Leg Day is Absolutely Killing Me

meths

meths

meths

Soldato
Joined
12 Mar 2005
Posts
4,369
I've been in Push/Pull/Legs at the gym for about 6 months now and am seeing some good results but my god, leg days are brutal.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm doing too much volume across my two leg workouts. Generally I'm close to failure in the last set of each exercise and am progressively overloading next time if I hit the numbers on a session.

Leg Day 1
Squat 3 sets x 8 reps
Hip Thrusts 3 x 15
Split Squat 2x 10 ---> Dying from this point on
Split Squat Contralateral 2x10
Glute Ham Raise 3x15
Standing Calf Raise 3 x 8
Seated Calf Raise 3 x12 ---> Staring to recover about here.

Leg Day 2
Front Squat 3 x 8
Deadlift 3 x 8 ---> Dying from set 2
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 12
Lying Leg Curl (single leg) 4 x 12 ---> Starting to recover from set 2
Hip Adduction 3 x 12
Hip Abduction 3 x 12
Seated Calf Raise 3 x 12

I think I've answered my own question because as I type that out I'm thinking that looks like too much :D

Is it, or is it just that squats and deadlifts are bloody hard? Or maybe I'm just a big wuss?

I'm thinking of maybe dropping the Glute Ham Raise from day 1 and putting it in place of the Romanian deadlifts but I'm not keen on the idea of going straight from that into a leg curl as it might be too much on the old hammies.

Any advice from all you jacked guys on here is welcome. :)

Edit: It's not a recovery issue I don't think because there's a minimum of 3 rest days between each session.
 
Last edited:
Make sure you are mobilising lots between the sessions, it's ok to actually do a little bit of work while recovering to keep the blood flowing. Strange that you're still getting heavy doms this far on to your training. I do think going to failure every set is a little bit much so maybe back it off a little.
 
blairw said:
Make sure you are mobilising lots between the sessions, it's ok to actually do a little bit of work while recovering to keep the blood flowing. Strange that you're still getting heavy doms this far on to your training. I do think going to failure every set is a little bit much so maybe back it off a little.
Click to expand...
Nah, it's not doms. I'm fine that way.

It's more exhaustion during the workout. Generally I'm resting 90 seconds between sets but on deadlifts for example I'll maybe sit for 5 minutes before the last set as my breathing isn't getting back to normal until about 3 minutes has passed.

I do my first two exercises and feel like I could go for a lie down. :D
 
Squats and Deadlifts are also very taxing on your central nervous system, I learned this the hard way and doing legs twice a week no wonder you are struggling I would space out the sessions even more and eat more protein to aid recovery.
 
Legs twice per week is absolutely fine, but you could help yourself out by reducing some volume. For example you dont need to front squat on your deadlift day, and this will allow you to focus more on the actualy deadlift.

Standing and seated calf raises on the same day feels like junk volume, drop the seated calf raises from day 1.

Swap the RDL's to day 1 and drop the volume to 8-10

i would also add a leg extension movement to day 2.

Leg Day 1
Squat 3 sets x 8 reps
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 8-10
Split Squat 3x 10 (vary from week to week or in 6 week blocks between normal and contra if you need to)
Hip Thrusts 3 x 15
Standing Calf Raise 3 x 15+ (calfs really do need more volume just suck it up with these)


Leg Day 2

Deadlift 3 x 8 ---> Dying from set 2
Lying Leg Curl (single leg) 4 x 12 ---> Starting to recover from set 2
Hip Adduction 3 x 12
Hip Abduction 3 x 12 (could even move one of these to day 1)
Seated leg extension 3x8-10 with 2 second holds at the top
Seated Calf Raise 3 x 15+

Something like this is what i would do.
 
Syla5 said:
Legs twice per week is absolutely fine, but you could help yourself out by reducing some volume. For example you dont need to front squat on your deadlift day, and this will allow you to focus more on the actualy deadlift.

Standing and seated calf raises on the same day feels like junk volume, drop the seated calf raises from day 1.

Swap the RDL's to day 1 and drop the volume to 8-10

i would also add a leg extension movement to day 2.

Leg Day 1
Squat 3 sets x 8 reps
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 8-10
Split Squat 3x 10 (vary from week to week or in 6 week blocks between normal and contra if you need to)
Hip Thrusts 3 x 15
Standing Calf Raise 3 x 15+ (calfs really do need more volume just suck it up with these)


Leg Day 2

Deadlift 3 x 8 ---> Dying from set 2
Lying Leg Curl (single leg) 4 x 12 ---> Starting to recover from set 2
Hip Adduction 3 x 12
Hip Abduction 3 x 12 (could even move one of these to day 1)
Seated leg extension 3x8-10 with 2 second holds at the top
Seated Calf Raise 3 x 15+

Something like this is what i would do.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.

I can't do seated leg extensions due to issues with my knees which makes them crunch and hurt like hell when I'm lowering the weight. It's a shame because I've not found an exercise to replicate the squeeze you get on it at the top but that was why I was trying to get the front squat in there. I'll try a few things in the gym and see what I can hit the quads with best. They've got various leg presses and a hack squat but I might just double up on the split squats from day 1 as I have a muscle imbalance I'm trying to sort out. Could maybe try the leg press machine with one leg at a time.

Good point about the calf raises as I was wondering where to go with that because I can't put any more load on the machine. I'll give these a go next time:

Leg Day 1
Squat 3 sets x 8 reps
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 8-10
Split Squat 3x 10 (vary from week to week or in 6 week blocks between normal and contra if you need to)
Hip Thrusts 3 x 15
Hip Abduction 3 x 12
Standing Calf Raise 3 x 15+ (calfs really do need more volume just suck it up with these)


Leg Day 2
Deadlift 3 x 8
Glute Ham Raise (weighted) 3x 10-12 (keeping this one in even though I hate it)
Some Quad exercise 3x8-10
Lying Leg Curl (single leg) 4 x 12
Hip Adduction 3 x 12
Seated Calf Raise 3 x 15+ (I'll try and find a variation instead without the machine)

Looks like easy mode now. :D
 
I do calf raises on the leg press, I don't know if it's the best but it does mean that I can keep racking up the plates.
 
Did the adjusted workout 2 last night and felt much better. Seems daft now that I thought this was okay but obviously squats, deads and romanian deads one after the other was mental.

Carefully tried the leg extension on a light weight and my kneecap issues were manageable. Remains to be seen how it is when the weight starts going up.

A big change though was on the seated calf raises. I dropped about 40kg off the weight and aimed for at least 15 reps. Main difference though was that I made sure I completely stopped at the bottom to get rid of any bounce and contracted the muscle at the top. Also did the last set as a drop set.

It was really difficult but my calves looked massive compared to normal by the time I was done. Nearly woke my wife up when I got in to show her the pump so to speak. :D
 
Sheff said:
I do calf raises on the leg press, I don't know if it's the best but it does mean that I can keep racking up the plates.
Click to expand...
I was having a look at that last night. Might give it a go.

I tend to do them one leg at a time with a dumbbell but I need straps to hold the weight for the full set and the machine might be less hassle from that point of view.
 
blairw said:
Sorry I completely misread your initial post! How heavy are you squaring / deadlifting - you may want to cycle so you are giving yourself a rest every 5 weeks or so
Click to expand...
Not that heavy, that's why I left the weights out. :)

I was doing 4x8 at 120kg on the squat and 3x8 at 160kg on the deadlift, aiming for 90 seconds rest between sets. I'm still building up as I've had various knee and hip issues over the years.

After last night I suspect I'll be fine with the rejigged workouts and I pushed the rest on the deadlifts up to 3-5 minutes.

I generally deload 10% in the next session if I feel my form going out the window or if my reps drop below 6 on my last set. I think that might be enough to build in a sort of rest period every now and again.
 
blairw said:
What are you comparing yourself too, a pro powerlifter? 4x8 @ 120KG with only 90 seconds rest is very serious stuff, no wonder you're absolutely smoked
Click to expand...
Haha! No, I'm comparing 45 year old meths to 25-30 year old meths.

I keep thinking that young guy is still in there somewhere.
 
Any Sounds like a solid session and good work on the leg extensions i was going to suggest lowering the weight and starting from there, if you can squat the weight you can then you definitely have capacity to do leg extensions. Treat them as a rehab movement initially rather than a main loading movement for sure.
 
My two pence and I am no particular expert on the subject.

Personally I follow Lyle Mcdonald's generic bulking routine and every time I have tried something new I always end up going back too this.

Depending on how you want to run it there are different ways to slice and dice it up.

I assume you want to do squats and deadlifts so I will give you that version.

This is meant to be run in an upper lower split format but I don't see why you cant do it in a push pull legs:

Leg Day 1.

Squats 3 - 4 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest (Alternatively could do leg press)
RDL 3 - 4 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest (Alternatively could do seated Hams. Personally squats and RDL's on the same day is very heavy on the lower back)
Leg Press 2 - 3 sets x 10-12 reps - 2 mins rest (Alternatively could do Leg Ext or Bulgarian Split Squats)
Hamstring Curls 2 - 3 sets x 10-12 reps - 2 mins rest
Calves
Abs

Leg Day 2

Deadlift 3 - 4 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest
Leg Press 3 - 4 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest
Hamstring Curls 2 - 3 sets x 10-12 reps - 2 mins rest
Leg Ext 2 - 3 sets x 10-12 reps - 2 mins rest
Calves
Abs

---

My own personal opinion and what I currently do is a lower volume version of this and I have dropped squats and deadlifts entirely. This is what mine looks like currently:

Leg Press 4 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest
RDLS 4 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest
BSS 2 sets x 10-12 reps - 1 mins rest per leg
Lying Hams 2 sets x 10-12 reps - 2 mins rest
Calves
Abs

---

The other thing to add is that maybe PPL is too much frequency for you. I assume you train 6 days a week?

Thats a lot of over all fatigue. Again I am no expert on the subject but I always stick to a 4 day upper lower as it gives me a better gym / life balance.

3 full days a week of rest. (Wednesday and the weekends are rest days)

Again I follow Lyle Mcdonald's generic bulking routine.

If your wondering what my upper looks like:

Bench 3 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest
Row 3 sets x 6-8 reps - 3 mins rest
OHP 2 sets x 10-12 reps - 2 mins rest
Lateral Pulldown 2 sets x 10-12 reps - 2 mins rest
Triceps 2 x 12-15 - 90s rest
Biceps 2 x 12-15 - 90s rest

Its the low volume version. I'm over 40 now and cant tolerate high volume any more.
 
Last edited:
Leg day. 5k in 16-17 minutes plus warm up twice a week. Less grams and more metres = power and stamina.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom