Tip The Forgotten Way to Build Legs Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip The Forgotten Way to Build Legs It used to be the rule for building big quads but today most people haven' t heard of it Let' s change that by Chris Shugart January 6, 2017July 14, 2022 Tags Tips, Training Scorching High Reps For Quads Looking back at bodybuilding history, you often see advice like this: "The quads need higher reps than other muscle groups, like 15-20 or more to grow." But somewhere this old rule got lost. Maybe it's the "go heavy or go home" mindset, which has its place but kills the benefits of time under tension. Or maybe it's because sport coaches write most of the training articles and books these days, and they don't care too much about quads that split your blue jeans apart, only strength and function. Or maybe it's more simple than that. Maybe it's because high-rep quad work burns more than anything else. Most lifters would much rather pile on the plates and do single-digit reps. That hurts, but it's a different kind of pain and strain. But 20 reps of an exercise that targets the quads, taken to failure or close to it? That's some soul-grinding, hypertrophy-inducing pain. The Spleen-Popping Leg Press Routine Pick an exercise that mainly hits the quads. Let's just use a leg press as an example. To shift tension more onto the quads, use a closer foot width, press mainly through the toes rather than the heels, and keep your feet a bit lower on the sled. Shoot for 25 reps. Keep the tension constant, don't lock out at the top. Just close your eyes and grind. If you can't get 25, lighten the load. If you get 30, add some weight. Do two or three sets. After your "sissy" light work, retrieve your spleen. It may have popped out and rolled across the gym. Then add weight and knock out a few heavy sets in the normal 8-10 rep range. Another option: Forget counting reps and grind for two minutes straight. You'll figure out the best weight to use after a practice run or two, so put away the percentage of 1RM charts. Tom Platz Now, this doesn't mean to only do high reps. Just don't forget about them. And it doesn't mean you can't eventually work up to some heavy weights for higher reps. Remember bodybuilder Tom Platz squatting 350 pounds for around 50 reps? Or when he'd put 225 on the bar and squat for 10 minutes without stopping? Yeah, me neither, but he did it and he had the freakiest quads in bodybuilding history. Maybe he was on to something. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip The Hanging Windshield Wiper for Abs Already have a strong core? Get it even stronger with this advanced exercise while also targeting your obliques. Abs, Tips, Training Kelvin King, Jr May 23 Training Tip The Back Burner Finish off your back workout with a few rounds of this. Bonus: It'll wake up your rhomboids too, which will help improve your crappy posture. Training Tom Morrison December 19 Training Tip Use These 3 Lifting Techniques to Burn Fat Do finisher sets to torch more calories and reveal your muscle. Here's how. Metcon, Tips, Training Nate Palmer December 23 Videos Tip Goblet Squat – Correct Form The goblet squat has gained popularity in recent years. Let's make sure everyone is doing it right. Exercise Coaching, Squat, Tips Bret Contreras January 20