TIGER FIT!Nutrition, Moves & Motivation!

Did you say LEGDAY?

When you hear “Leg Day”? What comes to mind? For me, that means “Glory Day” because I have big legs and that’s no lie.

Since I was a teen, I seemed to have these hulking quads, extra protruding butt and a small waist but I did not appreciate it. I would flex my legs and even see all this muscle definition but when I wore shorts with an unflattering cut, I would look down and start singing Boy’s to Men End of the Road in mockery of myself. I couldn’t stand how my jeans could not fit my quads and butt and left all that room around my waist when they did fit. There was no Beyoncé or J-Lo singing in the background. I was just proud to see Janet Jackson’s legs dancing in black sausage casing tight jeans about the Pleasure Principle. Watch her moves! Look at them legs!

When you train your body, first embrace it. There are no “Trouble Areas.” There are areas that are natural to you and so what you got some extra fat, you will see that diminish as you reveal your full genetic potential ripping out in the gym. Not everyone gets ripped the same!

As you make a commitment to your body this year, first embrace what you have: Two working legs, arms, and a heart? You got this! My cancer stricken cousin was still going to the gym and think of how much harder that was when our excuse is that the couch is so much more comfortable than squatting two 35lb plates. Stop waiting until you look good enough to go to the gym. Stop thinking your body has to look like someone else’s. You are chiseling out your best self like Mr. Miyagi trimming that Bonzai tree.

I just went so 90’s on you right now, yes?

LEG DAY

1. Quads (the upper half of your legs you see when you look down at yourself)
2. Glutes (your big butt)
3. Hamstrings (the back of legs seen when you are wearing short shorts)
4. Abductors (your inner thighs)

Since I am a trainer, I go in the gym with a curriculum not just a single day plan but ANYWAY here are some tips for planning your leg day. Whether they are thick or thin, you want your body to be properly supported. Let’s do this!

Choose 2/3 moves of the muscle groups in your legs to work in supersets and circuits

Superset (back to back moves): 3/4 rounds of 2 moves with 8-10 repetitions

Circuit (series of moves): 3/4 rounds of 3 moves with 8-10 repetitions

Choose to do about 3 or 4 stations i.e.

• 1 station: Squat rack and single leg dead lifts with dumb bells
• 2 station: Leg extension machine, leg curl machine, and good mornings with a barbell in the middle.
• 3 station: Smith machine/squat rack squats, calf raises, box jumps (with your interval timer on ‘if ya nasty’~Janet Jackson
• 4 station: find some space to do 30 back n’ forth ~Aaliyah walking lunges, have a mat & barbell ready to superset glute thrusts.
• *If you don’t know what these moves look like, look it up or leave a comment request for me to demonstrate. It’s that easy.

Tips:

First and foremost, those reps do not mean “what you can handle.” You do that all day. Pick up something HEAVY! Change means challenge! Do what you can successfully balance of course, but don’t wimp out on your results!

If you go to a busy gym like me, don’t wait in line. Pick an area, pick your moves and JUST DO IT! It helps to give yourself some “just-in-case moves” if the machines you want have a wait.

Keep your music on and follow the beat or bring a buddy but don’t talk so much! Just smile and PUSH! Think about how good you are gonna look come summertime.

Also, enough of this “I’ll get bulky!” If you are female, your body’s hormones will not allow you to grow like the guys. Your legs only get tighter! The only thing bulking you is all that fatty food you are powerlifting into your face the rest of the day. That goes for the guys too. You will not get Phil Heath‘s legs. You will get statue of David legs. Getting big muscle anything takes time so don’t think even one year at the gym is gonna get you all Kai Green. For that, we gotta work it!

Time to go get me some. Happy Leg Day.

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Some good articles and a photo credit to other sites talking legs:

http://stronglifts.com/5-reasons-why-train-legs-squats/

http://www.mavrocatstrength.com/2013/01/12/what-is-leg-strength-in-running/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/legendary-legs-the-science-of-leg-training.html