Exercises for leg seperation?

[Adam]

I'm told that one of the main reasons I didn't get second at my last contest was because the guy ahead of me killed me on leg seperation. My quads were bigger, but his were more cut and defined - they looked great. The main exercises everyone I've asked recommends for improving this are leg extensions (which I didn't do much of in the past, sticking mostly to pressing movements) and lunges. Don't lunges mainly hit the glute/ham area though? Does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks!

[dancerqueen]

Lunges work the quads as well.  Also because of the lifting action that you are getting from one leg to the next, it really forces the muscles to work as one unit rather than individually like in leg extensions.  I personally rely on extensions for a nice separation for myself and any of my clients that I train for competitions.  A great idea is to slow the movement down and really concentrate on working that muscle to it's fullest.  Something I used for me this year was working in some bleacher runs.  Granted most of your bodybuilders won't use stairs or anything along that lines due to it burning up so many calories, however I found it to really pull that separation for me.  Also, being a female, fat burning doesn't always work so quickly for me, so it was like getting to bonuses for the price of one workout.  I think pulling in some extensions and maybe ending your leg workout with some lunges would really help.  Good luck!  What do you do for cardio precontest?  and diet?  Both those areas will play a major role in separation as well.   

[Jack Tragic]

Tricky question as genetics also play a large part in this. Although I feel that lunges performed not too heavy and for countless reps and sets will help...(full range of motion with a good stretch in the "down" position). I also like extensions as well. I normally alternate on each set via left rep, then a right rep and so on with a 2 second pause at the contraction for a full set of 12 to 20. I'll even "turn" or twist my leg outward at the contraction point for an added burn. Wind sprints work well for me too. Reg or front squats while concentrating on putting the workload mainly on your "heels" is good! Burn-sets on the hack machine are murderous though you of course cannot go too heavy on this as it would defeat the purpose. Try not doing ANY calf or quad work 2 weeks out rite up to contest day and then only doing a few pumping and stretching excercises before the contest. I also feel that no matter what excercises you may choose. Diet is the most important for getting that "peeled" look. But it's pretty obvious that you already know this! 

[muscle_n_blood]

I like to really hammer thigh extensions before squats, focusing on the contraction at the top. I get a picture of that separation in my head and visualize what I wat them to look like. Arnold described this as "thinking the definition into them." Also, after that, I don't need to squat heavy to hit the quads well....I can't anymore. My lower back is just shot. The last x-ray looked like a train wreck. I miss squatting wth weight.

[Adam]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I did stop doing legs two weeks out, but I think it would also help if I stopped doing cardio at that point, since my quads pump up from just about anything. Everyone seems to agree that etensions are key, so I'm going to start doing them first, before squats as muscle_n_blood suggested. Not going as heavy on squats should also allow me to keep doing deadlfts - usually after a certain point in the off-season I have to stop them because my lower back is so sore from squats.

[Jack Tragic]

Adam, bro. I just can't beleive that you are having this problem of getting you're lower half to match your upper half for a contest (which is frackin peeled BTW) to me this is just too perplexing! Though I do have some bro's that had this problem. I'll shoot you an email or PM if you want to know how they handled it. It's very different from what you know thus far and may be considered radical...but this worked VERY well for them!

[p.s.]

I like to really hammer thigh extensions before squats, focusing on the contraction at the top. I get a picture of that separation in my head and visualize what I wat them to look like. Arnold described this as "thinking the definition into them." Also, after that, I don't need to squat heavy to hit the quads well....I can't anymore. My lower back is just shot. The last x-ray looked like a train wreck. I miss squatting wth weight.

I fully agree with MnB (go figure!!) about doing extensions (moderate weight/very high reps) prior to any pressing for legs, and I also feel that you need to do more reps on all your squatting, hacks, sissy squats, and legpresses 20+ reps is the way to go IMO and be sure to use only enough weight to stimulate the quads so you can concentrate on using the appropriate muscles to get the job done. One last this is to fully contract (pose) your legs between each set as this will assist in seperation as well.

[Adam]

Thanks ps, I'll try higher reps too - I normally go 12 to 4 reps for my working sets. I tried doing leg extensions first today - it was a bitch! The burn is much greater than when I do them after squats, and I was totally weak on squats after. Normally I'll go 405 for 8-10 reps or 455 for 4-6 for my working sets, but today I could only manage 315 for 10, 10 and 8! I felt like such a pussy. Hopefully I'll adjust to it and regain some strength eventually.

[muscle_n_blood]

Remember... I've never had a judge ask me how much I could squat for how many reps.... or bench, or anything else. It's just not important, especially in contest prep

[p.s.]

Remember... I've never had a judge ask me how much I could squat for how many reps.... or bench, or anything else. It's just not important, especially in contest prep

As MnB has said strength means jack shit in BBing. The weights are just a tool for shaping the physique, so in other words the weight lifted is just a means to an end and not the end result (that's powerlifting, olympic lifting or strongman). Seldom have I ever seen a PL etc with a physique that even comes close to what a BB has, so leave the ego at the door and lift for hypertrophy and shaping the muscle being trained.

[dancerqueen]

As MnB has said strength means jack shit in BBing. The weights are just a tool for shaping the physique, so in other words the weight lifted is just a means to an end and not the end result (that's powerlifting, olympic lifting or strongman). Seldom have I ever seen a PL etc with a physique that even comes close to what a BB has, so leave the ego at the door and lift for hypertrophy and shaping the muscle being trained.

I couldn't agree more. 

[Jack Tragic]

As the infamous "John Shaft" once said...:Rite-ON, mutha-focker;(or something close to that  ) You don't need to squat or do heavy leg presses during contest prep (2 months out). At this point I would rely on only extensions (alternate leg), full squats (ass to floor) w/ a moderate weight and high reps (50 if you can hit it), and the final set do a burner set in the top 1/2 of the squat w/out fully locking-out with a mod-light weight to failure and then have your spotter assist you for forced reps...or do nothing BUT these.In the "off season" is when we need to lift big weights at lower reps, eat more food, etc to get our size. Come contest prep, we just cut the weight (gradually), increase the rep scheme, cut calories and increase protien. And the BIG "key" here I feel is to look in the mirror or just get a good friends opinion on our progress at this point (both is better) and just zero-in on our weak points (we ALL have them). And just totally wreck the shit! Just BLAST this or that or whatever...untill it conforms...

[p.s.]

And I on the other hand still maintain that one compound exercise for legs, back, chest and delts should be heavy (8 reps) while the remainder of the exercises should be moderate in weight for reps (but then I believe that this is the best way to train in the off season as well).

[Jack Tragic]

And I on the other hand still maintain that one compound exercise for legs, back, chest and delts should be heavy (8 reps) while the remainder of the exercises should be moderate in weight for reps (but then I believe that this is the best way to train in the off season as well).

   You know it, p,s,...never give-up the compounds! Here's a funny mental image...imagine a bodybuilder that does absolutely NO compound lifting movements. Only isolation excersizes. I mean since day 1 of their training. Exclusively ISO movements! I'm trying to think of who would even come close to that...? Oh! I know! That dude on those "Bow-Flex" comercials...Heha! But we ALL know that's even a lie as well   

[p.s.]

   You know it, p,s,...never give-up the compounds! Here's a funny mental image...imagine a bodybuilder that does absolutely NO compound lifting movements. Only isolation excersizes. I mean since day 1 of their training. Exclusively ISO movements! I'm trying to think of who would even come close to that...? Oh! I know! That dude on those "Bow-Flex" comercials...Heha! But we ALL know that's even a lie as well   

Well you could develope a nice beach physique or possiby if you are truely a genetic freak one could come away looking somewhat "Zane-ish", but generally you'll look very 2 dimensional.