Question for Transform

amazingemmet

Transform wrote:

Finally, the squat and deadlift are very important for men but the lunge and straight leg deadlift i have found to be better exercises for women in terms of the results they produce.

What results have made this choices in your mind? Personally with all the girls I've trained I normally have a lot of single leg variations just as women seem to not be as stable around the knee and hip as most guys. Though it depends from person to person.

Transform

amazingemmet wrote: »

What results have made this choices in your mind? Personally with all the girls I've trained I normally have a lot of single leg variations just as women seem to not be as stable around the knee and hip as most guys. Though it depends from person to person.

I feel men and women do not really have stability issues its really a problem with flexibility and weak inner thighs so single leg exercises resolve this whereas squats will make it worse. Bit like running when you have tight IT band, tight glutes, thight calves - the problem is going to get worse as you continue running/squatting, it will NEVER get better.

I use any of the 24 single leg/double variations (no machines) to help with this and have found squats do not produce the knid of legs my clients want. Generally, the squats have caused my female clients to get bigger or stay the same and there are better options. I will put them in some of the time just not a permanent fixture in my programs for female clients.

If the client is very overweight (2stone+) i will NEVER use any extra weight (except straight leg deadlifts) when working legs as their body weight is plenty and their thigh muscles are always a mess of tightness and very poor flexibility.

In general squats/deadlifts are a great exercise for men when they have sorted out their flexibility, tighness in glutes, thighs and hips but for women i have found there are better exercise and no i am not taking about using the thigh buster machine or lying on the floor doing mickey mouse leg lifts.

amazingemmet

Sorry when i said stable there I meant girls can't seem to track their knees right, keeping them in the optimal groove for leg work.

Cheers for the reply

Transform

Yes i understand and i think all that unstability is due to poor flexibility, weak inner thighs (adductors) and tight calves and glutes.

Squats are grand but most people should start with single leg exercises first

amazingemmet

Transform wrote: »

Yes i understand and i think all that unstability is due to poor flexibility, weak inner thighs (adductors) and tight calves and glutes.

I think it has more to do with weak adductors more then flexibilty as the girls I'm training are all gymnast/dancers so there's no real issue with flexibility then again depends on the person really.

spiral

Is it not possible to train the adductors using a two legged squat by making sure to push the knees out on the descent.
Or are single legged exercises much better for targeting the adductors ?

rubadub

Transform wrote: »

Squats are grand but most people should start with single leg exercises first

What would you recommend?

How do you rate pistol squats?

Transform

amazingemmet wrote: »

I think it has more to do with weak adductors more then flexibilty as the girls I'm training are all gymnast/dancers so there's no real issue with flexibility then again depends on the person really.

Totally agree - i designed a program for a dancer from RADA last month and adductors were very weak but very flexible.

Pistol squats - no way in the world a starting exercise for most. Simple lunges and the variations or a step up onto a bench. Though it really depends on where the tightness and weakness is.

t-ha

I don't like pistols anyway - even for people with good strength. They make you come down at a funny angle and my knees aren't fans at all. Much prefer the single-leg squat (i.e. free leg out behind you).

Hanley

t-ha wrote: »

I don't like pistols anyway - even for people with good strength. They make you come down at a funny angle and my knees aren't fans at all. Much prefer the single-leg squat (i.e. free leg out behind you).

Agreed. Maybe it's jsut me, but I don't like playing about with my knees with an exercise that is so inherently unstable!!!!

Transform

Well overall its easy to work your upper body but it takes hard work to train any leg exercise.

I think pistols attract those that just want something different just for the sake of difference.

I personally do not split my program and include leg work into every weights session (3-4days a week). Not every day is heavy and it gives a more rounded program, overcomes imbalances and keeps it interesting.

rubadub

Cheers guys. Hanley- I remember you talking about them being more of a skill than a strength thing.

As mentioned they are not for beginners! I have only tried them holding onto things and do feel the knees are a bit dodgy.