Getting Stronger a Little Bit Every Time

By J -


Q: "Just finished Strength and Physique, Volume One. Great book. I am interested in trying the 6 Factors Program. I have a home gym, but I don't have a leg extension machine or a cable stack. Would lying band curls be a good substitute for lying cable curls?

 "As for finding a replacement exercise for leg extensions, what do you think of walking backwards on an inclined treadmill? I know it sounds strange, but it really works the quads. Set up is simple. Set the treadmill to a high incline (20 to 30 degrees) and a decent speed. Hop backwards onto the side of the treadmill and while holding the rails carefully move onto the treadmill and start walking. Hold onto the rails the whole time. Its kind of awkward at first, but a minute of this will leave your legs burning. The motion kind of mimics that of a leg extension with a shorter range of motion.

 "Do you have any other recommendations for leg extension alternatives?"

 Thanks,
Matt
My Answer: Backwards incline walking on the treadmill as a substitute for leg extensions is fine. Just be sure to limit it to one minute of walking, otherwise it'll turn into a cardio workout and not a bodybuilding workout.

You can substitute other exercises for leg extensions, such as:


Bulgarian squats:


Dumbbell reverse lunges:


With regards to lying cable curls, you can substitute barbell concentration curls:




Q: "I am going to try your Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph, and I just had one question. Should I try to add weight to each exercise every week, or not? If so, then should I add weight on each rep or just the low ones?"

Thanks,
Elias


My Answer: Yes, you should definitely increase your weight on each exercise not just every week, but every workout. How much you increase the weight depends on the exercise, as smaller muscle groups require smaller increases while larger muscle groups require larger increases. But if you want to play it safe, then use the smallest incremental increases. So if you're gym has 1.25 pound plates and 2.5 pound plates, then take advantage of them. Over time, those small increments of weight will add up, and you'll be hitting new maximums.

Try adding weight to all your sets, but use the first set as a barometer. So how much weight you add to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sets depends on how you perform on the 1st set.

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