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Has anybody got any decent exercises for the leg muscles. My running has gone to ratshit and I keep on getting injured because ive done no proper lower body exercise for ages.

One more thing, what is the average time between application and contact from the AFCO?

Leg presses, squats, deadlift.

- Pyramid style. 8 reps @ 50% of maximum wieght. 6 reps @ 75%. 3-4 reps @ 90%. 1 rep at 100%. 1 rep at a new max. 3-4 reps @80-90%. 6 reps @ 50%-75%. The "downhill" side of the pyramid will vary depending on how exhausted you got on the uphill and at the peak.

- 2x per week. If you want to train 3x a week, then do leg press and squats 2x a week, and deadlift and bench press 1x a week.

- Eat like crazy.

- Use weight belts, spotters and/or a safety rack. Be VERY, VERY careful about your back. Squats and deadlifts are great exercises but they can ruin your spine if you don't do them right and/or if you don't use safety equipment.

- A squat machine (lie on your back and press upward) is o.k., but free weight squats are always better.

- You'll have to use a machine for leg presses

Do not run while doing this routine, but do stretches before and after each gym session. A couple months on this is going to make you much stronger.

My rnning was ok, bt when it came to hills, both running and tabbing up them, my legs would be killing me and i would slow considerably!

I bought a road bike, about 3 months ago and started doing 3 or 4 hilly rides a week, on the bike for 1 1/2 - 3 hrs, and a long ride 45-55 miles on a sat am.........not so hilly.

But this has done wonderers for my leg strength and endurance, the same hills that i had to stop and walk up for a while, i run up with very little change in pace now, and as for tabbing, the extra endurance in my legs, has helped take about 8 mins off my CFT (8 miler, not the TA one) time.

I'm really glad this thread came up as I can continue from what I said in the 'How to do weight training properly' thread.

Be VERY, VERY careful about your back. Squats and deadlifts are great exercises but they can ruin your spine if you don't do them right and/or if you don't use safety equipment.

Squats and deadlifts are excellent leg exercises.

However if you are unfamiliar with them or are a beginner to weight training, you must, REPEAT, Must strenghten your core to a degree that it will be able to support yout spine properly.

Do this by:-

Bodyweight
Dorsal raises
Superman Flyes

Weighted
EZ bar good mornings

Those will take care of your back. Which in my view is the area that everyone tends to neglect. When considering it is used in nearly every movement the human body will ever go through, comes as a surprise to me.

Now you need to strenghten your abdominals to create an even balance in the core. For now I would concentrate on crunches for the upper abs and reverse crunches for the lower abs.

Oh yeah, this thread was about legs, am I going off track?; No I'm not, remember; the stronger the trunk the stronger the branches.

Once you think your core is strong enough, you can then go on to the major compound exercises.

Right "are you paying attention at the the back!" (no pun intended).

A few words about the squat, a'lot of people will tell you that the squat will damage your knees as it creates undue stress on them.

This is a load of nonsense, you will do more damage to your kness if you insist on using the leg extension/flexion machine, this causes undue stress because it is isolating either the quadracep/hamstring at the knees.

If you are new to the movement required for the squat, then your best bet is to become adapt at:


Hindu Squats, ever heard of these before, didnt think so! and until recently nor had I.

The Hindu squat is probably the best bodyweight exercise there is, not only because it strenghtes every muscle in the legs, but because it strenghtens and stabilisers the knee joint itself.

If you have had any knee problems such as runner's knee, then this exercsise will greatly help.

Now, how do you do it?. Go to the link at the bottom of this message as it provides pictures and a good description by stages.

Once you can perform 100 in relatively quick session and you have a strong core, you are now ready to move on to weighted squats. Start off slowly get used to the movement.

When you can squat your own bodyweight for 10 reps, then you have reached a pretty good goal.

As for deadlifts this should be your heaviest movement in the gym. If you can deadlift Twice your bodyweight for 1-2 reps, this again is very good going.

Anyone need any further advice post within this thread or PM me.







http://www.cbass.com/Furey.htm[/b]

Geez, how could I have forgotten about knee wraps in squats? You get a big Ace bandage for each knee and wrap 'em nice and tight. I forget whether I used them for deadlifts as well. And ayone who doesn't use a weightbelt for squats and deadlifts is asking for it.

Do some light running and build it up while doing the exercises listed above. You dont have to go full on when you hit the track, its like weights you start on light weghits & then build up to the heavy weights.