FROM STICKS TO TREE TRUNKS

For about three years I have been trying to develop bigger legs and I have gotten nowhere. I am 6-3 and 220 pounds. My upper body looks great, but my legs pale in comparison. A bodybuilder in the gym gave me a routine and said it was foolproof - leg presses (3 sets-6 to 8 reps), squats (3 sets - 6 to 12 reps) and lying leg curls (3 sets - 6 to 12 reps). Well, it isn't working for me. I have been doing this routine for the last five months and I haven't gained an inch. l train legs once a week and I am sore after every leg workout. What do you think I am doing wrong?

Gino Collinesro
Boston, Massachusetts

Let me see if I can figure out a solution to your problem and turn those sticks into tree trunks. You have to understand that everyone is genetically different. What works for one of your friends or your favorite pro bodybuilder won't necessarily work for you.

You are a tall guy, which means it will take more time to build mass in that area because of the length of your limbs. Obviously, you have to change your current routine no matter what because you haven't gotten anywhere in. five months.

You need to prioritize your legs - train them twice a week. Do leg workout one on Monday and workout two on Friday. This way you will get enough rest between each leg workout to recuperate and re-energize. Do a heavy leg routine on day one and a high-rep routine on day two. I don't know how intense your training is, but I guarantee these leg workouts will take their toll on you.

You have to be mentally and physically prepared for a leg workout. There is no more taxing workout than a real intense leg session. You can't fake your way through a heavy leg session and you certainly can't fake your way through a set of 20 to 30 reps on the squat.

Are you ready to get down to the nitty-gritty and are you really serious about slapping some mass on those bird legs? Yes? Then follow these workouts as if your life depended on them.