Powerful legs

LittleArm · #1 July 30th, 2005, 02:42 PM

Just something I was thinking about recently...

I'm a slim guy, about 155 lbs. There are plenty of muscular men out there who weigh in at 250-300 lbs or more, especially off-season bodybuilders. Makes me wonder how strong those legs must be, just to support that much muscle mass. The simple act of them getting out of bed and walking across the room would be like me trying to walk around with 150 lbs strapped to my back. I would be exhausted in less than a minute, yet these guys (many of you!) spend their entire day carrying around that much weight.

Truly a phenomenal inspiration!

LG2005 · #2 July 30th, 2005, 04:22 PM

Don't think it isn't an issue. When at my heaviest (about 240) my feet gave me no end of trouble. At 5' 10", my body was designed for about 180 pounds and I do quite well there. When above 210 my feet eventually rebel.

I've known fantastic looking friends bigger than me that gave up bodybuilding due in no small part to the trouble it caused their feet & ankles.

Genetics! Some people got dealt better cards than others. Sigh...

ottomun6 · #3 July 30th, 2005, 06:46 PM

I know I mentioned this a while back (it still gets me excited

), but I knew a guy at the guy that started out about my size at the time (about 175 lbs at 5'8") went on a cycle, a grew so big that he dumped his "normal" sized workout partner and hooked up with one of the gym monsters. We were talking about how big he was (about 210), he said it took the wind out of him just running to the parking lot. It takes time to get used to being so much bigger. Since your heart is still the same size, it has to try to keep blood going to all those big new muscles.

glammaman2000 · #4 July 30th, 2005, 07:27 PM

...I can hover pretty comfortably at around 210.Any more than that;&getting out of a chair gets to be a BIG DEAL!I have some big muscle-buddies who are like Kobe beef!They work out like animals&then DON'T MOVE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!Heck,you have to live in this body!

ottomun6 · #5 July 31st, 2005, 07:10 PM

Have either of you guys tried "easing" into the heavier weight? say moving up 5 lbs over a course of maybe 9 to 12 months? (It would be even easier for 20 year olds, tendons would be a lot more flexible and adaptable)
I have a theory that guys that are heavy set before becoming bodybuilders already have the "heavy duty" suspension for carring the extra muscle mass, while a naturally thin guy will have problems.
On the other hand, there may be foot and other exercises to build up the strength of these weak areas

ethernet_jock · #6 August 1st, 2005, 08:50 AM

as a guy who went from 6'3" 150lbs at the age of 15.... to 6'4" and 260lbs at the age of 28...

I can't say I've ever had any problems carrying my own weight, but it was definitely a slow progression. My legs have always been one of the strongest parts of my body - part of which I attribute to an early love for mountain biking.

Foot problems I've had since I was about 8, so I can't really blame those on weight either... they've never gotten any worse and in fact I think they've improved since I've gotten stronger (instead of fatter) and learned how to stand and walk with proper posture.

Thighs at almost 28" of pretty hard/serious muscle helps... but I'm not nearly as strong in the legs as a *real* body builder either. I think genetics plays a HUGE part in the strength of my "suspension system" as I've always had large/strong legs even when I was a skinny dork. I've definitely met my fair share of people who can't handle being over 200 lbs and a few who handle being close to 300 lbs just fine.

Foot "stretches" seem to be best, Incidentally... for foot problems. And rest.

leg days are extremely hard as I work out at 4am that day and then have to go to work and function with family/kids at home as well for the rest of that day. I generally end up hurting pretty bad that night and the next day... but hey... it's all worth it in the end right?

DonnieJvilleNC · #7 August 1st, 2005, 04:36 PM

I know what you mean about "powerful legs". Being formerly "obese", my legs have always been my strongest bodypart (from carrying all of "me" around). Now I find that they respond quite easily to working out.

The only drawback is that from all my "fat years" my right knee is somewhat shot. I cannot run or jog. My doc said it's OA from the weight wearing out the joint. I take joint health supplements and only do low impact cardio. I just have to watch what exercises I do for legs.

ottomun6 · #8 August 1st, 2005, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethernet_jock

as a guy who went from 6'3" 150lbs at the age of 15.... to 6'4" and 260lbs at the age of 28...
Thighs at almost 28" of pretty hard/serious muscle helps... but I'm not nearly as strong in the legs as a *real* body builder either. I think genetics plays a HUGE part in the strength of my "suspension system" as I've always had large/strong legs even when I was a skinny dork. I've definitely met my fair share of people who can't handle being over 200 lbs and a few who handle being close to 300 lbs just fine.
Foot "stretches" seem to be best, Incidentally... for foot problems. And rest...

Yeah EJ, I guess its especially hard for you, being a small building with feet

!
But I didn't realize you were one of us skinny guys. Good grief! Now you're stomping around the planet with an extra 110 lbs of muscle, that's almost a whole person!!
Your friends that have trouble carrying the extra weight..., did they pack it on in a fairly short time frame?
Oh, and about the foot stretches, I used to have foot soreness after a long day of work. But since I have been flexing my feet and toes, my feet feel great.

glammaman2000 · #9 August 1st, 2005, 08:51 PM

Strange case.As a kid;I grew up very fast(5'10"at 11yrs)Kept getting bigger shoes.Up to 10 1/2 E!After dancing;I raised my arch up until I was a 9 1/2 C!Now;I won't get bigger shoes,my feet just flatteh out.A recent study indicated that all the emphasis on"safe"shoes means that we now have weak feet on strong legs.

CanadianGordon · #10 August 2nd, 2005, 12:21 AM

Well my legs have always been big, and even though I used to hate how large my legs are, I've grown to love how big they are.
My legs have toned down to a reasonable 23" for my quads and 15" calves.

[color=#abb2d5]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...202005/G10.jpg[/color]
[color=#abb2d5][/color]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...202005/G11.jpg

So I understand what it's like to have huge legs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...202005/G12.jpg

And I thought I'd post these pics of me, so we can get back to showing off what we got and what we were given.

ethernet_jock · #11 August 2nd, 2005, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ottomun6

Yeah EJ, I guess its especially hard for you, being a small building with feet

!
But I didn't realize you were one of us skinny guys. Good grief! Now you're stomping around the planet with an extra 110 lbs of muscle, that's almost a whole person!!
Your friends that have trouble carrying the extra weight..., did they pack it on in a fairly short time frame?
Oh, and about the foot stretches, I used to have foot soreness after a long day of work. But since I have been flexing my feet and toes, my feet feel great.

haha!!!

I could swear I've told you all that I used to be as skinny a dork as any of you.... typical story really... short average build kid gets a major growth spurt about 5th grade and doesn't stop until he's 15, 6'3"... and only 150lbs. By the time I was 17 I was still only about 165lbs (I never worked out) but I started construction work that year. By the time I was 19 I was already up to 195lbs at 6'4" and a mean fightin' machine... 19-21 didn't see any major changes except a slow down in metabolic rate... 21 made for a desk job... and I started getting fat quickly.

By 24 I was 6'4" and 245 of strong legs and nothing up top except a beer gut. That's about when I started working out but I had NO CLUE what to do or how to do it right. Cheap dumbells and a way-too-small bench and no commitment to training or diet. 14" biceps, flat chested. It didn't help any that my wife was opposed to me working out at all.... another long story.

Sometime between 24 and 26 is when I also really began to realize that I am bisexual.... met up with a ton of gay people... and learned that it's "ok" to have these feelings that I'd always thought were just "sick" and "fucked up".

26 I was finally banking some really good $ and joined a gym near my office and began going on lunch hours (about the time I found MGS). Later that year I had my first son... and took 2.5 months off lifting.

Late in 27 brought the bankruptcy of my employer and with it, the loss of gym membership and really... any desire to work out for about 3 months. In December I used a small portion of my grandmother's inheritance to buy a bowflex. Turned 28 in January... My wife's idea!!! She'd finally grown and learned over the last couple years that lifting massively helped my attitude and personality issues and made me feel good about myself (something she'd been trying to do for forever). She also discovered that she liked a more buff husband after all and that he wasn't going to get "freaky huge" or "mean" from it... ohhhh the things that women will think, I tell you.

Now I'm 6'4", 260lbs. I've just finally passed the 16.5" bicep mark... I'm just now finally beginning to really feel good about my progress... to the point where I'll actually wear a muscle shirt outside on occasion when I'm feeling brave.

How's that for a quick recap of my physical progression?

Sorry to stray the topic....

*flexes and strokes his 28" thighs a bit more*

----

and Gord.... awesome pics!!! You're really making progress and it's clear my friend, keep up the hard work!

Glam - that explains a bit really to me about my foot problems... It also explains a bit as to why I seem to break a pair of shoes down in 6-8 months even when I rotate them out with 1 or 2 other pairs. I don't think they make average shoes for a 260lb guy, even if they are size 13.

CanadianGordon · #12 August 2nd, 2005, 12:13 PM

With all the extra walking I'm doing for my job, my feet were really aching the first few days.. So I went and upgraded the sole insert in my shoes. Helped immensely. I promise to get new pics of my legs tho guys. They're really leaning up nicely.

The muscle opposite the calf, on the front of the leg, below the knee, is filling out a lot. It's also the one that aches the most after a shift. Any ideas how I can stretch that sucker so it won't?