10 Things I Wish I Knew for Bigger, Stronger Legs

[@jdjsakhfkwsb]

For legs I mainly do bench press

[@Optimal-GymRat]

xD

[@peterspaulding4716]

😂

[@dg9015]

Huh, does it work?

[@ChristopherFoote69]

3x5 or 5x5 🤔

[@Ricquisimo]

Standing bench press

[@uhsemehicieronlas3]

10 mins of 100% pure valuable information. It's a condensed sample of your other leg videos, which are well worth rewatching every now and then.

[@christineribone9351]

The seated leg exercises are challenging because the chair machines were made for men with larger bodies. Finding the right angle and position for a petite short woman is a big accomplishment. Thanks for the tips.

[@EICHist]

It's not just women. The way the machines are at the gym I use are wonky at best. The seat is at a fixed angle and if I don't press the pad down to the point of suffocating my legs, I slip all over the place. No, I am not super skinny either, the machine is just awkwardly designed.

[@christineribone9351]

@@EICHist Also true!! A lot of gyms have wonky equipment that are poorly designed.

[@strixzahven2742]

Just before I leave for leg day, thank you sir. I like that you address some less obvious points like the relative leg length influencing the squat balance and solutions for poor hip mobility.

[@berner]

I have crepsis and also patellar misalignment in my right knee. When I lay back on a complete 180, there's absolutely zero pain in my knee at all.

[@davemurphy7575]

My gym got an old school leg extension machine that you can lay down on and it's been a game changer for my quad work. Actually seeing good development in the intermedius

[@rstriker21]

Isn’t the thumbnail mostly just body fat difference

[@MattGarcyaDC]

got a vid about ankle mobility? im trying to do ass to the grass squat form

[@GadgetyMV]

Doing hamstrings before squats seemed to create instability in the knee for me, leading to an injury. I would not recommend it.

[@martindavis6472]

This is a useful video. There are many types of crap on the internet. This is not. Thank you.

[@turkicsayajin2274]

is sumo squat enough for adductors ?

[@aphex2109]

2:36 GYAAAAAAT

[@daniseo5747]

Obed are in bulk, and the others are in cut.

[@upactive1365]

I gotta admit the guys I know in the gym that know bro science are usually bigger and more defined than the pros 😂

[@markd4768]

I train my legs everyday! I WALK 😂

[@CrazyLikeChris]

Eugene is the bob ross of fitness

[@muzakdeep]

Nailed it!

[@johnnyfox8934]

Good one!

[@greveeen]

That calm tone in his voice 😂

[@calmyourmind5665]

Eugene watches videos of people’s muscles tearing and bones snapping, “Just happy little accidents.”

[@gs2142]

More like Hybrid Calisthenics

[@idealiter_]

1. Lay back leg extensions 2. Use a variety of load carrying options 3. Lean forward leg curls 4. Use straps for Front Squats 5. Train calves/hamstrings first 6. Elevating heels is NOT cheating 7. Do explosive jumps before squats 8. Don't neglect your adductors 9. Do 3 second stretches 10. Squats are NOT essential

[@jonothandoeser]

11. I wish I knew that I was going to have to wear shorts or balloon pants for the rest of my life because my thighs were so bulky.

[@danielmolina3103]

@@jonothandoeser nobody tell you that part part bro,i have like 2 extra size on pants just to not look like a sausage o jeans

[@jonothandoeser]

@@danielmolina3103 Lol! You got that right!

[@royalecrafts6252]

11. Nordic curls

[@dionysianapollomarx]

10. Barbell squats specifically, other squats are better for some people

[@AwesomeCo1]

Training calves first is a game changer. Not only can you focus on them more and be less likely to skip them, but also warming up the ankle like that before squats is huge. Makes my ankles feel super smooth and makes the bottom position super easy to get into during warmups. Even if you don't like training calves, doing some solid bodyweight single leg calf raises before your squat work to get a pump is a great idea

[@haru_haru_har_har8213]

agreed. I recently hit calves first and it warms up and get my legs primed for Squats and Deadlifts. Well, I only realised it after having a ruptured achilles tendon last year. hence why i've been working on calves. Never would've I have expected that it'd help a lot XDDD

[@philipauken5391]

I did that yesterday, and it’s the first time I’ve been able to do a max effort ATG squat session. It’s great to come across this comment the day after, I very much agree. My quads are sore for the first time in months! Edit: I also include a deep, 15 second stretch at the end of my last set, John Meadows style. Can recommend.

[@nocatchnobeat7015]

I honestly have no Idea why people skip calves, its one of my favourite exercises

[@AwesomeCo1]

@@nocatchnobeat7015 plus you can superset it with just about anything if you're averse to them

[@nursenaceylan3706]

@@nocatchnobeat7015 i always skip them bc i have pretty thick calves. my leg genetics is kinda good so even i dont train my calves they are getting bigger every day :/

[@ThunderbackOG]

I started doing Leg Curls before squatting after seeing one of johns videos. It warms my hammies up quite well and made them a lot stronger over time.

[@Bariom_dome]

Me too. Though squats are the hardest move for me

[@ThunderbackOG]

@@Bariom_dome Squats are worth it. Stay strong King.

[@Jaschka15]

and the hammies are like built int sleeves haha

[@shahin738]

Sets, reps, RIR? I'm usually doing 1 set of 30 with 10+ in reserve.

[@cx2900]

@@shahin738 no, do a few legit sets of leg curls before squats, I'm talking at least 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps, 1-3 rir. don't think of it as a warmup for your leg workout, think of it as an actual hamstring workout. granted, the main value of this is prioritizing hamstrings and avoiding knee pain from going straight into squats. if your hamstrings outshine your quads and your knees don't need a bunch of warmup to start squatting, there's less reason to do this

[@OhLookItsDavid]

Bro’s calves are insane

[@kemalettinsrt]

roids bro..its impossible to have those type of calves with no roid support.

[@mattyice5331]

Training calves first has been a game changer. By no means do I have HUGE calves, but they have significantly improved by prioritizing them first. I would definitely recommend this approach if you tend to skip training them after your leg day.

[@jonathanbauer9279]

dont call me out like that

[@iravencrow302]

ive been skipping calves for a month now cuz i get tired of doing them last, will def try that.

[@Rapscalian]

@@iravencrow302 calves are really easy just do a thousand reps of calf raises and be done with them not much variety

[@Stefan-od3us]

I have to start doing this

[@ahhhhchoo]

@@Dr.MichaelMoran Thanks. RP is a great channel. How would you say that placing calves first affects your squat performance?

[@Wealth.is.Health]

Quad extension lying back is very similar to a reverse Nordic curl. My go to quad movement when working at home. Freaking love that one to feel the quads

[@JonathanDLynch]

I stopped reverse Nordics because they were hurting my knees :(

[@robertdipietro991]

@@JonathanDLynch sissy squats?

[@JonathanDLynch]

@@robertdipietro991 I just find them very awkward. I do barbell reverse lunges. After I am done with that, my quads are fried.

[@TheRaver1984]

Just tried the lean forward seated Leg Curl. Wow oh wow. What a difference. Thank you for the tips!

[@amielterence]

One of the best fitness videos I’ve seen in a while. A lot of new fitness KZbinrs are just regurgitating each other’s information. But few have the expertise combined with experience to be making the deductions and niche adjustments you’ve mentioned here. Thanks a million

[@NunoAlexandreMB]

I've started doing lean back leg extensions (with an added band) after I saw you recommending them on an older video and really like them. People at the gym think I'm crazy but the gains are sweet

[@toddflamingo]

RIP Meadows

[@matthewboik421]

I’ve been playing hockey for 30 years and the best thing I incorporated into my routine off the ice to improve my stride was adductor work. Very very underrated and often overlooked but extremely important.

[@zacharyshort384]

...also the primary muscles Khabib used to dominate his ground and pound ^_^

[@narcoman]

Is it the inner thigh??

[@darthbombadil6774]

I just found your channel, I had a leg day today that was ok, but I always feel like I'm leaving stuff on the table, after watching this video I can't wait for my next leg day. This gave me alot of variation to incorporate. Thanks!

[@jacobbutler169]

Legs can be trained more than once a week my friend

[@edi6722]

@@jacobbutler169 nobody said it couldn’t?

[@darthbombadil6774]

@@jacobbutler169 who said it couldnt

[@heriooliveira1008]

And tom platz says: do only squats!

[@monaboulsishorts]

Eugene is one of the best teachers in this space. He is so patient, specific and gives incredible demonstration.

[@AdrienBCaldwell]

Wow. I changed my form on the seated hamstring leg curl to match the guy in the video at 3:19 and my hamstrings were on fire! I had to go a tad lighter that what I normally do but my hamstrings were really feeling it like never before. I am loving the information in your videos. Subscribed and, thank you for your content!

[@darksamurai010]

I have yet to come across a gym in my area where they have a leg extension machine that would allow the user to lean back ;__;

[@migsy3302]

Eugene is a true Gentleman of the Sport. The positive impact this guy is bringing into the lifting world is incredible valuable. I'm not lifting heavy any longer because I'm getting older but I'm looking for technique and excellence. I've found it! Thank you Sir!

[@GabrielCarvv]

Indeed!

[@jessebahen1281]

I like to do legs in this order, ham curl first, then hack squat, and after hack squat I’ll do seated calves. It’s a game changer because calves are still pretty prioritized and I get to sit down after hitting squats hard

[@Antonio_Serdar]

1. Leg press 2. Romanian deadlift 3. Leg extension 4. Leg curl 5. Calf press

[@whyrugae8716]

wow i do the exact same thing, i like warming up the hamstrings before squats, then ill do calves, extensions, ab/adductors, etc

[@kw1213]

Keep in mind that the seated calf exercise is mostly a soleus exercise NOT gastrocnemius. You NEED to do standing calf movements to properly stimulate the gastrocnemius.

[@lout9231]

Long femur short torso raised heel gang. Also been doing lean back leg extensions for a while now, it’s one of a few exercises I do where my form isn’t standard but gives a much better overall stretch and result. Have a similar approach to a cable fly which has finally helped me develop a lower chest

[@kyle21843]

i do have one question about that, when getting ready to go super heavy how do you make sure you dont misstep? i feel like thats the biggest concern for me

[@hasselett]

I actually realized one thing that made my legs grow. I started exercising them.

[@zacharyshort384]

That's the main element missing from my 'leg day'

[@Bunny11344]

And eating enough

[@miguelnign1475]

Me watching this after a day of destroying my legs and currently can't walk.

[@jbanzi9922]

Love this! As a physio student I see lots of evidence based stuff here and really appreciate you sharing it 😊

[@kshitijitkare5932]

"Doesn't have to be complicated". Really 😂!? You rich people have no idea how people from developing countries workout

[@infantraj9951]

Such a well put together video, even for experienced lifters, these are some great insights for longevity, great work Eugene!

[@hueyyang10]

Imo humble opinion everyone should be squatting it they are bodily able. Literally 80% of average gym goers cant squat to parallel regardless of weight. And considering the squattingmotion is prob the most similar movement we do (getting up from sitting) everyonen like eugene said, should work to get proficient at it.

[@mrsbootsworkouts]

Insane power! I wonder how you avoid injuries. Thank you for sharing, super inspiring!!

[@kevinmimi2865]

Can you please donate just half of your calf to me?🙏

[@MiguelL-qu2eu]

No more skinny jeans my ppl

[@alejandrobarcelo3987]

Barbell squat not essential? Tom Platz has something different to say... kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHvNdKugiJytitE

[@thisisa.mezing4382]

Wow. I’m very new to working out seriously ( 80 pounds down ) and I just found your channel. I am so stoked to use these tips. Thank you sir.

[@kulrythm]

Today I learned John Meadows could jump like an NBA player.

[@bmach420]

Very informative video. I'd add-in the importance of adding frontal plane movement- agility ladder or mini band steps- especially before the workout to activate the hip complex, medial glutes, & QL. This is also beneficial for those with patellar tendinitis.

[@shahzadzaman918]

Experiment: If you come here just after watching Greg Doucette, you'll not be able to hear parts of Eugene's monologue.

[@rogueshadow1933]

Alright Eugene, the real thing I would like to know is what brand of pants you're wearing at 1:39, when doing step-ups.

[@markstafford3227]

Loving the insights unfortunately I have major arthritis I’m loading with body weight and using huge volume sets of 50 reps and 6-8 drop sets I will adopt a lot of these movements 👍🇦🇺

[@urlanbarros]

09:50 - in this case, I prefer to listen to Tom Platz: squats are superior. 😁

[@georgiafan6618]

TY for the front squat tip using the straps. I can’t do them with my wrists rotated. I assumed the raised heel was cheating! Great science behind it as I’m 6’ - 2” and it sucks to squat. So many good tips compounded with your intelligence and experience makes for a great channel. 👍

[@felixdsg]

The lean back on the leg extension is a game changer

[@henrysantos121]

Matatan ® Ribirin HS° Another great videos well done,

[@catherinebyrom6307]

Just absolutely invaluable info every time

[@blinder5250]

I just wanted to comment on the thumbnail and say that both images show the same amount a muscle, one just has less definition than the other

[@kmkqn]

Hey, Eugene great video man! I appreciate the level of effort you put into them. A little question, does post-activation potentiation also translate to other movements? like doing clapping push-ups before benching.

[@codymorse2484]

Absolutely. Swings and board jumps for hip extension, overhead med ball slams for shoulder extension (lats.)

[@toczi8224]

Thank you for a new video, A lot of love from Poland! I have one question about programing my training. Can you tell what is better for muscle growth: training each body part twice or three times a week? Hope to get some feedback on this topic from you

[@JuliusCaesar103]

There's no definitive answer, try each and discover which one works best for you. Smaller muscle groups can be trained more frequently since they recover more quickly.

[@Mrknubbe]

@@JuliusCaesar103 Mechanical tension plays a bigger role in driving muscle growth over frequency. Funnily enough generally speaking smaller muscle groups are more susceptible to damage and should not be trained as often.

[@323Hitman]

3:20 kinda reminds me of Nordic hamstrings curl

[@liberationpocket7950]

The toughest thing that I had to learn was that barbell squats shouldn't be used by beginners. Not only because of personal mistakes, but because the movement is so technical. I know this is a hot take but you CANNOT mess up a squat technique because if you do, you're in a world of hurt. If you want to practice squatting as a beginner, start with sissy squats first. It is so critical that you learn how to hinge without using your back

[@user-gn1tv8pp5d]

also when starting to practice squats i found a smith machine helped massively, even tho a lot of the gym community looks down on smith machine squats for whatever reason

[@liberationpocket7950]

@@user-gn1tv8pp5d I definitely agree with that. I absolutely love doing squats in a smith machine

[@DanielQRT]

but they won't get better at squatting if they don't squat, so sooner or later they do have to actually put a barbell on their back

[@crazy75able]

​@@DanielQRT If you are only interested in muscle building you not only don't need to ever do normal squats but it's probably preferable to not do them. You have better leg exercises like leg press, hexsquats or even smith machine squats.

[@rhysqqq]

From the screenshot: lesson 1 transition to men’s legs from having woman’s legs

[@voxpopuli6405]

I've checked out a couple of your videos In the past. I even started doing front foot elevated split squats after watching your sissy squat video. Just wanted to let you know. This is one of the most legit videos on fitness that I've ever seen. Subscribed because of this one alone.

[@coacheugeneteo]

Thank you! 🙏

[@VatoLocosOldies]

Love the information Eugene, damn it! i might just have to try out Ganbaru!!! I've been thinking about it since you released it!! Ganbaru is life? Ganbaru is love? Ganbaru is peace?!?!

[@vlad_ussr8390]

How do you know if you have a longer femur?

[@rachelgarbe3932]

Question! I was doing squats today on the smith machine, going down as deep as you were in the video (basically my quads touching my butt) and some guy came up to me and said that was bad for your knees and I should only squat at a 90 degree angle. Is this accurate? Thanks!

[@62pianoguy]

"Ass to grass" (as it's colloquially known) is not an inherently necessary depth to achieve, unless you are in that minority of people who can actually descend that low without your lower back starting to round. Ideally you should stop just below the point where such rounding starts to occur, wherever that happens to be for you (film yourself, or have someone do else do so, so you can figure out where that point is). Hopefully this will be just below parallel rather than at an exact 90-degree angle. Of course, you can learn to gradually increase your depth over time if you wish, but be careful at first to do so with lighter weights (or even none at all), and constantly self-monitor your back. If you do eventually choose to continue training ATG, you will obviously need to use lighter weights than you could otherwise. As for doing squats in a Smith machine, the prevailing consensus seems to be that this can tend to force you into an unnaturally rigid bar path (and prevent you from learning to use your stabilizer muscles correctly). If possible, and assuming you can learn to do so safely (and without undue mental stress), it's usually more beneficial to train in a regular squat rack with catch bars set just below the bottom point of your squat, so that you can bail on a set if necessary. In any case, I'm sure Eugene can give you a better and more detailed answer about all this than I can. :-)

[@mpiulg83]

I just discovered Eugene Teo. I prefer him to many other so-called "influencers" already. All these instructions are just perfect and perfectly explained. Thank you!

[@coacheugeneteo]

Thank you! 🙏

[@haroomba]

im high as fuck and i didnt realize i wasnt paying attention till the end of the video

[@goerge-q6x]

Thumbnail is just body fat difference

[@maccollo]

I was never able to get anything out of the leg curl machine for the longest time until I got the advice to push my upper body forward with my hands. Wish I could do apply this to leg extensions but the machine at my gym doesn't have the ability to incline the back support.

[@str89z]

I train calves after push workouts and get an insane amount of pumps on my calves. That's what works for me.

[@1bigimpact]

For a front squat flip an ssb bar upside down and put the handles facing behind you...shoulder pain gone

[@HardestShard]

This is pure click bait for thtle novices. The thumbnail with 'broscience' is an unfelxed leg which when flexed would be far bigger than the science leg

[@coacheugeneteo]

No it's not. There's about a 10kgs in muscle mass increase and about 5 years in time between the two, with real science being the "after"

[@Akm723]

I hardly ever leave comments but this one deserves it. Great content!

[@over6124]

The thumbnail is basically your legs on bulk vs cut

[@Darthvaderr00]

tom platz in the corner👁👄👁

[@ramonbriones4487]

The last tip was something that took me FOREVER to also realize and understand. Now I LOVE working on upper legs and the hack squat has gotten me many new PRs and muscles growth.

[@ALPHAFTUCK]

Just found, and sub'd your channel. I'm an old school bb'er at 51 yrs of age. I've watched tons of different "gym education" channels, and I must say! Your channel is absolutely fantastic, and filled with VERY logical information for all of us who love our gym lives. Thank you sir!!!!

[@kanyewestfmypp2967]

I have long femurs and one thing that helped me a tone to get good depth is to just squat a bit wider. I don't elevate my heels, but if you find that's how you can hit depth then do it.

[@DimashCastellucci]

Dude the bro science is bigger than the non bro science 😂

[@swat061]

Eugène , c'est une très grande vidéo , beaucoup de choses motivantes même avec plusieurs années de pratiques , et puis j'aime ce clin d'oeil avec John , j'ai une pensée pour lui et sa famille 😪 Merci de ces précieux conseils et de ton partage 😉

[@mayowaade879]

5:50 torso and femur length doesn’t matter as much as we think. It’s lifestyle. Or a lifetime work of trying to correct it and be able to squat deep without leaning forward too much. Look at people from other countries

[@123ouriya]

That Jimmy House cameo got me hyped😂 Nice seeing you guys working together🤝

[@coacheugeneteo]

More to come!

[@ibrahimwarsame20]

real question where are your shoes ?

[@Noah.Sartor]

Any recommendations for people, like myself, with bad hips ( at a young age) to grow overall quad size? I cannot barbell squat anymore because I had neglected hips and tore my labrum. Currently working on strengthening my hip adductors/abductors and have started back doing split squats as it allows me to not have much flexion on the hip. Any tips/suggestions would be very much appreciated.

[@gamergeek494]

Not quite the same but I also can't barbell squat due to lumbar issues. I've been trying reverse lunges on the smith machine recently. The fixed bar on the smith machine adds quite a lot of stability which allows you to focus really well on the quads.

[@Noah.Sartor]

@@gamergeek494 thanks for the reply man. I’m going to definitely try that out next time

[@StreetWorkout]

Great tips!

[@EthanDBG]

0:24 use anyone but Tom Platz to demonstrate outdated bro science

[@pinner01]

You have the most beautiful gym I have ever seen!

[@Thanos23]

The number 1 is now supported by a recent study "Effects of hip flexion angle in the leg extension on quadriceps muscle hypertrophy".

[@fitbh703]

Good video for someone with long femurs and torso 😂

[@billm5555]

You forgot to mention pointing your toes (plantar flexion of the foot) while doing hamstring curls. In this way, you take the gastroc mostly out of the equation. This is more important than upper body position.

[@natyx666tv]

9:32 what in the baby heads is theses calves ???

[@Kathrynjj]

😅😅😅😅

[@trevorcrook5753]

I know you wear squat shoes . How much is the elevation . And do you wear them for the entire workout or take them off after squats ? I am a big fan of goblet squats . I elevate my heels by standing on a plank , quite low elevation almost flat footed I find I can go deep into the movement while my back remains straight. I didn’t do them for a month ( on purpose ) and then did them to find out which part of my legs they hit . The answer is everywhere . They are a great exercise especially when you get older ( I am 71 ) No back problems

[@DarkGloComics]

Will elevating my heels help for someone who can have muscle cramps from doing heel raises? (I’m currently 327, I was 475)

[@jo_detects_corrects]

What an amazing person, video and advice. Such a calming voice and stunning word selection. Thank you!

[@likemysnopp]

I find that stretching and being more flexible just helps with everything really. Which is funny to know now when many said back in the day that stretching would make your muscles smaller.. I guess you can believe that but for me I would rather be more flexible and feeling better and more mobile in my workouts and movement then to idk.. thinking my muscles grow bigger because I dont stretch 😂😂

[@scovafd]

I'd disagree with the front squat compromise. If you don't have the mobility and strength to preform a proper front squat, it only means you NEED to train it, to master it. Being able to properly front squat is huge for many many reasons that make you more flexible and functional

[@bxi1547]

I appreciate the fact that he gives an intelligent analysis of working out rather than telling people to lift as heavy as possible by any means necessary like a lot of dense meatheads.

[@numpti1039]

bro i wish i had your bulbous calves man

[@andriusbal7558]

1. Lay back leg extensions 2. Use a variety of load carrying options 3. Lean forward leg curls 4. Use straps for Front Squats 5. Train calves/hamstrings first 6. Elevating heels is NOT cheating 7. Do explosive jumps before squats 8. Don't neglect your adductors 9. Do 3 second stretches 10. Squats are NOT essential