Leg Day... And Back Is In Business: Tom Venuto's Bodybuilding Secrets Blog

Leg Day… And Back Is In Business

Tom Venuto

Sunday, July 31st. After struggling on and off with low back problems literally all year long, (which has held back my leg and upper back training somewhat), I finally feel like I’m “BACK IN BUSINESSS.” Today was the first day in long time that I’m within striking range of my old training poundages in squats (front squats) and stiff legged deadlifts. At this point, I don’t need to go too much heavier, as it’s more about muscle quality, detail and refinement now, but it definitely feels good and I know the heavier basics will reflect in my leg development… it always does.

QUADS (AM)

A1 Leg Press: 3 warm up /build up sets; Set 1: 630 lbs (7 plates per side) X 15 reps non stop, pause, then 5 more (20 reps total); Set 2: 720 lbs (6 plates per side) X 12 reps non stop, pause, then 3 more; Set 3: 810 lbs (9 plates per side) X 12 reps nonstop
A2 Leg Extension: 3 sets X 140 lbs X 12 reps; No rest between exercises A1 & A2, 2 min rest between supersets
B1 Front Squat: 2 warm up sets; Set 1: 185 lbs X 12 reps; Set 2: 205 lbs X 8 reps; Set 3: 225 lbs X 6 reps
C1 Barbell Lunges: 2 sets X 135 lbs X 12 reps
D1 Dumbbell walking lunges: 2 sets X 40 lb dumbbells X 10 reps per leg (20 reps total)

HAMSTRINGS (PM)

A1 Stiff Legged Deadlift: 3 light warm up sets; 1 set X 185 lbs X 20 reps; 1 set X 205 lbs X 12 reps; 1 set X 225 lbs X 10 reps; 1 set X 245 lbs X 6 reps
B1 Lying Leg curl Icarian machine: 4 sets X 180 lbs X 12, 11, 10, 10 reps, last set drop set to 130 lbs, 10 more reps
C1 Reverse Hyperextension off swiss ball on bench: 3 sets X bodyweight X 12 reps

CALVES

A1 Calf press on Leg press machine (Icarian 45 degree plate load): 4 sets X 680 lbs X 12-15 reps
B1 One legged Donkey Calf Machine: 4 sets X 160 lbs X 15-20 reps

Workout Commentary

This session started off with heavy leg presses supersetted into leg extensions. I felt strong on the leg presses, but by the time got to the leg extensions, It was an effort to get 10 reps with only 140 lbs; it’ s a difficult superset if done with minimal rest between exercises. This started me off with a great pump immediately.

The second movement was front squats. Front squats are very difficult for most people to perform. Think about how rarely you see anybody doing barbell (free weight) front squats. The hard part seems to be simply holding/balancing the bar on the front of the shoulders. Until you’ve mastered the form, you really can’t go anywhere with the poundage. Once you’ve mastered the form and you start working up in poundage, you can achieve some incredible quad development from front squats. I’d say years of front squats plus hack squats are more responsible for my quad development than any other exercise.

I went up to 225 lbs for 6 reps today, which is quite a way off my best from past years, but it was the most I had done in a long time and it felt good. I actually prefer front squats to barbell back squats because I can keep my torso more erect, which puts more stress on the quads and less on the lower back (ideal for me).

We finished up legs with lunges - two varieties. First two sets of dynamic lunges with the barbell, then two sets of walking lunges with 40 pound dumbbells.

That was it… quads were demolished.

I came back in the evening for hamstrings and calves. I did four work sets on stiff legged deadlifts starting with 185 lbs (20 reps), then increasing weight and decreasing reps with each set, finishing with a set of 245 lbs for 6 reps. The back felt great. In fact it felt better after the last (heavy) set than the first set. I seem to warm up slowly these days.

It seems odd, but I have no trouble with stiff legged deadlifts (slightly bent knees), but regular deadlifts have always bothered my back. Over the next few workouts, I’ll keep going up a little heavier on the stiff legs, as I am still more or less just regaining lost ground and getting back to where I was before, but I won’t need to push for max poundages (will save the really heavy stuff for this winter)

After a few sets of leg curls, I finished with reverse hyperextensions. Since Empire Fitness Club doesn’t have the reverse hyper machine, I had to improvise by putting a swiss ball on the edge of an Oympic flat bench, then lying with my hips and stomach on the ball, holding the bench uprights so I didn’t fall off, and I repped out with body weight. This exercise is GREAT for strengthening the lower back (great for glutes too).

Published on 31 July, 2005

Comments

Tiago said:

Hey Tom,
I seem to also have a lower back problem too. I don't know if I pulled anything, but it hurts when doing exercises like squats or deadlifts when I try doing them. Are the front squats as good as the regular kind of squat? Do they give you the same metabollic effect?
I really wish I could squat without hurting my lower back.

Posted on Aug 08, 2005 09:58 AM

Tom Venuto said:

Front squats are equally as effective in every regard as back squats and MORE effective at quad development (to the exclusion of hips and butt).

If you have low back pain, see a doctor and don't be afraid to get multiple opinions. One neurosurgeon told me I would have to get surgery when the pain became unbearable, I could forget about bodybuilding and I should never lift more than 40 lbs. An orthopedic surgeon with a sports medicine specialty, told me that "IF I choose to squat in the future, I'll have to use impeccable form, avoid super heavy weights and be very, very careful because the injury will always been there, ready to bite me in the ass if I get stupid." Glad I got that second opinion... it was a lot closer to the truth.

For me, super heavy squatting, front or back is out of the question. I find the front squats put less stress on the lower back due to the more upright position, but front squats can be equally if not more dangerous if form is not absolutely perfect. If you break form on front squats OR back squats, you're asking for trouble

Posted on Aug 08, 2005 12:35 PM