Squats alone for legs?

SheerWill · 07-13-2007, 02:50 PM

My last couple of leg days, I have done some intense squatting and when i tried to do sl-deadlifts afterwards for hams they were impossible. As soon as i bent my knees a little they gave out and i almost fell to the ground. i took a couple mins rest and when i tried again i could hold myself up but my legs shook uncontrollably. im such a freeweight fanatic i forgot all about leg curls and the like, but my question is...

If done properly (extremely low) would squats alone be enough for complete (or at least proportionate) upper leg developement.

i dont want my quad strength and size to out-pace my hams.

TonySturch · 07-13-2007, 03:09 PM

Curious about this too. Based only on DOMS, I would say yes, or that it would at least get you close. I do calf raises along with squats twice weekly, with only some touchup work with leg extentions and curls from time to time. Usually the squats are enough to hammer the hammies as long as you go ATG or at least below parallel.

Black_Spit · 07-13-2007, 03:22 PM

For about a year I did squats, deadlifts and calf raises almost exclusively for legs... focusing on adding weight to the bar, and my legs development was better than ever.

Now, I'm doing squats, deadlifts and weighted step ups for legs, and the occasional calf work. I get compliments on my legs all the time/questions about how I work them(no horn-tooting/no homo)

Just my experiences with your question.

:::JMANN::: · 07-13-2007, 03:38 PM

my SLDL drop dramatically when i do them after squats, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do them, just use a weight that you can get the desired number of reps with. it doesn't matter what that weight is.

SheerWill · 07-13-2007, 07:44 PM

im pretty sure its not that i was using to much weight. i think its just due to the exhaustion of the quads, because my legs shook ridiculously whether or not i was even holding a weight.

thx for the input guys.

ktj4l · 07-13-2007, 08:19 PM

I assume you're doing deadlift on back days? That should hit your hams. Maybe you could put another exercise between squats and SLDL and try that on leg day? If SLDL is completely impossible, just do leg curls or something instead.

pkirk330 · 07-13-2007, 08:22 PM

I do SLDL after squats just about every workout and i have that problem sometimes too. Those are pretty much the only leg excersizes i do and my legs/glutes develop very well. I will do a couple sets of curls/extension burnouts at the end just for a little extra.

plaskowski2002 · 07-13-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SheerWill

My last couple of leg days, I have done some intense squatting and when i tried to do sl-deadlifts afterwards for hams they were impossible. As soon as i bent my knees a little they gave out and i almost fell to the ground. i took a couple mins rest and when i tried again i could hold myself up but my legs shook uncontrollably. im such a freeweight fanatic i forgot all about leg curls and the like, but my question is...

If done properly (extremely low) would squats alone be enough for complete (or at least proportionate) upper leg developement.

i dont want my quad strength and size to out-pace my hams.

that means you hit your quads like they are supposed to be hit! youve got nothing left. thats why i train hams on a different day and you should try to do the same imo.
for overall development you should throw in some hacks or front squats, leg presses lunges. if your really squating that hard id do squats every other workout and substitute with heavy leg presses imo.