Advice on learning to love working legs

H

hoovsfunland

Active Member
Hi all! Does anyone else HATE working legs? I find leg work absolute torture! It seems I have trouble making it through the leg portion of the all the Cathe workouts I have. My legs get absolutely so tight and burning that sometimes I must stop and that is with fairly light weight (nothing close to what Cathe lifts). I usually have 20 lbs on my barbell and try to lunges with 12 lb dumbells. Currently I am trying to do 3-4 total body workouts a week - Push/Pull, Supersets, Power Hour, and Muscle Endurance, but I just absolutely HATE the leg sections. Any advice?
 
The only advice I can give is to keep reminding yourself of how good you'll feel when you're done. Which probably doesn't help. :+

I've been lifting for 17 years & I dread the leg workout every single week. each week on leg day I sit at my desk talking myself into getting my butt to the gym & getting it over with. It's the entire lower half of your body, it's a tough workout.

But I always feel like I've accomplished something major when I'm done. :)
 
Run your head into a wall a few times and think, gee that hurt, but I got nothing out of it. Then when your doing your leg work, think, gee this hurts, but my legs will look great! LOL!;)
That's the only thing that i can tell you. And keep doing them, it will get easier and you will love the results. The results for sure will keep you going.

Kathy
 
What about doing workouts that have leg work scattered throughout, like Boot Camp, HSTA or any circuit workout? That way, you only have to put up with the leg work for short spurts.

And when you're doing it, think positive thoughts about it: how strong you are, how good the work will make you look if you keep it up, rather than negative "I hate this," "this hurts." Turn "it hurts" into "Burn, baby, burn!"
 
i like workouts that do some form of lower body work. like low-max, HSTA, kick max, etc. that way i do some form of leg work while working on cardio. then when i have to do my legs its usually 30-45 min workout. the only leg workout i really like doing in complete is legs and glutes.

kassia

http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana

"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"
 
Thanks! I'm still pretty new to this website, but I am SO impressed with everyone here! You are all so helpful!:) Seems I need to work on my brainwashing technique...
I love to work legs...
My legs will look great...
I love to work legs...
This hurts SO good...
}(
 
On days when you have to work legs, just come on here and say "I need some leg day love". We'll say "sending leg day love" and it'll be much easier. I swear:)

Monica Brant-Peckham has a t-shirt on her site that says "Leg Day - No Hurt, No Tight Skirt". I don't wear tight skirts, but I always think of that on leg day.

Okay, I'm rambling so I'll shut up now:p
 
Too funny!:7 Well, I am gonna need some "leg day love" today, because my goal is to do Pure Strength lower body tonite after work!
 
I run into this too at times but then I remember that those leg workouts are the onese that have helped me transform my body! Just try to talk yourself into it and then through it.....cause it is SO worth it once you are finished! ;)
 
I used to HATE legs. However, after starting Gym Style, I actually began to enjoy it. Lunges are still not my fave, but I don't dread them as much. Perhaps one of the keys is finding a leg routine you love.
 
I don't have any of the Gym Styles yet, but hopefully before too long. How does Gym Style legs compare to Legs & Glutes? Tougher?
 
I break the workouts into two segments (the standing, weighted portion and the floor work) and do them on different days. I also work out legs in other ways, not just the typical gym style weighted squats and lunges. I do circuits (CTX-Power Circuits, the cardio and leg portion of Body Max, Bootcamp cardio and leg premix), and sometimes I mix kickboxing with floor work. I make sure my HR goes down before I get on the floor. I do mishmoshes, like the blast portion of LowMax and the leg conditioning drills in KickMax, short and intense. Sometimes I put in squats and lunges in the Imaxes. While Cathe is doing blasts, I'm doing unweighted squats, plie squats, static lunges, forward/backward lunges, etc. Anything to keep myself from getting bored or giving up entirely.

Leg day love doesn't hurt either. ;-)

Pinky
 
I have to agree with everyone else who says you may not love doing the work, but you gotta love what it does for you! I'd hate to think of what I'd look like now if I didn't work out! Yikes! Actually, I have a perfect example of that - I'd look like my sister, and I certainly don't want that to happen, so I'll grit my teeth and do the lunges and squats!

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Mark Twain ;-)
 
Oh goodie, it's not just me :p ! I'm in the same boat and have a love/hate relationship with legwork as well. Because I ride horses all day I do have fairly strong legs but, WOW, can Cathe do me in sometimes. I can't even imagine trying to stay with her in the weight department, especially during low ends....AAARRRGGGHHH! She certainly gives me something to aspire to.

Wendi
 
I HATE working legs too!!

LOVE upperbody, LOVE STEP the most and hiking and running and powerwalking but NOT LEGS! I dread them and am always making excuses to skip my leg workouts!!

I DO think alot of the workouts above DO work the legs fairly well, so now I count those and TRY to FORCE myself to add 30 min. of straight leg work somewhere else in my week.

It doesn't always happen though!!!;-) :eek: :p

I'm glad I'm not alone! I will try to take everyone's great advice!
 
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