a recent question posed to me... 'If I’m looking to make progress with my lower body how many times a week should I train? Is there a way to split it up?'
as with any hypertrophy program regardless of the muscle groups, first and foremost, consistency is key. second lets' look at frequency. if you're looking to gain muscle your program design needs to be 12-20 sets in a given a week. the variance of the sets is based on the individual. often times it's a 'feels' thing. i tend more toward 20 + sets in a week whereas others may only need 15-18. 12 is a little low in my opinion but again, we're talking about individuals and with the human body things will always reside on a bell curve, as do most things. begin your program design conservatively and build up from there.
next we need to look at how to split your program design. for example, if you are going to be on the higher end of the spectrum with 20 sets in a week, how are you going to divide that up? can't build it all in a day. you can have 2 legs day a week with 10 sets each, you can can split it more over the week 3 or 4 sessions a week by doing a lower pull, lower push, full lower body compound, etc... i like doing a full lower body compound program 1 day a week which is my longest leg day. this session is quad dominant but does incorporate glutes and hamstrings. my second leg day in a week is devoted solely to hamstrings with a touch of glute isolation. my third is deadlifts on back day.
if you're looking for quad development be certain to work on your ankle dorsiflexion, hip mobility and full knee ROM. don't fear letting your knees go past your toes. they're meant to do that. i've had clients with knee replacement who are moving in full ROM with the knees and while it bites at first, it does get better and their ROM increases not only in their knees but in the dorsiflexion of the ankle as well.
hamstrings need load, load, load. hip hinge movements such as RDL is one of the best for developing hamstrings and glutes. be certain to get with a trained professional to learn the move properly so you don't risk straining your low back. RDL may look straightforward but it's a rather complicated move that does require practice. kettlebell swings, heavy is another great move for hamstring development but again, i strongly urge you to get with a trainer that knows kettlebells because kettlebells are all business and you need to know the what and how of working with them.
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