Ongoing Soreness in Quads

[BGD]

So, just to be sure, a "high rep working set" is what you've been doing for quads since you stopped doing the WM's (instead of pump sets)?...


A few questions:

Are your quads growing and getting stronger (in isolation movements)?

What kind of stretches are you doing for quads?...

What exercises are you doing for quads, esp. the isolation exercises? Knee extensions are notorious for patellofemoral pain (pain "on" / underneath the patella)...

Are you quad dominant in your thighs and / or do you feel you drive moreso with the quads vs. hams / glutes. As and example, some folks (myself) will tend to just grow better hams and glutes doing barbell back squats unless performing them with the quads very much in mind, whereas others naturally squat in a way that produces great quad growth (think Tom Platz and an upright / Oly squat posture).

-S

-S

I've been doing leg pump sets (in superset fashion) as per the FT E-Book but I feel that they are not so much a pump set (in comparison to my other exercises on chest, back, delts, calves etc). Particularly the 1st compound exercise of the superset. I'm using a weight on my compound leg pump sets that lets me to get to failure somewhere between 15 - 25 reps but this 1st set still ends up a 'balls to the wall set' and thats why I refer to it as a widow maker type set, maybe not the right term but it certainly feels like it.

So for example, on a Lower Load Day #1, I might do something like:

Leg Presses: 330kgs x 13 (1 rep short of failure)
2 min rest
Zig Zag: Leg Ext: 70kg x 15 (failure)
2min rest
Leg Presses: 300kg x 12 (failure)

..,..then on a 'Leg Pump' day an example would be something like:

Leg Presses: 280kgs x 25 (failure)
Lunges: Body weight + 10kg DB's x 50 paces
Seated Calf: 20kgs x 30 (failure)
1 minute rest
Leg Presses: 220kg x 15 (failure
Seated Leg Curls: 40kgs x 30 (failure)

I get the impression I'm treating my 'Leg Pump' days like a high rep but still overly heavyish leg day and not a lighter Pump day as you envisioned in the e-book?

IMO I'm Quad dominant in leg my exercises. Body wise my quads are more developed in both size and strength compared to my upper body. (pic attached)

I never had issues with knee/quad pain before and throughout my training years I've pretty much have always used a low volume/frequency approach (Mentzer/Yates). FT is a turn around in both Volume and Frequency so to speak but jumped on board and have loved every minute of it. I've just hit a temporary speed bump thats all!!

I'm still increasing either a rep or two or small weight increments each workout on 45 deg Leg Presses, Horizontal Machine Leg Presses, Vertical and Machine Leg Presses and Leg Ext, Ham exercises.

In regards to Leg Extensions, I've never suffered from knees pain doing Leg Extensions not matter what weight I use, so I'm confident this is not the cause. The pain/uncomfortableness is certainly more prominent on squats and I can feel it just warming up with the bar. I recently began to stall on both Barbell and Smith Squats so I dropped them as I assumed they where the cause of all this.

Even on the Leg Press type exercises I can feel a dull pain after only 1 rep into the set. Having thought about it little more to try and narrow the origin of the pain itself I guess I could pin point it in two places.

1. I feel a dull pain emanating around the top of the knee cap on both knees.

2. Also feel a dull pain high up on both front upper/outer area of the quads - just below the hips.

In regards to stretches I either do a 1 minute Sissy Squat stretch or alternatively a standard flexibility type stretch where I stand on one leg and pull my other leg/ankle up to my buttocks. I also do groin stretches. I will add that I do my stretches after my entire workout and not straight after completing the body part I'm working.

The various compound Leg movements I have been using over my blasts have been:

Barbell Squats
Smith Squats
Smith Front Squats
45 degree Leg Presses
Vertical Machine Leg Presses
Horizontal Machine Leg Presses
Seated Upright Leg Presses (Cable type machine)

Isolation movements for Zig-Zagging sets.

Leg Extensions
Split Squats (Dumbell)
Lunges
Sissy Squats

Seated Leg Curls
Standing Leg Curls
Lying Leg Curls
Stiff-Leg Deadlifts