Recently I was given the unfortunate news that I should no longer do the standard squat movement.My question is has anyone out there built their quads exclusively with just hacks and leg presses? I have experimented with this piece called a power driver and it seems to closely mimic the effects of the squat but I'am unsure of what results to expect.
Squating i think is very overated.I have built my legs exclusively by hack squats,leg presses, and leg ext. with good results.Just remember always use full range of motion during these movements,that means leg presses knees buried into your chest.
John, I have just returned to the squat after a 12 year lapse. I now feel I missed out, but still developed what many thought was great legs from the following movements- lunges, sissy sqts and old style hack sqts holding the bar behind you. I have never found any machine to mimmic the effectiveness of the above.
One advantage of having been around as long as I have, and having trained in the best ****ens in the world, is all the trivial knowledge I accumulated. I actually have heard how the sissy got its name. It was back in the 50's and everyone wanted to build big quads. There was a old timer (don't recall the name right now) who was the Platz of his day. Vinec Giranda was the guru at the time and felt this person had pear shaped quads and a big butt for the squats. At the time the alternative was front squats, but Vince wanted something that would hit the quad more directly and add sweep and separation. He kind of invented the sissy squat for that purpose. Now ture sissy squats done Vince's way are not for sissies. I managed only three reps the Vince way when I trained at his gym.... a long time ago. Well this big thigh guy called Vince's version of squats "squats for sissies" in a old Ironman mag. Well there was a show comming up and Vince and biglegs decides to go head to head. Vince did a article about how he was only going to do his version of squats and let big thigh do his thing with the goal being who wins the best leg aword (Back then awords were given out for best body parts, arms, legs chest etc..) Well Vince won his class and the best leg aword as well. Mr big quads was I think 3rd and won NO best body part awords. Vince went on to great glory and kept the name sissy squats as kind of a ironic reminder to everyone. As for Mr big quads? He kind of fell away from the sport after that (probably why I don't remember his name) anyway that is the story of how sissy squats got there name.
John - Try the leg press routine in Greg Daniels Plateau Buster program. I can guarentee you that you will feel like you had a challenging leg workout from that routine, especially if you can also add in the dead lifts, lunges and one legged body weight squats after the leg presses. I am completly wiped out at the end of this workout and feel that I am making good progress in leg size and strength. Give it a try.
VA MadDog
Posts: 890 | Location: Commonwealth of Virginia | Registered: Sun August 17 2003
No I went to the old mecca right after Pete and the crew moved around the block, and at the time Joe opened World's Gym. My first trip to Cali was spent at Vince's and when I returned a few years later (I joined the USMC) I hung around at Gold's and World's because Vince kind of turned me off with his people skilles I also made several trips at the time, Zane heaven for a week, Utah for a week with Larry Scott. I was around in the Robby Robinson, Danny Pidilla, Boyer Coe, Makkawy (my favorite bodybuilder of all time) Demay, Haney etc.. It was a great time, but I am glad I was able to get a glympse of the old days (79-80)
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