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Performance Area => Pics, Videos, & Links => Topic started by: maverickdawid on February 10, 2013, 06:48:07 am

Title: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 10, 2013, 06:48:07 am
Hi

Raptor just asked me to upload my quads foto so there it is.

this one is from about 2 years ago before injury, right now because of jumper's knee I had rehab and I'm still strenghten my VMO

(http://i50.tinypic.com/2ykx83m.jpg)


and this one is from about 3 months ago

(http://i49.tinypic.com/23r3ez5.jpg)
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 10, 2013, 06:50:59 am
Post up what exercises you do for VMO strengthening.

If I could get my VMOs to your level I'd jump 40+ easily. Unfortunately for me, they haven't grown in what, 12 years of training non-stop?

I'm currently doing this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrUOEwTDbqA

and deep bulgarian split squats.

But you are the living proof that what you did works so ... that's my question.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 10, 2013, 06:55:47 am
Do you do anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5BDi8Oj5eM
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 10, 2013, 07:07:37 am
Yes Robert - I made  this exercise from this last video like squezing the ball etc but standing straight- not using the wall. Besides my physiotherapeutis told me to do normal lunges and with using unstable ground. I also work with thera band - I pull my leg in opposite direction (if it's left leg I pull it to the right - it's like kicking the ball with straight or bent leg but I worked with straight leg - this is the best exercise in my opinion to built VMO muscle ) . I also do a lot of stretching exercises and since injury till this days and I have no problems with my knee when I'm regularly stretching myself.

But to be honest with you- My VMO and quadriceps before I even do gym workout were built good. My physiotherapeutist just told me that my legs are built like hell etc. Earlier it doesn't interested me. I'm physically very active person and I jump regularly since I was 15 years old so maybe that's one of the reason?

But as I wrote - this couple of exercises help me to strengthen my VMO and reduce my knee pain
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 10, 2013, 07:22:51 am
I also work with thera band - I pull my leg in opposite direction (if it's left leg I pull it to the right - it's like kicking the ball with straight or bent leg but I worked with straight leg - this is the best exercise in my opinion to built VMO muscle ) .

Do you have any videos of that? It's similar to a leg extension or what? Where is the band attached to your leg?

I hope getting my olympic lifting shoes and being able to squat ATG (I should be) will get those quads going by the way.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 10, 2013, 10:18:14 am
I can't find any video. But band is just over ankle. and you have to pull your straight leg to the middle with upturned toes and you have to feel pressure of band
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 10, 2013, 11:40:05 am
I'm guessing you're not pulling the entire leg, just the tibia (basically extending the leg from the knee like in a leg extension) otherwise you'd use your hip flexors, obviously.

So it's pretty much a band leg extension, right?
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 10, 2013, 12:09:39 pm
wait a while. I'll make a video how I'm doing this. unfortunately my thera band is destroyed so I'll figoured out something

there it is. It's poor quality but you know about what move I'm talking about. I'm doing this in 4 series / 30 repetition per series

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8gyo9o
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 17, 2013, 08:25:07 am
I'm already work 2 weeks at the gym and I think my quads are looks more built and more so I upload another picture for you raptor to show progress from last picture and to prove that this exercises help me build my legs strong

(http://i49.tinypic.com/9rqdk5.jpg)
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 17, 2013, 08:42:06 am
wait a while. I'll make a video how I'm doing this. unfortunately my thera band is destroyed so I'll figoured out something

there it is. It's poor quality but you know about what move I'm talking about. I'm doing this in 4 series / 30 repetition per series

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8gyo9o

But that's pretty much a hip flexor exercise since the knee angle is held the same... I don't get how that is anyway related to the VMO?
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 17, 2013, 08:47:34 am
hips are working too that's ok. but if you have straight leg and you do this exercise proper it works with VMO. you can do that also lying on the floor. believe me or not but this helped me a lot to reduce my jumpers knee pain. you can do that also holding something, wall or something and then your hips are working less
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 17, 2013, 09:08:22 am
I'll try it at the gym and see how it feels.

Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Ryno2892 on February 17, 2013, 11:13:18 am
Nasty quads, I'd like that level of leg development....

Gotta keep squatting!
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 17, 2013, 12:39:17 pm
I'm squatting for 3 years continuously and I'm at 10% of that level of development.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 17, 2013, 01:36:09 pm
I did squat in my life for only 5-6 months and I have that development. isn't that a little bit weird? I'm physically very active but I never focused on my legs since knee injury.  and you guys are squatting for many years and your legs are on different level. could this be maybe genetic or something?
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 17, 2013, 01:42:23 pm
It's probably a very big difference in terms of TUT and recruitment between me and you.

I actually kinda shy away from TUT and rush to finish my rep as soon as possible with as little TUT (time under tension) as possible, which negates hypertrophy (the lack of TUT). So I'm "after" efficiency (I should be more after TUT if I want to grow these damn quads).

I also probably am more hip dominant with the knees barely going forward (especially as my body automatically does that to protect my right, hurting knee). These are probably the reasons. I also squat very wide usually.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Ryno2892 on February 18, 2013, 09:54:55 am
I was born with an orthopedic condition known as oschgoodschlatters syndrome, which predisposes sufferers with an underdeveloped VMO.

Also my legs are pretty damn long. I'd guess that with another 5-10KG of muscle, and another 5-10 years of solid training, my quads will probably be like yours (I might be exaggerating, I'll update with some pics on my blog at the end of my 531 mesocycle just to compare).

Yes a lot of it comes down to genetics (insertion points, muscle belly properties, joint size, segment length ect). If your fairly tall and lanky, adding an extra 5KG of muscle onto your frame in most cases is barely noticeable visually. 
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 18, 2013, 10:06:01 am
I have osgood since 6 or so... it definitely destroyed my chances of being a 2-leg jumper. My right VMO (where I have the condition) is pretty much non existant. No wonder I have all sorts of knee issues.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Ryno2892 on February 19, 2013, 08:05:29 am
I have osgood since 6 or so... it definitely destroyed my chances of being a 2-leg jumper. My right VMO (where I have the condition) is pretty much non existant. No wonder I have all sorts of knee issues.

Have you done neanderthal no more program on t-nation?
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 19, 2013, 08:16:06 am
Nope.

By the way - nice looking blog.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Ryno2892 on February 19, 2013, 08:26:38 am
You should get on it, will defs help with the bad knees:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/neanderthal_no_more_part_i

Hey thanks, funny you mention the blog I'm actually gonna change my whole approach to it soooon.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Dreyth on February 23, 2013, 10:30:08 am
If anyone remembers, I had knee tendonitis for months and months straight. I tried many different stretches and exercises, but in the end, NOTHING helped more than simply foam rolling the IT bands, and then activating my VMO's, then ATG squatting. After squat sessions I would remember both my VMO's being very sore. Now the soreness is gone as they are used to the stress, but they will grow as my squat grows.

I haven't read this entire thread, but maverickdawid, have you tried foam rolling your IT bands? Do about 4 sets of 10 slow rolls back and forth and see how it feels. After that I would activate my VMO's and then do my workout or go play basketball.

Also, the best VMO activation I found was doing single leg knee extensions, but only the negatives. You REALLY gotta load it... bring up the bar with two feet, then drop one of your feet, and lower it slowly with the other foot. I have read that activation works better when doing heavy negatives and I tried it out. Ended up working for me.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Ryno2892 on February 23, 2013, 11:23:09 am
If anyone remembers, I had knee tendonitis for months and months straight. I tried many different stretches and exercises, but in the end, NOTHING helped more than simply foam rolling the IT bands, and then activating my VMO's, then ATG squatting. After squat sessions I would remember both my VMO's being very sore. Now the soreness is gone as they are used to the stress, but they will grow as my squat grows.

I haven't read this entire thread, but maverickdawid, have you tried foam rolling your IT bands? Do about 4 sets of 10 slow rolls back and forth and see how it feels. After that I would activate my VMO's and then do my workout or go play basketball.

Also, the best VMO activation I found was doing single leg knee extensions, but only the negatives. You REALLY gotta load it... bring up the bar with two feet, then drop one of your feet, and lower it slowly with the other foot. I have read that activation works better when doing heavy negatives and I tried it out. Ended up working for me.

I will add that as an accessory on squat days. Thanks for the advice  :highfive:
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 23, 2013, 12:12:08 pm
I didn't do It band rolling, but I don't think I need this. my exercises helped me to built enaugh strength to no feel pain. Even when I feel a little bit I'm using knee strap and bodyweight squats with the ball between the legs with thera-band exercise and normal lunges and with using unstable ground help me reduce small pain :) 
I red a lot and many people said that this it band stretch did help them so this looks interesting. But as I said- don't need this but thanks for tips :)
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Dreyth on February 23, 2013, 02:13:01 pm
I didn't do It band rolling, but I don't think I need this. my exercises helped me to built enaugh strength to no feel pain. Even when I feel a little bit I'm using knee strap and bodyweight squats with the ball between the legs with thera-band exercise and normal lunges and with using unstable ground help me reduce small pain :) 
I red a lot and many people said that this it band stretch did help them so this looks interesting. But as I said- don't need this but thanks for tips :)

How do you know you don't need it? Your knee pain may be caused by more than just weak VMO's, as was the case for me. Just test it out -- foam roll and stretch the IT bands for one day. If your knee feels better after it, then you know your pain may ALSO be caused (to some extent) by tight/overactive IT bands.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 23, 2013, 03:02:33 pm
From what I know "stretching the IT band" is just a myth, since it's too dense to be stretched at all.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 23, 2013, 03:21:08 pm


How do you know you don't need it? Your knee pain may be caused by more than just weak VMO's, as was the case for me. Just test it out -- foam roll and stretch the IT bands for one day. If your knee feels better after it, then you know your pain may ALSO be caused (to some extent) by tight/overactive IT bands.


My story with jumpers knee looks like that: I got pain, play couple of games and made break but after 2weaks pain came back. then I went to physiotherapeutist and had knee tapping, ESWT , a lot of stretching and this exercises about which I did mention earlier. After that I had no pain anymore till the early start of the season ( so it was about after 6 months after recovering of my jumpers knee) and it wasn't even pain like jumpers knee, just small pain, maybe I was just too tired after gym and jumping+bball practises. But it wasn't hurt me and I could practise easily, but I used knee strap to be just safety :) and it was pain more like osgood schlatter than jumpers knee. So even if I feel any pain I know exactly what to do. regular stretching help me a lot and sometimes just simple squats+lunges and max. 2 weeks and I'm free of pain
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Dreyth on February 27, 2013, 12:51:48 pm
From what I know "stretching the IT band" is just a myth, since it's too dense to be stretched at all.

interested. foam rolling definitely helps it though. i never tried to stretch it, it felt weird doing it. maybe it was cuz its so dense?
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: Raptor on February 27, 2013, 12:58:29 pm
No idea. I don't have experience with stretching.
Title: Re: Quadriceps picture
Post by: maverickdawid on February 27, 2013, 06:01:15 pm
I have many and believe me or not but proper stretching did help me back after many injuries. jumper's knee, plantar fasciits, twisted ankle - I reduced my pain making stretching and ofcourse doing other exercises . But since I stretch every day I feel way better and my muscles feel less tired after really hard practises. I'm not saying that only stretching is helpful but with proper exercises it helps to be healthy again much quicker