How many sets and reps for legs?

[dayrone150]

Hey everyone. I'm trying to get big legs or at least keep them proportional with my upper body. For legs I'm doing back squats, seated/standing calf raises, seated hamstring leg curls, lunges, and leg press. How many reps and sets should I do for each one?

[Boxingfella]

Since you are asking I assume you do not have a program you are following.

That's your issue

[dayrone150]

Since you are asking I assume you do not have a program you are following.

That's your issue

Know of any great leg programs? I'm satisfied with my gains from my upper body exercises so I guess I only need one for legs. By the way, what does the green and red bar under our profile pic stand for? And why is yours red and mines green?

[magician27]

4 sets squats , 3 set leg press , 3 set stiff legged deadlifts , 3 set leg curl would be sufficient

[alobri3]

Everyone will differ here, but personally I feel the legs respond to squats the best. All other exercises don't do much for me, so I don't even waste time. Squats with relative high reps, drop sets. 10-15 rep range seems best. You will not look pretty doing it, lower eight and all, but it works. I usually do about 8 sets (sometimes a bit more or less) and pyramid up. Last 3 sets are drop sets.

I suggest you pick a few ideas and run with each for at least a month. See what works for you best and stick to it.

[chriswatton66]

For Squats, I usually do 3 sets in the 8-12 rep range, followed by another 3 sets in the 3-6 rep range, followed by a drop set or two of 8-12 reps
Lunges - 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Hamstring Curls - 4 sets of 12-20 reps
Calf raises - 5 sets of 15+ reps
SLDL - 3 sets of 4-10 reps

[yaboymvp]

For Squats, I usually do 3 sets in the 8-12 rep range, followed by another 3 sets in the 3-6 rep range, followed by a drop set or two of 8-12 reps
Lunges - 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Hamstring Curls - 4 sets of 12-20 reps
Calf raises - 5 sets of 15+ reps
SLDL - 3 sets of 4-10 reps

do this for big legs.

[NZninja101]

Ultimately the best thing for your legs currently would possibly be 3X5/5X5 three times a week with linear progression until that stalls, followed by a similar setup with a slightly lighter day and once a week progression. Once you're past that point and would realistically benefit from numerous leg exercises, I'd recommend this kind of range with regard to reps in the sense that anything within this range is probably worth doing at some point or another in your training - preferably in a periodized fashion which makes programming sense.

back squats

3 to 10.

seated/standing calf raises,

No comment. I've long since given up on calves. Unless you're a serious bodybuilder they're not worth the time investment just so they can grow half an inch in 3 years.

seated hamstring leg curls

5 to 12.

lunges

4 to 12, (per leg).

leg press

6 to 15.


The number of sets you do should be one that allows you to perform your leg lifts multiple times a week without performing so much work that you lose more than, say, 10% of your peak strength due to fatigue in a very short time of training, but enough work so that you require some kind of deload every 6-8 weeks to prevent you from slipping too deep into overreaching IMO.

[dayrone150]

Ultimately the best thing for your legs currently would possibly be 3X5/5X5 three times a week with linear progression until that stalls, followed by a similar setup with a slightly lighter day and once a week progression. Once you're past that point and would realistically benefit from numerous leg exercises, I'd recommend this kind of range with regard to reps in the sense that anything within this range is probably worth doing at some point or another in your training - preferably in a periodized fashion which makes programming sense.





3 to 10.





No comment. I've long since given up on calves. Unless you're a serious bodybuilder they're not worth the time investment just so they can grow half an inch in 3 years.






5 to 12.





4 to 12, (per leg).





6 to 15.


The number of sets you do should be one that allows you to perform your leg lifts multiple times a week without performing so much work that you lose more than, say, 10% of your peak strength due to fatigue in a very short time of training, but enough work so that you require some kind of deload every 6-8 weeks to prevent you from slipping too deep into overreaching IMO.

Thank you very much. Very helpful. I really don't know what's up with calves.

[BJP2k14]

Train calfs.