Yearly Archive October 2, 2020

There is so much bodybuilding exercise that you get a bit lost in it, so this article is only dedicated to polyarticular exercises (or basic). To save you time in your research, I have prepared a very complete exercise list , for each muscle group, to do indoors or at home !

If you are just starting out, no problem. You will know what it is, what are the advantages and disadvantages and how to integrate it all into your bodybuilding program, here is the summary:

What is a polyarticular exercise?

By definition, a polyarticular exercise is a movement that will mobilize several joints, and therefore, several muscles, unlike isolation exercises. This then explains why you will always be stronger on a polyarticular exercise.

In general, there are two schools in bodybuilding. Those who only practice the so-called basic exercises to build “functional muscle” and gain mass more quickly, on the other hand, those who favor isolation exercises to gain weight. muscle where they want it .

As I often say, in bodybuilding we have a lot of tools and methods of work. That said, the goal is to find what suits us and not what works for your neighbor, because there is a very high chance of not having the same results.

Let’s take a look at its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages

Overall, it is true that polyarticular exercises are more effective for building strength and building muscle mass. In fact, the muscles are used more on a basic movement than on isolation, and who says better muscle solicitation means more results.

As far as strength is concerned, again the polyarticular exercises score a big point. It is obvious that you will be able to handle larger loads and therefore have better muscle hypertrophy . The force being essentially nervous, the nervous system will be exploited much more if several muscles interact. Consequently, the muscles then learn to work in synergy, hence the famous terms of “functional muscle”, in reality there are no “false muscles”, only muscles which manage to work together for a given movement. .

In terms of intensity, it’s obvious that it’s day and night with an isolation exercise. The more muscles that interact with the movement (in addition to a heavy load!), The more strenuous and tiring the exercise will be, therefore more calories will be burned . For example, the exercise of choice: the deadlift. It is an extremely intense exercise which mobilizes a lot of muscle group, from the calves to the forearms, as much to say to you that if you are an “ectomorph” like me and that you have difficulty to gain weight , such intense exercises like this replace a cardio session.

To summarize, here are the advantages of polyarticular exercises in outline:

• Better muscle recruitment
• Strength development (nervous system)
• Intensity of exercise (consumes a lot of calories)

The disadvantages

After seeing the benefits, it is clear that you may be tempted to ban isolation movements and only do polyarticular exercises. Even though poly should be the mainstay of your weight training program, over time, it’s obvious that it will handicap you if you go for it with your head down.

If you practice bodybuilding for an “aesthetic” purpose (which is probably the case), you should know that an aesthetic physique is above all a harmonious physique . I can tell you, for example, that having really big arms without shoulders is much less impressive than a medium arm with medium shoulders.

As we have seen previously, a polyarticular exercise engages several muscles , take the bench press for example. Normally, as you know, this is a basic exercise that primarily recruits the pectorals and secondarily the shoulders and triceps . On paper, it’s great! it is enough to do the bench press to have pecs, but in practice, it is something else … I did not take this example at random, because it was my case.

For a long time I believed that if I stepped up, I was going to get big pecs, and if I didn’t, I was doing it wrong. The reality is simply that my body type is not suitable for this polyarticular movement and that I did not know how to use my pecs on this exercise. The more I picked up the load, the bigger my shoulders.

Result, more than a year without working the shoulders which took all the work of the pecs, and more than a year of motor training on isolation movements to know how to properly contract my pecs .

Consequently, your genetics, your morphology and your sporting background will have an influence on polyarticular exercises, in your favor or against you. Usually if you have trouble feeling the target muscle, that’s a bad sign.

To summarize, here are the disadvantages of a polyarticular exercise :

• Muscle imbalance at term
• Risk of movement unsuited to its morphology

Structure your bodybuilding program intelligently

The message is always the same, bodybuilding is above all knowing yourself to build your program from exercises, methods and tools adapted to your situation. Polyarticular exercises are clearly a priority, only when they are useful.

Once again, if you’re doing strength training to achieve a great and harmonious physique, you’ll need to go through a fair amount of isolation exercises. Indeed, not only is the isolation used to “learn” to use a particular muscle, but also to recruit portions that are difficult to develop in polyarticular exercises.

For example, this is often the case with deltoids , the posterior deltoid is generally less developed than the lateral deltoid and even less than the anterior deltoid, so no need to strive for an exercise polyarticular to have a “full” shoulder.

When to use a polyarticular exercise?

In reality, this is a difficult question to answer, as it will be unique to everyone. As seen previously, it is mainly a question of morphology for basic movements. If you are not too experienced, a few precautions can help you know whether or not you should continue to focus on a particular polyarticular exercise, namely that the earlier you do it, the better. is.

Should you continue?

The list is not exhaustive, but the main one is there. If on these points you validate all four, a priori there is a good chance that this polyarticular exercise will be done for you:

• Burning sensation on the targeted muscle
• Muscle congestion
• Increase in workloads (over 3 to 6 months)
• Evolution of the physique (measurements, photos …)

Should we stop?

Unfortunately, not all exercises are right for you. The signs that can alert you to a polyarticular exercise to avoid are the following:

• Abnormal pain
• Stagnation or regression of charges
• Difficulty feeling the target muscle
• Difficulty congesting
• secondary muscles that grow more than the target muscle

For all the polyarticular exercises that suit you, knowing that they are energy-intensive exercises, place them preferably at the start of the session.

What to do if polyarticular exercise isn’t right for you

Don’t worry, all is not lost. With time and a little work, it is possible to do the polyarticular exercises that were not suitable for you before. However, it can be quite frustrating at first to focus solely on motor learning, but it’s a job that pays off in the long run.

Once you have determined which muscles are reluctant on polyarticular exercises in particular, you will have to use methods, tools and exercises to overcome this problem, we find:

• Isolation exercises
• Methods of intensification
• Bodybuilding accessories

Let’s take a quick look at the subject, I will devote specific articles to it.

Isolation exercise

The isolation exercise is the first solution for motor learning , especially if you are just starting out.

The way of training will be different. You should neither seek to gain strength or mass, only focus on muscle contraction and maintain it for a long time. Also, do not be afraid to do a lot of repetitions, 20, 30 even going as far as doing the famous series of 100 . Normally, congestion is not the only factor that stimulates muscle growth, but should always be sought after.

Isolation exercises are not traumatic for the joints, they allow you to recover quickly and increase your training frequency during the week. Due to lack of time, this can sometimes be used as a warm-up.

Methods of intensification

There are many method of intensifying bodybuilding . As a beginner, they are not to be prioritized at first.

If you have some experience, you can start using these two techniques:

• Pre-fatigue : Begin with an isolation exercise to tire the targeted muscle and follow with a polyarticular exercise without resting time.
• Post-fatigue : Conversely, you can start with a basic exercise, and when your secondary muscles take over, you follow up with an isolation exercise.

In order to know which technique to use, it is best to test. Indeed, it is possible to have the opposite effect to what you are looking for, that is to say, to increase the work on the secondary muscles.

In general, pre-fatigue works well on small muscles: biceps, triceps, shoulders and calves , while post-fatigue will be more suitable for large muscles: pectorals , back, thighs and buttocks .

There are of course other more advanced methods. They remain, in my opinion, the most interesting for learning to contract a muscle on a polyarticular exercise in particular.

Bodybuilding accessories

Sometimes, using a weight training accessory can be enough, to help recruit the target muscle in a polyarticular exercise .

For example, it can also be the case on pulling movements, such as chin-ups . In this case, pull straps (or straps) limit the intervention of the forearms. The work then becomes more efficient for the back muscles , in addition to gaining strength. I particularly like the 8-shaped pull straps.

Here is a list of strength training accessories, which can help you with polyarticular movements:

• Elastic
• Fat grip
• Straps
• Weightlifting shoes
• Occlusion band
• Bowtie…

Polyarticular exercise list for each muscle group

Finally, I will give you a list of polyarticular exercises, to be performed in the gym or at home with little equipment .

On some exercises, there are a number of variations. However, these are negligible details when you start, it is mainly about comfort.

Dos:

• Lumberjack draw
• Rowing Yates
• Horizontal pulley pull
• High-Row
• Low-Row
• Pronation pull-ups
• Pulley chest pull
• Deadlift

Chest:

• Bench press
• Dips
• Inclined press
• Pumps
• Developed declined

Biceps:

• Supine pull-ups
• Vertical pulley supine pull

Triceps:

• Tight grip bench press
• Dips
• Diamond pumps

Shoulders:

• Military development
• Standing rowing

Legs:

• Squat
• Front squat
• Hack squat
• Slip slots
• Bulgarian squat
• Squat cup
• Deadlift semi-straight legs
• Leg press
• Leg raises

Buttocks:

Of course, most exercises can be done with dumbbells , barbell or directly on a machine . In short, you just need to understand the movement and use your imagination to adapt it to the material you have available.

Regarding forearms, calves or abdominals, there is no grassroots movement. Therefore, the specific exercises to do for these muscle groups will be covered in an article dedicated to isolation exercises. However, these muscles will still be used in most basic movements.

If you want me to dwell on a particular exercise, you can let me know in the comments, I will also devote a whole article to it.

If you are looking for a personalized weight training program , it is undoubtedly that you are starting out and as a beginner you have a mountain of questions: Where to start? What exercise? How many repetitions? … I reassure you, no need to train 7 days a week to explode everything in 3 months. The only mistake: Copy a bodybuilding program to the letter and cross your fingers to get results.

I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that the perfect bodybuilding program and miracle exercises does not exist. The good news is that if you’ve been looking to get a workout schedule, it’s because you want to structure your strength training sessions so as not to let things happen and that’s a huge deal. step forward.

Save your energy and follow this guide step by step. You will know how to make your own personalized weight training program .

Here is the summary:

Going for a strength training program to get big results and fast is not the right approach in my opinion. I like to say that weight training is a marathon and indeed, you really have to be very patient if you want big results. Be aware of what you are asking your body to: build muscle ! And training is nothing more or less than a way to “break down fiber” (to rebuild with food and rest, bigger muscle ).

The right approach is to have a personalized program for:

• Avoid injury
• Stay motivated and have fun
• Do productive sessions to progress
• Adapt it according to your strengths / weaknesses

So no need to do the latest trendy exercise. It is not for you to adapt to the program, but rather to the program to adapt to you and to your situation.

On what basis to make a custom program?

Beyond your level, you must first take into account your genetics to build a solid personalized bodybuilding program . We are not all starting from the same point. You will not progress at the same speed and you will not be as receptive as someone else to a given type of training .

Your genetics give you the first clues to answer the following questions:

• Which exercise?
• How many sets / reps?
• And the number of sessions per week?
• How much rest time to take?
• When to change your bodybuilding program?

The art of choosing your exercises according to your morphology

By far the most important part of your weight training program. The morphology is the number 1 pillar for having a square personalized bodybuilding program , efficient and optimized. If your goal is to develop your physique you have this enormous chance to choose the exercises .

Knowing how to train according to your body type means avoiding (or delaying) pathologies and selecting exercises that are effective for you.

You will understand, no need to copy the neighbor. Your levers will not be the same. The length of the limbs, the muscles, everything comes into account. This will have an impact on the stretching tension and contraction of a muscle during exercise but also its development capacity, for example it will be more difficult to make meat on a short calf rather than a long calf.

I’m not hiding from you that it will take a little experience to get to know yourself, but the earlier you do it, the faster you will progress.

This answers the question: Which strength training exercise to choose?

I would like to thank Frédéric Delavier and Michael Gundill, two French authors who were the first to popularize this approach to bodybuilding. Their books have given me so much that I can only recommend them to you, especially the Delavier method of bodybuilding 2 (and 3).

Recovery: determine the number of sessions

The speed of recovery from one session to another varies according to your genetics, your age, your pace and lifestyle … Although too often neglected for fear of “melting” or regressing, recovery is nevertheless l ‘one of the pillars of progress.

By the way, recovery is not just a matter of waiting until you have not been able to have aches, in fact, the muscle does not recover at the same speed as the joints, for example. Let’s see the different recoveries together:

• Energetic: Have fishing for the next session – 1/2 days.
• Muscle: Rebuild and ready to cash again – 1 to 2 days depending on muscle group.
• Hormonal: Limit hormonal disturbances (increase in cortisol…) – 2 days.
• Nervous system: Maintain strength and efficiency – 5 to 10 days depending on the intensity of the session.
• Articular / tendon: Avoid ending up with tendonitis or other pathologies.

Recovery times are approximate, so it’s best to ignore this too much. In short, recovery gives the first clues to determine the number of sessions per week, in order to have a TRUE personalized bodybuilding program and to avoid being counterproductive.

Note that it will be difficult to change mother nature. You will only be able to take care of your lifestyle (food, sleep, rest…).

Knowing your limits will come with time. This may answer the question: How many weight training sessions per week?

Types of muscle fibers: how many repetitions?

Definitely, the body is a complex machine! There are several types of muscle fibers (or myocyte), each of which has a use. To be precise, there are 3:

• Fiber I (slow)
• Fiber II a (fast)
• Fiber II b (fast)

Therefore, muscles will not be composed in the same way from one individual to another, whether it is the type of fiber, but also their number.

This is why we often find in bodybuilding programs a number of repetitions ranging from 8 to 12 to be executed in explosives. This range of reps and the explosiveness of the movement would make it possible to use mostly fiber type II to develop your physique, because they are the most voluminous.

Here is a table to compare the types of muscle fibers:

Determine the repetition ranges of your bodybuilding exercises

Wanting to use this type of fiber in bodybuilding at all costs can slow you down in your progress. Usually we are 50/50 dialed (except the champions, the lucky ones!) But it will be different from muscle to muscle. If I take my example, there is a good chance that my triceps are denser in fiber II while my quadriceps are denser in fiber I. Indeed, I had much better results for my thighs by performing a lot more repetitions (and sets) with a less explosive movement.

I still want to reassure you! The human body is so well designed that it is possible to “change” the fiber I / II ratio just by going to weight training and training intelligently . Anyway, if you are starting out you will not be able to know if you are receptive to such training, it will take you several months / year to know yourself and modify this ratio. You just have to take this into account so as not to imitate the training of a champion.

This may answer the question: How many reps to do?

The nervous system: how many sets, determine rest times and know when to change exercise

The nervous system is the human body’s information highway, sending and receiving messages. It is precisely the somatic nervous system that interests us today, because it is it that allows you to control your muscles .

In other words, if you have a concrete nervous system, you will be strong and powerful, because you will be able to mobilize neurons quickly and in large numbers to activate the maximum of muscle fibers . And yes, strength is in the head and the size of a muscle is not the only factor (of course, big arms will always be stronger than thin ones …).

If I have to use a metaphor, having a lot of muscle mass and a wobbly nervous system is like having a Lamborghini with a Twingo engine. You are in a way “restrained” by your SN.

Wanting to build up a lot of muscle mass Without taking into account your nervous system can be disabling in the long term. Some beginners will have a more efficient basic nervous system than others. This can come not only from your genetics , but also from your sporting past .

Why take an interest in the nervous system to create a personalized weight training program?

Well for 2 reasons:

First, to fix your rest time and the number of repetitions / sets / exercises .

Indeed, there is no point in wanting to do a lot if you can’t take it. Here is yet another reason not to copy the program of an experienced person, because it is a safe bet that you will be content to count your sets and your repetitions without really giving intensity , having, moreover, times of rest not adapted to your capacity of recovery between series. Better 3 intense sets than 5 normal sets.

Second, to know how long to keep your program and when to change your exercise

No! A program does not change every 3 months to “shock the muscle”. Once you have selected an exercise that suits you, you should do it as long as possible (it can be counted in years) to:

• Learn and use the same nervous circuit
• Create new neural connections
• Thicken neural connections

This explains why we take more from session to session when we select a new exercise and that we “feel” to have done a productive job and it is precisely the opposite, it is simply that we were “constrained” by the nervous system, the time it adapts what …

A sharp drop in the number of repetitions from one set to another is a sign of an exhausted nervous system, better stop there and move on to another exercise, you will know the number of sets to do for the next time.

A drop in performance from week to week with a loss of desire to exercise is often indicative of a burnt out nervous circuit, in which case it is time to change exercise (for his bodybuilding program).

Choose a training strategy before doing your personalized bodybuilding program

A bodybuilding program must be personalized to be adapted to its genetics , but also to its rhythm of life. The questions to ask yourself before wanting to write your bodybuilding program are as follows:

• Do I do weight training at home or in the gym?
• What equipment do I have available?
• How much time per day can I spend?
• How many sessions per week can I do?

Indeed, you will unfortunately have to put aside some things, but that does not prevent you from having the most optimized program possible to achieve your goals! As we will see, there are different training strategies , each with their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see which one to choose in your case.

Full body

The Full Body consists of working the whole body in a single session. This type of training allows you to train 1 to 4 times a week.

At first glance, this ideal air training regimen, as it easily multiplies his training frequency (per week). Although it is often seen as the ” beginner’s program “, it doesn’t have to be, it is very often the opposite.

In which case to choose the full body?

The full body is best if you want to train 1 to 3 times a week , note that a full body session lasts on average 1h30 to 2h. It allows you to have flexibility in organizing your week. Indeed, if you miss a session, you can fit it another day or even miss a workout without worrying about not having worked all of your muscles during the week. Be sure to work the larger muscle groups (thighs, pectorals, back) at the start of the session and change the order of the exercises at each workout for better management of the effort. If you’re clearly low on energy, better wait until the next day. In any case, within each session a minimum day of rest!

Half Body

The Half body consists of working the upper body in one session then the lower body in another. Therefore, it is up to you to choose whether you can train 1h30 to 2h, 2 to 4 times a week.

When to choose the Half Body?

Personally, it’s a way of working that I approve of and still use to this day. As with the Full Body, the Half body also allows you to have a flexible program , according to the schedule of the week. It is therefore easy to put in a missed session or even add a fifth if you want to focus on certain muscles .

The big advantage is the working balance between the upper and lower body. We often find two types of people, those who have more facility to develop the top rather than the bottom (which is my case) and vice versa. The recovery of the thighs between two workouts is quite long, the two sessions can allow you to focus on the quadriceps during one training and the hamstrings the other day, it’s a very efficient and less trying way of doing things than putting everything in the same training.

PPL (Push Pull Legs)

As its name suggests, the PPL groups exercises by movement category:

• Push (pecs, shoulders, triceps)
• Pull-up (Back, biceps)
• Legs (thighs and calves)

In which case to choose the PPL?

In short, if you are limited to 3 bodybuilding sessions per week (1h30), it is preferable. Despite the lack of flexibility compared to full body, Push Pull Legs allows you to manage your energy (and your nervous system) much better, thus making sessions more productive. As with the Half Body, it is easy to add a workout to emphasize certain muscle groups, such as your weak points .

Split

The best way to have a most personalized program possible . Split (which means “divided”) generally allows you to organize your workouts in order to focus on one or two muscle groups per session.

When to choose Split?

As I said before, this is “usually” how it is done. At least from what I can see, a lot of people use Split to “flatten” and “club” a muscle to the last fiber. Divide to divide, without considering its goals, strengths and weaknesses reap the benefits of this strategy. Some days you can work 3 muscle groups, others just one. Some muscles will be worked only once a week, others several … The number of sets and exercises can be adjusted according to the mood of the day. So it’s up to you to manage, according to:

• your strengths / weaknesses,
• your recovery capacity
• your available time.

Therefore, the Split is right for you if you want the personalized weight training program as square as possible . Of course, you will need a little experience, to make some adjustments over the weeks. However, it’s up to you if you can train more than 4 days a week.

Build your personalized body-building program in 3 steps

Now that you have the basics of your bodybuilding routine, it’s time to complete it! It’s hard to know in advance what you can do, especially if you are a beginner . To start a personalized weight training program as quickly as possible, you have to go step by step.

Step 1: Test the exercises (2 weeks)

As we could see in the previous chapter, the exercises must be (above all) selected in relation to its morphology. However, it is quite difficult as a beginner to analyze yourself and know what to choose

Note that it is much easier to analyze yourself in a photo than in front of a mirror.

I recommend that you do the “tourist” for two weeks, to test exercises . To do this, plan 3 days a week, with a Full Body as a training base to be able to test six exercises per muscle at the end of the 14 days. The idea is to select only one exercise per muscle group , preferably polyarticular .

Finally, just take stock to find out which ones are right for you (or not). Your choice will be on exercises which:

• Gives you a good feeling (burning sensation on the targeted muscle …)
• Does not cause you any discomfort or abnormal pain (for example, pain in the front of the shoulder on an incline curl …)

To have a list of exercises (by muscle group) and examples of workouts, I have prepared a file with examples of strength training programs starting in PDF for you.

Strength exercises to avoid

Finally, first avoid polyarticular exercises which are quite technical, where, moreover, morphology plays an important role. We find in particular the 3 exercises performed in powerlifting: the bench press, the squat and the deadlift.

However, if you are limited by the choice of exercises, or if you simply want to perform them out of desire, here are some recommendations to overcome bad morphological predispositions:

• Bench press: If you have a thin rib cage and long arms, you can add thickness to your chest, or simply limit the amplitude, so as not to over-stretch the pecs ( broken parallel).
• Squat: If you have long legs, you can raise your heels with a wedge or weightlifting shoes, to prevent your back from leaning too far forward. In addition, you can also limit the amplitude, usually you have to go up when you feel discomfort, which can also be due to a lack of flexibility of the ankles.
• Deadlift: If you have short arms (and worse, long legs), you can limit range of motion with a squat rack and perform a ‘sumo’ deadlift, using flat-soled shoes is a plus, your back will thank you.

Step 2: Write your final bodybuilding program

Now that you know your routine, you must now determine the number of sets , repetitions and rest times . Of course, the program is not set in stone and must evolve as you progress.

As for the repetitions, you can base yourself on these repetition ranges:

• Chest / back: 8 to 12 repetitions
• Arms / shoulders: 10 to 15 repetitions
• Thighs / calves: 15 to 20 repetitions
• Abs: 25 to 30 repetitions

Regarding the number of series , you must refer to the first chapter (concerning the nervous system), that is to say, stop as soon as your performance drops, while keeping some juice for the rest of the session.

And finally, the rest times. Usually, we often hear rest times ranging from 1 minute 30 to 2 minutes. You can fix your rest times by getting closer to its values ​​at first. You can know when to resume thanks:

• Getting your breath back
• At the end of this localized burning sensation.

As a reminder, one in four failed series still represents 1/4 of shoddy work. Better to focus on the intensity of the exercise rather than the number of repetitions, even if it means doing 17 or 5 rather than 10.

Step 3: Follow your progress and anticipate the change of bodybuilding program

It’s all good, you’re ready to push! More than concentrating under the bars and letting the time do things.

Now that you know where you are going, don’t forget to keep an eye on your progress so you don’t get lost. So you can:

• Preserve your motivation
• Anticipate changes in exercise, program or even training method

In bodybuilding, tracking your progress is more effective than setting goals .

I want to gain 4kg of muscle in a year!

Difficult to predict the future … It answers the question “what” and not the question “how”. The objectives must be set on the very short term (from one training session to another) and not over the long term:

I will try to add 5kg on this exercise!

Why not do one more set?

What if I took less time off?

Here is what you can act on.

Use indicators of progress

Long term, you have to use indicators to track your progress and there are a ton of them! The idea is not to calculate everything down to the millimeter, but to keep the ones that we think are consistent and easy to follow. Here are a few:

• Body weight
• Fat (comparison in photo)
• Load used
• Number of repetitions
• Number of sets
• Rest time
• Measurements…

It’s something that takes seconds, seconds that will save you months or even years of results for the less organized.

Obviously, you don’t have to look every day to see the slightest sign of progress. The right way is to take stock either monthly or quarterly, this is ideal for seeing noticeable changes and anticipating if something goes wrong. (For example: photos, measurements and weighing every month + note taking at each training).

The progress indicators that I use

Personally, I am still closely monitoring my progress and from experience not doing it is a disaster:

• Loss of motivation
• Stagnation see regression

It becomes a vicious circle… The loss of motivation will make you regress and the regression will make you lose even more motivation.

I use a lot of indicators to follow my progress, the most important:

• Workloads
• The measurements
• My body weight / fat ratio

Here is an example of progress tracking for my thighs, I took the two biggest exercises:

How do I interpret the results?

I have a specific goal in my follow-up:

• Change exercise at the right time: I correlate the loads used and my measurements . If I notice a stagnation or even a regression of the loads used AND the measurements over three months, I change.
• Changing my eating habits: I analyze the body weight / fat ratio. If I put on pounds and too much fat at the same time, I take it easy. On the contrary, my body weight drops, I gasp. In the best case, my body weight increases without gaining fat, I stay in freewheel.

As you can see, my measurements have only increased over a year. It was the same for my performances (Series, rehearsal and workload). It was then unnecessary to change the exercise, only a few corrections to the exercise itself (highlighted in yellow), for a matter of comfort.

After a year my motivation and progress suddenly dropped, so did my measurements (as shown in the graph). I was able to anticipate to change exercises.

There can also be a correlation between an increase in measurements and body weight, which results in muscle gain. Nevertheless, to be taken with a grain of salt, especially on fatty areas.

It is not a given … Finding weight training exercises without equipment that are effective for the legs is a hassle. The legs are constantly solicited, while walking, during a run or even standing, they are very powerful muscles. Therefore, without additional load, it will be difficult to progress.

Fortunately, part of this can be remedied. You will not only find exercises to work all of your legs (glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves), but also some methods to intensify your sessions and make them productive.

If you’re lacking inspiration, three leg strength programs are waiting for you at the end of the article!

Summary:

1. Polyarticular movements for the legs
2. Quadriceps exercises
3. Hamstring exercise
4. Buttocks exercises
5. Calf exercises
6. Bodybuilding program for legs without equipment

Polyarticular exercises to build your legs at home

Before talking about isolation exercises, it is necessary to take stock of some polyarticular exercises that are easy to do without equipment. They allow you to work all of your leg muscles .

The basic exercises, without load, will be insufficient if your goal is to develop harmonious and firm legs. I encourage you to use intensification methods if the exercise is too easy. Indeed, the goal is not to play on the tension of stretching or contraction, but rather on muscle burn and congestion .

Let’s see what you can do.

1. The bodyweight squat

Impossible to talk about leg day without a squat. Although it is one of the most popular exercises, it needs to be talked about.

The squat is a very complete exercise, it allows you to work:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Buttocks
• Calves
• Lumbar
• Abs

The advantage of doing squats without equipment rather than with weight is that the exercise will be much less dangerous. A person who does not have the morphology to squat in normal times can do it at bodyweight without the risk of exposing themselves to pathologies.

Even without a load, care must be taken not to round the back and to push with the heels.

The downside, however, is that without the additional load, the exercise is far from intense enough. It’s easy to do a 50ene one before you feel the first signs of fatigue. It all depends on your level.

If you’re way over 50, I recommend using intensification methods like pre-fatigue. That is, do a isolation exercise with the squat, without taking any time to rest. You are free to choose a gluteal, quadriceps or hamstring exercise. Personally, I like to start with the Sissy squat and finish with the Squat.

2. Lunges, an intense exercise

This is already more interesting! Slots are more suitable for me if you don’t have any material.

This is again a very complete exercise, the muscles used the most are:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Buttocks

In fact, lunges are like a squat, except you perform one leg at a time and that’s the advantage! Working one leg after the other allows you to put 2x more stress on it, you gain intensity.

The downside is that it also takes 2x longer to do a set, it would be way too time consuming to use an escalation method. In this case, it is better to be content to do a series of sets with limited rest times, the opposite leg recovers while the other works.

There are many variations, including slipped lunges which allow for a movement much more suited to the way the body moves. In addition to that, you gain in amplitude, so do not hesitate to do it if the ground is smooth. A fabric under the support foot is enough to slide.

3. The Bulgarian squat, an alternative to work on your thighs

It’s a bit of an improved version of the slots. You gain amplitude as the back foot is raised.

The amplitude gain will allow you to put more stress on the glutes and hamstring .

Of course, the Bulgarian squat uses the same muscle groups as the lunges. I personally find the exercise with a dumbbell unstable. Without hardware, it is mostly a matter of taste. The main thing is to do the exercise you prefer and which does not hurt your joints.

Exercises for the front of the legs, the Quadriceps

I remember two isolation exercises for the quadriceps to do without equipment. The two complement each other, they allow you to work the different muscles of the quadriceps .

4. The Sissy Squat for firm quadriceps

An exercise that has deserted the gyms and yet is so interesting, this is my favorite.

You should know that in a classic squat, the more the knees will be thrown forward, the more the quads will be used . With a Sissy Squat we are just in this condition.

The burn is very intense. The more the bust is tilted back, the more difficult it will be. The idea is therefore to start with a large amplitude, the bust leaning very back and then bring it back according to the level of fatigue.

Unfortunately, this is not an exercise that can be done by everyone. I advise you not to do this if you have knee problems . The rule is still the same anyway. If you’re in pain, don’t force it, you have to stop and change.

5. Curve the thigh with Leg raises

The exercise that perfectly targets the right thigh (the top). It is an interesting exercise especially for warming up the legs before an effort.

A developed straight thigh gives a curvy profile, so it is important to linger there to have harmonious legs. Moreover, this is a portion too often overlooked by bodybuilders.

If you have so-called carrot-shaped legs (much larger at the top than at the bottom), this exercise is unnecessary. In this case, it is better to go after the sissy squat.

The more straight the leg, the more difficult the exercise. It may be beneficial to start with your leg straight and bend it when fatigue arrives to continue. As with lunges, it is best to do a series without rest, especially when the intensity of the effort is low.

Exercise for the back of the legs, the hamstrings

The hamstrings are often neglected in favor of the quadriceps. Yet the hamstring is an important muscle, it:

As with the back, these are muscles that you can’t see. Because of this, it is more difficult to feel them if no motor training has been done. This lack of feeling makes the first sessions frustrating, you have to allow time to do things.

6. Strengthen your hamstrings with the Glute Ham Raise

The Glute Ham Raise is a great exercise for learning to recruit and feel the hamstrings .

Without equipment, it is possible to perform the exercise by locking the ankles. The goal is to hold the descent as long as possible (known as SuperLent) before going back up using the arms.

In addition to feeling better, doing Glute Ham Raise in SuperLent is much less traumatic on the nervous, joint and tendon levels.

Be careful though with the working range. Depending on the length of your muscles, you will have to go up before, so as not to over-stretch them. With experience, you will be able to know your range of work.

A number of variations exist to facilitate the exercise, I planned to film this!

Firm your buttocks for a harmonious physique

Regarding the glutes, we will focus on three exercises that allow you to work all the muscles of the buttocks.

The gluteal muscles are used in a lot of exercises. Dwelling on it too much to have a big butt doesn’t have to be helpful. It is especially the length of the muscles and the deportation of the iliac bone that gives a “bulging buttocks” effect.

7. The pelvis survey

Arguably the most famous glute exercise. The Hip Thrust is not a specific exercise strictly speaking, but it is relatively favorable for the work of the gluteus maximus.

The buttocks muscles being powerful, it will be difficult to tire them with the body weight. Therefore, you can put your feet up to gain amplitude. On top of that, I recommend hold the contraction as long as possible.

Note that a Hip Thrust / Squat SuperSet is interesting.

8. Hip extensions

The donkey kicks is a hip extension . This is an exercise that isolates the gluteus maximus particularly well.

You can start straight leg at the start of your series before finishing knee bent to gain repetitions. Moreover, it is especially the end of the movement that is difficult, working on a small amplitude is effective in achieving muscle burn more quickly.

9. Side elevations of the leg

Now let’s talk about a specific exercise for the middle and the lesser gluteus . The gluteus medius, in addition to its stabilizing role for the pelvis, is a muscle which, once developed, gives curve to the buttocks .

There are three ways to perform lateral leg raises without equipment:

• lying on your side
• Stand up
• Knees on the ground

It is best to choose the position where you feel most comfortable. Namely that on your knees and standing, it is especially at the end of the movement that the tension will be maximum. On the other hand, the tension will be maximum from the start of the lying down movement. It is just a matter of gravity.

Note that lying down and standing, it is possible to cross your legs , in front or behind, for:

• Gain amplitude
• Recruit different areas of the gluteus medius

For morphological reasons, care must be taken not to lift the leg beyond its limits. The lack of hip mobility is not due to a lack of flexibility, but rather a bone-to-bone stopper. Forcing on it can lead to long-term pathologies.

Exercises for the lower legs, calves

As with the forearms, the length of the calf muscles is a very important factor.

Short calves (with large tendons) are useful for running, they are less energy intensive and more powerful. On the other hand, for aesthetic reasons, they will be much less impressive than large calves. Unfortunately, it is not possible to lengthen your muscle.

If you have small calves, you will have to spend a lot of time on them to be able to develop them.

We will focus on exercises primarily recruiting the two gastrocnemius , the soleus will be in all cases requested.

10. Standing calf extensions

Doing standing calf extensions is great for working your calves as a whole.

Without equipment, it is best to do the exercise unilaterally, that is, one leg at a time.

During exercise, the calf is in continuous tension. It is therefore interesting to take one or two breaks during your series, to recover and gain repetitions.

You can gain amplitude by placing a wedge under your foot, before ending up on the ground to have more power in the calf . Likewise, you can also play with the orientation of the feet to recruit different areas of the calf.

11. Muscle gastrocnemius with the bust bent

The objective here is to give more slack to the soleus to concentrate more on the gastrocmenians, those who give shape to the calves. This version is best if you have trouble feeling them, which is probably the case if you have small calves.

Performing the exercise is the same as standing. One leg at a time for more tension.

Likewise, you can gain amplitude with a wedge while adjusting the orientation of the feet to vary the sensations.

Weight training program for legs without equipment

I now suggest that you practice. For this, I have planned 3 examples of home strength training program , without equipment, to work all the muscles in your legs. I focused on one muscle group for each program.

Of course, the number of series, repetitions and the rest times are to be adapted to the level of each one.

The rest pause means that you need to take 1 to 2 mini-breaks, in order to release the burn to complete your streak. When it comes to pre-fatigue, the goal is to do the two exercises without taking a rest.

Filled quads for shapely legs

Muscle strengthening of the hamstrings

Glute training

BCAA powder is one of the food supplements most consumed by athletes, especially in bodybuilding , because of its many benefits. In fact, a question often comes up on this subject. Can taking BCAAs on off days help?

We will see that BCAAs are probably not the preferred dietary supplement and that there are other alternatives on the market, including one that is more effective in achieving the results you are looking for.

At the end of this article, you will be able to know if you have any interest in consuming it during your days off, which is the most appropriate food supplement , to what dosage and at what time of day is best to take.

Here is the summary:

What are BCAAs?

Before getting to the heart of the matter, it is essential that I briefly tell you about amino acids in general.

Amino acids are molecules which, when assembled, form a protein. In bodybuilding, Halotest is used primarily to increase strength. halotest Finally … It is only when the chain of amino acids is long, that is to say greater than 10. Below 10, we are talking about peptides . There are a very large number of amino acids, but only 20 of them are essential for the body because they are involved in metabolic processes, including the transport and storage of food.

Some can be made by the body and other amino acids, known as “essential” , can only be provided by food. 8 in number, we find in particular the branched amino acids :

• Leucine .
• Isoleucine .
• Valine .

These are the famous BCAAs ( Branched Chained Amino Acid ).

Finally, isolating the BCAAs is a bit like breaking down a house to collect only the bricks.

Why are they interesting?

In any case, all amino acids are interesting (we will see it later), but we mainly retain BCAAs for several reasons:

• They constitute 1/3 of muscle proteins .
• These are the first amino acids broken down during exercise.
• Leucine is the most potent amino acid for anabolism .
• Leucine oxidizes in the muscles, so it is a source of energy .

As a reminder, anabolism corresponds to the phase of (re) construction, in particular muscle mass. In contrast, catabolism breaks down muscle tissue to provide energy. Hence the importance of nutrition, you need to provide your body with enough nutrients to avoid draining the reserves, namely, muscle.

Where can we find branched amino acids?

First, you should know that BCAA on their own is not enough. Therefore, it is necessary to provide all the amino acids that your body needs.

All foods have a higher or lower content of branched chain amino acids . To know the values, just consult the aminogram of the food in question. By the way, if you eat protein powder, you may have seen that the aminogram is written on the jar.

In the diet in general, it is therefore foods rich in protein that provide the most:

• Meats: beef, chicken…
• Fish.
• Eggs.
• Milk …

Namely that the holy grail is whey protein. Its biological value is 96%, that is to say, it is extremely well assimilated, in addition to that, 1/4 of these proteins are from BCAAs.

What are the benefits of BCAAs?

Consequently, this explains why this food supplement is popular among athletes. You can always reap benefits, both for strength sports and endurance .

Let’s do a checklist of all the benefits of BCAAs :

• Delays fatigue (therefore more endurance).
• Promotes muscle gain : more powerful anabolic response (higher protein synthesis).
• Fight against catabolism (muscle wasting).
• Accelerates the speed of muscle recovery .
• Promotes fat loss .
• Strengthens the immune system and reduces muscle stiffness (to a lesser extent).

The BCAA requirements are even higher for athletes. The effort consumes it, sweating increases the losses and the maintenance of a consequent muscle mass requires to have more of it.

Which ratio to choose?

You can find everything on the market from 2: 1: 1, 4: 1: 1 to 20: 1: 1! But ultimately, what does this ratio mean? Take as an example 2: 1: 1:

• The first number (2) represents the content of leucine
• The second number (1) corresponds to isoleucine
• The last (1) is valine

This means that for 4 grams of powder, you will have 2gr of leucine, 1gr of isoleucine and 1gr of valine.

As said before, amino acids must work in synergy to be effective. Therefore, limit yourself to the 2: 1: 1 ratio , the rest is completely unnecessary and is just a commercial argument based solely on the benefits of leucine.

What are the limits for BCAAs?

In view of all the benefits, this seems to be the ideal dietary supplement for building muscle quickly and effectively. Unfortunately, there is a but.

The problem is, BCAAs need the other amino acids to produce complete proteins , and thus build muscle mass . And yes ! remember, amino acids work in synergy! The body will then try somehow to restore balance by going to seek the missing materials directly in your muscles . Finally, it can even be a brake on the process of muscle growth .

In addition, amino acids alone are absorbed much less quickly than di or tri-peptides (chain of 2 or 3 amino acids), Julien Venesson has also devoted an article on the effectiveness of peptides compared to acids amino alone.

Alternatives to BCAAs

Alternatives exist on the market:

• EAAs (includes all essential amino acids ).
• Peptopro (or hydrolyzed casein) which, despite its price, remains a safe value (includes 20 amino acids).

Peptopro is a predigested protein rich in di and tri-peptides. As a result, assimilation is extremely fast (compared to a conventional protein powder), which is why this supplement can cause diarrhea in some people. It is therefore advisable to take it during training , to replenish the stock of amino acids.

Therefore, the consumption of BCAA is especially preferred for its anti-fatigue effect during your bodybuilding session, and not for its action on anabolism or catabolism.

Do you need to take BCAAs on your days off?

A priori, given its limitations, there is no point in supplementing with BCAAs during your days off .

On the other hand, some people need to take in more amino acids:

• The elderly: the turnover (degradation / reconstruction) of proteins is negative, unlike the young.
• During a diet (calorie restriction): Consumption of amino acids is not sufficient, which results in muscle wasting .

The alternatives to BCAAs are not the most interesting to overcome this problem. Let’s see together which are the most suitable food supplements.

Which food supplements to favor during your days off?

A priori, peptopro, BCAAs or EAAs are rather supplements intended to be consumed during training. The goal is simple, you need to get enough amino acids in your body on your days off to limit catabolism and promote anabolism .

The most suitable food supplements to fulfill these functions during your days off are still whey and casein .

Whey is absorbed faster and is rich in BCAAs, the level of amino acids quickly rise in the blood before falling again a few hours later (promotes anabolism). There is a lot of whey on the market, from concentrate to hydrolysates, I personally have a preference for whey isolate dairy (native or bioactive) with few additives.

Casein is absorbed more slowly, the level of amino acids in the blood remains stable over time (fights against catabolism). As with whey, Casein is sold in different forms. I recommend micellar casein , much easier to assimilate with a longer duration of action than sodium caseinate (which probably should not have existed).

When to take these food supplements?

First, it’s best to have these two supplements if you have the budget. Thanks to this, you will be able to adapt your snack, according to the time of day. It is always good to remember that if your diet is already rich in protein and you respect the fundamentals of sports nutrition , the investment is unnecessary.

To keep it simple, here’s how you can do it:

• In the morning when you wake up: after a long night without eating, it is better to consume a whey shaker to provide the missing amino acids more quickly.
• Between two meals: in this case, it is interesting to make a 50/50 mixture of whey and casein to take advantage of the anabolic and anti-catabolic action .
• At bedtime: To fight against nocturnal catabolism it is more appropriate to consume only casein.

Regarding the dosages, they will be specific to each. The main thing is to get closer to your daily protein needs, which is around 2gr / kg of body weight for a bodybuilding practitioner . It is still better to bring 25 to 30 grams of protein per snack, not to mention a source of carbohydrate and fat if you are not on a diet, a homemade gainer can do the trick.

To summarize, yes BCAAs can be interesting only during your workouts for its anti-fatigue effect or to reduce muscle stiffness, in this case, 5 to 10 grams to consume throughout the session are enough. For its equivalent, your best bet is still opt for peptopro if your wallet allows it. On your days off, it’s best to consume whey or casein, depending on the time of day.

Food supplements don’t work a miracle anyway. As the name suggests, it complements your diet, and that’s it.