Peter Chown on Leg Training

by Peter Chown - (but you guessed that right?)

This article is on leg training and was written by Peter Chown....Peter Chown wrote this article.

The most common question I get asked is ‘How did I build my legs? Throughout my bodybuilding career I have been asked this question a few times a week due to the development I have achieved over the years. I’ve been called The Quadmaster, Quadfather, Quadzilla...allsorts! Well I will let you in on my secret, the secret to Natural Mr Universes’s leg development, the secret to my success, the secret to making your legs big and ripped in no time!!!

Well actually I’m sorry to disappoint you, the secret doesn’t exist, or if there is a secret then it’s sheer bloody hard work and consistency!

The amount of times I’m in the gym and I see guys who have pretty good development in the upper body but are too embarrassed to wear shorts, or if they do then they just look plain stupid! They are just lazy, full of excuses. I always ask them how the leg training is going and I get the usual response, ‘I don’t need to train legs as they get all the work they need when I play football at the weekend’ or ‘I run and that works my legs’. What a load of crap!

If you want to able to wear shorts in the summer and have girls swooning at your feet, yes, girls love muscular legs, why do you think they always watch the rugby, then start to plan in those leg workouts. First, learn to love the squat rack because, believe me, you will be spending some time there! Yes, I love squats and they are my ‘secret’ to my leg development. The workout I am giving you is the one that has contributed the most to gaining the size and shape in my legs and the one I use the most often. It’s brutal but you will learn to love it. It uses basic compound movements and I guarantee you will see results in a month or two.

From a bodybuilding perspective, leg training consists of working the quads, hamstrings and the calves. They all need to be worked equally for overall development, so no neglecting the hams and calves! I work the hamstrings first, then quads and calves. You may be wondering why I work hamstrings first, well I find it gets my knees nicely warmed up ready for the heavy weight I use in the quad workout.

After warming up with 5 minutes C.V. to get the heart rate up and blood flowing I then do some bodyweight squats to stretch out my legs and get the joints mobile. Also one thing I would like to point out is that I never wear a weight belt when training; I believe they are totally unnecessary as we have our own natural belt in the body, most guys wearing these in the gym have no idea why they are wearing them and usually have awful technique to match - unless your a competitive power lifter or have a real medical reason for doing so your probably doing more harm than good wearing it, save your money.

Hamstrings

Straight leg deadlift 4 sets of 6-12 reps.

This is my favourite exercise for hamstrings when done right. It’s great for the glutes and hamstrings, building size and strength. Just make sure when you do them you keep your back nice and straight in a neutral position, legs straight but the knees soft so as not to put too much pressure on the joints. I see so many people do these with a rounded back bringing the bar all the way down past the ankles, keeping your back straight (hold your neutral spine angle) you will be bring the bar down to just below the knee! Really focus on pulling the weight back up using the glutes and hamstrings. Start with a light weight as it is the first exercises and build the weight up on each set so the last set is the heaviest while lowering the reps on each set.

Lying leg curl 3-4 sets 6-12 reps

Your hamstrings will be warmed up now so go straight into a heavy set. While doing the exercise keep your feet ‘lose’ so basically keeping the calves relaxed. You’ll be amazed how much work your calves do if you bring them into play! When you start failing with the weight then bring the calves in to bang out a couple more reps.

Standing leg curl 3 sets 6-12 reps.

Same as above but standing. You hit the muscle slightly different and also as it is a single leg exercise you can focus 100% on each hamstring.

Quads

As you know by now I am a big believer in squats so it comes as no surprise that this is the first exercise.

Squats: 4 sets of 6-15 reps

Yes, my favourite exercise! Start off with the bar for 15 reps and then increase the weight on each following set. Work up to a heavy weight on the last set but keep strict form, and also heavy is what ever is heavy for you in strict form. I see many people pile on the weight and the form is terrible, squatting only a few inches. I squat down to where my thighs are parallel to the floor or just below. I don’t believe you have to go ‘ass to the floor’ as this puts so much stress on the knees. I have my feet about shoulder width apart, keep the weight controlled on the way down and drive the weight back up. And then squat away!!!!

Hack Squats: 4 sets 6-12 reps

A great exercise for building up size in the legs and especially the vastus medialis (teardrop muscle just above the knee). The machine for this is getting less common but most serious gyms have one. Again sI quat down nice and low and I place my feet about hip width apart on this one.

Walking lunges: 3 sets 20 reps

A great exercise and one that many guys don’t do as they think it’s a bit of a girls’ exercise (they are stupid and wrong mind). Try them, they are a killer! Find enough space where you can lunge about 10 reps, turn around and 10 reps back. Keep the reps controlled, no rushing. If it’s easy, add weight? This will ruin your legs and also get the lungs going.

Calf

After a couple of minutes rest move on to the calves. These must not be neglected as they are a very impressive muscle when they are built up. I use two exercises.

Standing calf raise 4 sets 6-15 reps

These work the main bulk of the calf, a simple exercise but you must use full range of movement. Stretch all the way down and all the way up for a full contraction. I see so many people use a small movement with lots of bouncing. Keep it controlled, all the way up and all the way down. I’m not a massive believer in high reps for calves as a lot of people are, they are just a muscle after all, but do experiment with different rep ranges and see what works for you.

Seated calf raise 3 sets 6-15 reps

Same movement as above but using the seated machine and this works the flat muscle under the main bulk of the calf. Same rules apply, keep the movement controlled and use full range.

There you have it, my favourite leg workout, and one that if you put the effort and dedication in will give you the legs you have always wanted!

About the Author

Pete is a natural bodybuilding champ and always worth listening to. 2006 INBA Natural Mr Universe and 2005 INBF World Heavyweight Champ – and one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. He is huge, muscular, ripped and strong and does not inject steroids into his ass, his arm or his eyeballs. He just works damn hard and eats right. He will not get all fancy and technical; he is just here to tell us what to do and how to do it. He knows what works. We like this.

More from the Author

The Muppet Show
Bodybuilding basics: Shoulder Training
Ten of the Best