that way.

I think that is what you ran into. Best of luck in your training goals, whatever they may be. There are some great people here and you can learn a lot if you hang around.

[magic15]

It is always best to learn the social culture of an online community (or sub-community here in the O35) before entering it with posts and threads. Especially in subcultural stuff, whether it's bodybuilding, Jeep owners, gun owners, cops, or whomever.

I think that because this is a bodybuilding forum, when most people refer to leg workouts here it is assumed that the post will be about a heavy squat workout. Then, when it was pointed out that stationary bike workouts don't really qualify as "leg workouts" (at least not to those who used to the jelly-legs that can come after an intense bombing of squats or sumo deadlifts or whatever), you made a post about other people in the gym (assuming weightlifters?) lolly gagging around in the gym between sets and not even becoming "drenched in sweat."

So, it could sound like you are saying that lifters are lazy slobs who lounge around the gym and only the cardio guys are really working out. I'm not saying that is what you intended to say or that is what you believe. I personally do not think that it is. I am only trying to give you the social context here.

I didn't take offense to that, but I can see how others here might. Part of it too is that we quite often get new posters here who insist that they don't want to become "bulky;" or get "too big;" (as if they have to be very careful or they could easily out-mass everyone here who has been lifting for years) and basically come across as insulting to those here who do want to lift weights and gain mass as part of our personal goals. They don't mean to be insulting, but it can be perceived that way.

I think that is what you ran into. Best of luck in your training goals, whatever they may be. There are some great people here and you can learn a lot if you hang around.

^^^^This. Might want to read thru this a few times op

[therosts]

it is always best to learn the social culture of an online community (or sub-community here in the o35) before entering it with posts and threads. Especially in subcultural stuff, whether it's bodybuilding, jeep owners, gun owners, cops, or whomever.

I think that because this is a bodybuilding forum, when most people refer to leg workouts here it is assumed that the post will be about a heavy squat workout. Then, when it was pointed out that stationary bike workouts don't really qualify as "leg workouts" (at least not to those who used to the jelly-legs that can come after an intense bombing of squats or sumo deadlifts or whatever), you made a post about other people in the gym (assuming weightlifters?) lolly gagging around in the gym between sets and not even becoming "drenched in sweat."

so, it could sound like you are saying that lifters are lazy slobs who lounge around the gym and only the cardio guys are really working out. I'm not saying that is what you intended to say or that is what you believe. I personally do not think that it is. I am only trying to give you the social context here.

I didn't take offense to that, but i can see how others here might. Part of it too is that we quite often get new posters here who insist that they don't want to become "bulky;" or get "too big;" (as if they have to be very careful or they could easily out-mass everyone here who has been lifting for years) and basically come across as insulting to those here who do want to lift weights and gain mass as part of our personal goals. They don't mean to be insulting, but it can be perceived that way.

I think that is what you ran into. Best of luck in your training goals, whatever they may be. There are some great people here and you can learn a lot if you hang around.

this..............

[quietchef]

To sum up what others have said.... Yes, you're working your legs. You are training your cardiovascular system and your legs for endorance. Look at a marathon runner, do you envy those toothpicks of legs? If yes, then keep doing what you're doing. You want to WORK your legs and get strong? Then stick around and learn.

[tobymax123]

You're pulling things off topic from my original post but I'm not looking for muscle mass anyways as I'm trying to tone and strengthen my legs which riding a bike does do.

If you want to strengthen your legs you're going to have to add muscle mass to them. It doesn't have to be the massive muscle of a pro bodybuilder, but muscles = strength & tone.

I'm not a huge massive guy, but my leg workout involves weights. When I do a heavy (for me) set of squats, then yeah, I stand around for a couple of minutes which lets my leg muscles rest up to go heavy again on the next set. I used to think the exact same thing as you, that I would get my cardio from not resting between sets. Giving up that idea finally helped me see the light. Now my legs and everything else are stronger and more toned. Cardio workouts are done separately.

If you are new to fitness and training, your viewpoint is understandable. You're probably off to a good start, and if you were previously out of shape you are to be commended for doing something about it. Now, to continue towards your goal of getting more toned and stronger, it's time to start thinking more like a weight trainer. Keep up the cardio for heart health and endurance, not for toning and strengthening.