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3 foot programs by Jim Stoppani
Upsetting the lag in the leg muscles? Improve your quadriceps, hamstring, and calf workouts with the advice of Ph.D. Jim Stoppani!
Author: Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.
We are used to evaluating leg workouts from a general perspective. There are heavy lifts with maximum tonnage that pump the most muscle mass. There is no mistake, everything is correct, so continue to do heavy lifts to force hypertrophy of the largest muscle mass of the lower body – the quads, glutes and hamstrings.
Another thing is that from time to time it is worth switching to individual fragments of these muscle masses, especially if some of them are lagging behind in development. I have come to the conclusion that most athletes have three lower body problem areas: the inner quadriceps bundle, the inner posterior muscles, and the outer calf. If any of these areas bothers you, it’s time to make it grow!
Problem area 1: broad medial muscle (internal bundle of the quadriceps)
Fashion trendsetters say beach shorts are still in charge, but that doesn’t mean the lower quadriceps are hidden from view. One of its bundles is always in sight – this is the vastus medialis muscle (m. Vastus medialis), which, due to its shape, is often compared to a tear. It is located immediately above the knee joint on the inner side, and there are many exercises and training techniques for its accentuated study.
First, if you are aiming for a “tear”, do not go too deep in squats. Numerous experiments have shown that a reduction in amplitude (stop when the thigh is just above the parallel line to the floor) transfers the load to the quadriceps, reducing the participation of the glutes and muscles of the posterior surface.
Understandably, this approach creates a dilemma: continue to squat deep and sacrifice the vastus medial muscle, or cut back and lose on the buttocks and back surface? I assure you, you don’t have to sacrifice anything – take the best of both worlds! Alternate squat styles: on one workout, take the ultimate tonnage and reduce the amplitude, on the other, unload the barbell, but squat as deep as possible.
Exercises that target the inner quadriceps are leg presses and extensions, in which the toes are turned outward. If lower body aesthetics is important to you, be sure to include both movements in your leg workout protocol.
Broad medial muscle workout
Problem area 2: internal muscles of the posterior surface
When talking about the muscles of the back surface, most people remember only one muscle. And although the hamstrings form most of the muscle mass in this area, especially along the outside of it, the back surface is actually made up of three muscles.
The other two are the semitendinosus muscle (m. Semitendinosus) and the semimembranosus muscle (m. Semimembranosus), and they are responsible for the relief of the inner surface. If you do most of your workout in prone leg curls, which most do, the outer thighs are likely to dominate the inner thighs.
To restore balance, incorporate Romanian deadlifts into your back workout routines. It will help you gain overall mass – especially around your hip joints. Do not forget to curl your legs while sitting. Experiments have shown that in this exercise the emphasis is shifted from the biceps to the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles. In addition, turn the socks inward in lying leg curls – this will increase the load on the inner thighs.
Training the internal muscles of the back of the thigh
Problem area 3: lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle
Needless to say, the calf muscles are difficult to make to grow. Many blame genetics for the useless development of the calf muscles, but more often it is a matter of laziness and neglect. If you load them regularly, the calves respond with growth!
And yet, even in guys with an impressive girth of the lower leg, the medial gastrocnemius muscle (inner head of m. Gastrocnemius) is often better developed than the lateral one (outer head of m. Gastrocnemius). Not surprising, since a study by Armstrong University has shown that during standard toe raises, the outer head works more actively than the inner head, especially if the toes are stubbornly looking forward.
Fortunately, the same experiment showed that turning the socks inward increases the load on the lateral head during leg lifts. In a word, put your feet shoulder-width apart, turn the socks to each other as much as possible and give the muscles of the lower leg heat!