January 2004
Leg training
Hi Emmanuela,
I like your new website -- it is very graceful! I hope your
school is going good.
Can you please give an idea of challenging leg routine. I
have tried so many things -- high reps, low reps, etc., but my legs are still lagging in
thickness and shape. I want them to grow big!
Thanks,
Valla
Hi Valla,
Everybody has an area or body part that doesn't respond
as well as others to some training techniques -- but don't lose hope! You say you've tried
high reps and low reps, but there are other things that you can experiment with. Also,
keep in mind that you need to eat properly to grow. Assuming that you are getting your
daily requirements of protein, carbs, and fat, we'll now try to devise a workout that
might help. I can only give good advice on what I personally do. It may not work for you,
but it's worth a try.
For myself, I train legs once a week. I always do some
compound movements and some isolation movements. I'll write out a sample workout for you
to try and see how that works for you.
Keep in mind: start with a lighter weight to warm up
the tissue and get the blood to the target muscle, then increase the weight with each set
and always go to failure. On the fourth set, decrease the weight and do higher reps until
failure. Be sure to stretch the area after each set. Perform each repetition in a smooth
and controlled fashion -- don't jerk the weight. Try to pause for a few seconds in the
contracted position. If you find that you need to use momentum to lift, don't be afraid to
lower the weight until you can do the movement with control, and then you can gradually
increase the weight with each consecutive workout. Give this six weeks and let me know how
it works for you.
Exercise I recommend:
- Squats
- Leg press
- Leg extensions
- Leg curls
- Wide-leg squats
Thanks for writing, and I hope to hear from you soon,
Emmanuela
Needs inspiration
Emmanuela,
I'm also a student, and although I've been eating clean and
training hard for years, my intensity and motivation is starting to wane. Ever experience
this? What have you done in the past to refocus? Is it just too much work and too many egg
whites?
Thanks. You continue to inspire.
Jason
Hi Jason,
I'm glad to hear you're in school and are still trying
to keep your workouts in perspective. It does take a little bit juggling things around,
but that's what life is about.
In my 11 years of working out, I've had quite a few
times where the motivation was completely gone. I actually went six months without
training once! That was about six years ago.
I've learned that when you feel like you don't want to
train, just listen to your body -- you will always eventually get back into it. It’s
kinds of like the saying, "If you love something let it go. If it comes back to you,
it's yours forever." Okay, well...not really, but you get the idea. I've noticed that
I feel I need a break every five months or so -- it lasts about a week or two, and I just
take that time to relax.
I know you know in your heart that you love to train,
and nothing is going to stop you from doing it. Lack of motivation is a passing thing, so
take a few weeks and rest, just do cardio, do lighter weights, don’t do as many
workouts, don’t go as long, or do nothing at all. When you get back in the gym
seriously you'll feel great and your muscles will actually grow faster because they had
the time to recuperate. Listen to your body and you'll be fine. Just make sure you do get
back in there eventually -- but I know you will.
Thanks for writing,
Emmanuela
Drugs and bodybuilding
Hi Emmanuela,
I hope that I can ask one more question. I don't know what
supplements to take, but some people in the gym tell me that if I am serious I must
consider drugs. Is this true? It scares me because everything I read about drugs appears
to have very bad side effects, particularly for women. I'm more interested in being
healthy.
Tammy
Hi Tammy,
Well, I knew this question would come up eventually.
It's to be expected. Bodybuilding and steroid use are synonymous in most minds. However, I
personally have never used any type of steroids or other drugs for bodybuilding -- but
that's just me. You have to weigh the pros and cons and see if it's right for you.
Sure, it would be nice to have the gains that would
naturally take a year, in only two months, but do you really want a beard? Be infertile?
Have a deep, masculine voice? Maybe male-pattern baldness? How about liver damage? The
list goes on and on.
Now, I'm not "against" it, and if you decide
to do it just be careful and try to get as much info as possible, preferably from someone
who's gone through it. But in my experience I've found that training consistently and
dieting properly were enough. Sure it's a little harder, but it's up to you.
The "people" in the gym are telling you that
you "need" it if you're serious? Well, what's "serious"? Serious to me
means training hard, eating good, and not letting others tell you what you
"should" be doing. On the other hand, if you intend to be Ms. Olympia one day, I
think there is no other alternative but to go the steroid route. But, again, like I said,
that must be a personal choice, and only YOU know what you want, and what lengths you will
go to get it.
As for supplements, there are many excellent choices.
I've had great results from creatine. I've also used glutamine while dieting, and of
course, protein powder. Make sure to take enough vitamins, too. A multivitamin is good,
plus extra Vitamin C, E, and B.
Good luck with your decision, but please take time to
think it through and don't let anyone tell you what you "need" -- especially
when you know the consequences. You're the one who has to live with it in the end.
Take care,
Emmanuela
