My hard gaining clients (guys who have trouble putting on size), often complain about how hard it is for them to put on size. One key attribute they point out is having “chicken legs” despite claiming they focus on legs with their lifts. While that may be true, there is more to growing size anywhere, than just working out.

My legs won’t grow!

This applies to any body part really. If a body part isn’t growing in size, or lagging behind in growth compared to the other body parts the fault lies on you. Hard pill to swallow, I know, but here’s why:

1. You aren’t actually focusing on creating tension (and adaptation) on the muscle you intend on. 

Case in Point - If you are doing a compound movement like squatting, there is a high potential that due to the heavy weight, many other muscles can kick in to assist the quads in moving the weight, thus leaving tension on secondary muscles, rather than the quad itself.

2. You are trying to do too much rather than focus on the exercises that count.

Case in Point - You’re doing 20 sets a week of leg work, 9 different exercise variations. Fantastic, but if it’s all junk volume (you spend more time just getting the sets in rather than asking yourself if these exercises are both being pushed intensely enough, and targeting your quads enough) you’re likely spinning your wheels.

The New Plan

I have other articles on body parts and specific programming, so feel free to check those out if you need a full overhaul. For those who like their current program, but need a checklist to make sure they’re maximizing the muscle growth potential here’s what you NEED in your program to guarantee leg growth. Without these your legs WON’T grow.

• Are you keeping Time under Tension?

I’m not saying you need to be doing 4 second counts down and up on a squat, but there DOES need to be a level of control. I like to use the example of when you’re moving furniture around the house. You don’t just drop the table where it needs to go. You carefully lower it, and control it to make sure it gets set down properly. Apply that same logic towards your leg movements. You don’t need a head count, but use that same wary lowering and lifting tempo you would moving delicate furniture.

• Are you Maximizing the lifts that count?

Forget total sets, forget how heavy a weight you’re using for right now. Choose 3-4 compound leg exercises for 3 sets each. That’s it. Using the point above now, I want you to focus the next 2-3 weeks, CAREFULLY controlling how the weight moves, and using those 3 sets to ask yourself - “What’s the heaviest I can go while keeping “delicate furniture control” and maximizing tension lowering and lifting the weight? Make sure you can do that for ALL sets.

By giving yourself only 3 exercises, you know you have to make those count, and thus won’t be distracted by junk isolation volume to “make up for it”. This is why your legs aren’t growing. 6 quality sets will be 12 sets going through the motion every time.

Sample Routine

Leg Day 1

Squat - 3 sets of 6-8

Lunges - 2 sets of 6-8

Romanian Deadlift - 3 sets of 6-8

Leg Day 2 (make sure to have 1-2 days of no leg work in between these two leg days)

Deadlift - 3 sets of 6-8

Leg Press - 2 sets of 6-8

Hip Thrust - 3 sets of 6-8

Reminders:

-Only add weight when you can KEEP that steady, delicate pace throughout the full range of motion, at a given weight for 6-8 reps. This is absolutely key. Don’t chase the weight as that’s probably what got you here in the first place.

-You should feel a little sore the next day, with the quads and hams feeling tired. If they’re so sore you can barely walk, pull back 2 sets. If you don’t feel soreness at all, add 1-2 sets. A little soreness in those areas is a great sign. It means you are now hitting the target area and signaling growth.