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How to Build Your Legs Like an IFBB Pro

By: Derek Lunsford August 12, 2019

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Leg day is the day that separates the men from the boys. If you don’t like leg day, you aren’t a bodybuilder. There is no other body part that I train where I get anxiety on the way to the gym, every single time, because I look forward to crushing the weight and growing my legs.

1. Man Up

Do the work that others aren’t willing to do. Reality check fellas—I see more women in the gym training legs harder than the guys who claim to be nationally qualified bodybuilders. If you want to take bodybuilding seriously and go to the next level, then learn to love leg training. Raise the bar for yourself every workout. Keep track of the weight and reps, and keep striving to go harder, heavier, and for more reps.

2. Do Cardio

Even in the off-season it’s important to do cardio. Cardio is important for endurance and stamina. Remember the last time you did a high-volume leg day when you weren’t doing much cardio? Did your legs fail or did your cardio not keep up with the strength of your legs? Do HIIT cardio a few days a week.

3. Eat and Rest

When you train, you are breaking down muscle fibers. You have to repair those fibers if you expect to grow tissue. The only way to recover muscle tissue is by feeding it proper nutrients and letting it rest. Eat in a surplus of calories and eat a high protein diet when growing muscle tissue.

4. Stretching and Massage Therapy

I’m a big advocate of using resources around you to further recovery. Stretching, massage therapy, and other modalities are great for keeping the body functioning at a high level. Specifically, stretching and massage allows you to focus strictly on the muscle fibers. This will bring more blood to the areas and aid in faster/better recovery.

5. Take Your Vitamins

Take your vitamins and any health-related supplements to keep the body functioning at its best. The better your body is running on the inside, the better you can perform in the gym and recover more quickly outside the gym. Vitamins and minerals are the micronutrients your body needs in order for your organs to do their job(check out the "Ultimate Training Pack," Animal Pak here). If the body is not in optimal health, then you’re already starting off on the wrong foot. Get healthy. Stay healthy. Train hard.

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