The Leg Blaster Thread - are we having fun yet?

[jsnfschr]

Late to the party, but just found this and going to try to get a few weeks in before ski season hits. It's been a minute since the "oh dear god, what have I done" feeling two days post-work out, but to quote Michael Scott, "there's no question about it, I'm ready to get hurt again."

[EWG]

Me and the GF try to make each other laugh as much as possible during our leg blaster sets. Today we did 5 fulls followed by 500 weighted step ups. She showed up in a hoody which she took off to reveal this shirt. I could not stop laughing.

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That’s awesome. My lovely wife (who you met at TFWs party last year) first started laughing at the shirt but then immediately transitioned to being pissed off that you had already worked up to 5 full LB sets.

So I enjoyed all of that. Thanks.

[tgapp]

That’s awesome. My lovely wife (who you met at TFWs party last year) first started laughing at the shirt but then immediately transitioned to being pissed off that you had already worked up to 5 full LB sets.

So I enjoyed all of that. Thanks.

this MTI program is kicking our asses, I wish I had never read babybears comment about rest days being okay.

you married a good one if she's willing to do LB with ya

we just like to be silly in the gym, which makes things a lot more bearable

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[eSock]

Trying to do LBs after a crossfit type work out tends to leave me questioning my ability to get to the car afterwards. Started last week and just did 4 minis tonight. Set 3,jumping lunges seems to be where my legs start protesting. The jumping squats are welcome reprieve afterwards.

[rideit]

Bad News: I have just been released from a month of leg-blaster hell.
Good News: I leave for Perú to go shred high Andean Singletrack for a few weeks.
Bad News: I’m getting thumb surgery in January, so no skiing.
Good news: gonna go to Costa Rica to recover for six weeks.
Keep crushing this split jumping squats!

[singlesline]

Yeah, I've overlooked hips before and weak hips to go with otherwise strong legs makes for a weird imbalance and some easy tweaks. I actually usually notice it in other places when my hips are weak because other musculature is called on to step-up.

I like Jay Johnsons SAM routine. It includes some things similar to what you're recommending and only takes a few minutes. I try to get at it post workout or before going to bed 2-3 times a week and it does wonders. More concise summary than the videos here. I usually just do one of the "Phase 1" or "Phase 2 Easy Days". Highly recommend trying it out, lot of bang for the small time commitment.

I like the look of these as a nice little supplement.

Wonder if I could convince myself to do them in the morning (although I'm not sure if doing mobility work first thing in the AM is as valuable as doing it after you have limbered up a bit).

[californiagrown]

I like the look of these as a nice little supplement.

Wonder if I could convince myself to do them in the morning (although I'm not sure if doing mobility work first thing in the AM is as valuable as doing it after you have limbered up a bit).

IMO one of the biggest benefits to mobility work is had by doing it prior to working out so you can train through an extended ROM. This is especially helpful when doing lunge, hip hinge, or overhead pressing movements. YMMV.

[caderader]

I like the look of these as a nice little supplement.

Wonder if I could convince myself to do them in the morning (although I'm not sure if doing mobility work first thing in the AM is as valuable as doing it after you have limbered up a bit).

IMO one of the biggest benefits to mobility work is had by doing it prior to working out so you can train through an extended ROM. This is especially helpful when doing lunge, hip hinge, or overhead pressing movements. YMMV.

I just try not to make perfect the enemy of done. I do them in the morning sometimes when I have time, other times I do them when I'm in the gym (garage) between sets or after workouts, sometimes I do them in the office if there aren't too many folks coming through. Sometimes I forget them... agreed, YMMV

[californiagrown]

I just try not to make perfect the enemy of done. I do them in the morning sometimes when I have time, other times I do them when I'm in the gym (garage) between sets or after workouts, sometimes I do them in the office if there aren't too many folks coming through. Sometimes I forget them... agreed, YMMV

Cheers to that, good on you. My biggest pet peeve regarding fitness/nutrition is majoring in the minors, making perfect the enemy of good, forgoing fundamentals to focus on the auxillary, etc.

Especially with a busy life, things will rarely be optimal. Do what you can, when you can.

[PNW Lifer]

I just joined the fun. 3 sets of minis felt great until the last few squat jumps. Thanks all for the inspiration!

[Harry]

Today is Nov 1st and my goal was to do 5 minis today. So I did them. Form was shit at the end and I barely completed #5. But I did complete all 5, which is a huge improvement compared to 2-3 weeks ago.


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[tgapp]

Today is Nov 1st and my goal was to do 5 minis today. So I did them. Form was shit at the end and I barely completed #5. But I did complete all 5, which is a huge improvement compared to 2-3 weeks ago.


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Hell yeah dude!!! Keep it up.

Today was jump/touch/jump sets and then a buncha core work. Tomorrow we're back at the leg blasters. They aren't getting any easier but I am getting faster at them

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[Supermoon]

Today is Nov 1st and my goal was to do 5 minis today. So I did them. Form was shit at the end and I barely completed #5. But I did complete all 5, which is a huge improvement compared to 2-3 weeks ago.


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Nice! I’m up to three minis 3x per week right now

[Shorty_J]

I did 1 mini yesterday.... and then fealt a bit nauseous.

I think I'll try to stop drinking whiskey for a while first before I try to pretend I'm getting in ski shape.

#sad

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[Boosh]

I think I'll try to stop drinking whiskey for a while first before I try to pretend I'm getting in ski shape.

have you tried drinking before working out? I've heard alcohol is great exercise fuel. I personally stick to a strict regiment of pre- and post- workout spliffs.

I rode my mountain bike on Tuesday followed by 3x10 45# front squats, 2x10 10# weighted lunges, 2x10 15# Single Leg DL's, and 10 mins of various core work; need to get more impact moves incorporated tho.

biking again today, we'll see what happens.

[Phall]

4 fulls 2 minis last night. working up to 5 fulls, should be after our Mexico trip.

[rod9301]

have you tried drinking before working out? I've heard alcohol is great exercise fuel. I personally stick to a strict regiment of pre- and post- workout spliffs.

I rode my mountain bike on Tuesday followed by 3x10 45# front squats, 2x10 10# weighted lunges, 2x10 15# Single Leg DL's, and 10 mins of various core work; need to get more impact moves incorporated tho.

biking again today, we'll see what happens.

Ok, now this is a reasonable training regimen for skiing
I hope all the people here lift weights in addition to blasters. Which destroy the muscles for a while, but do nothing for increasing strength

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[ptavv]

Ok, now this is a reasonable training regimen for skiing
I hope all the people here lift weights in addition to blasters. Which destroy the muscles for a while, but do nothing for increasing strength

yeah that's not true

leg blasters are predominantly a strength workout with a bit of muscular endurance

[caderader]

Ok, now this is a reasonable training regimen for skiing
I hope all the people here lift weights in addition to blasters. Which destroy the muscles for a while, but do nothing for increasing strength

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yeah that's not true

leg blasters are predominantly a strength workout with a bit of muscular endurance

I would suggest that leg blasters are predominantly muscular endurance with a HIT effect as well that trains anaerobic lactic and alactic systems.

When I think of strength I think of building in the 5 rep or less range.

I do agree with Rod's premise that weight lifting is critical in addition to leg blasters but sounds like I think a lot more highly of leg blasters than he does.

When assessing the benefit of some type of training, to me, the *ultimate* arbiter is not what a physiologist says but what athletes and coaches are doing and what MY body tells me when performing the goal activity (I don't exercise to be good in the gym...). After all we are an n of 1.

For me I've spent lots of time weight lifting and gone to the mountains "stronger than ever" and been slow and heavy and got my butt handed to me.

Otoh the first time I did a leg blaster progression in the 6 weeks before skiing, I felt indomitable on the mountain; that's the evidence I believe.

All that said, for me, leg blasters are near the top of the specificity pyramid. I build general strength (and a big aerobic base) May - November (my ski season starts Jan to Feb, YMMV) transition to high rep low weight regime and add in way more single leg stuff Nov-Dec, move to leg blasters Dec-Jan, and polish a bit alternating between those three up till my first ski trip, that's what works for me. Again, since the human body is an n of 1, YMMV.

[Buster Highmen]

Leg blasters then an hour bike ride.

Problem is, my body tells me to kick back with a nice old red burgundy and watch ski porn.

[ptavv]

I would suggest that leg blasters are predominantly muscular endurance with a HIT effect as well that trains anaerobic lactic and alactic systems.

When I think of strength I think of building in the 5 rep or less range.

Strange that in this small group of people who did leg blasters their 1RM front squat increased after 4 weeks of doing leg blasters (and not training front squats)

I do agree with Rod's premise that weight lifting is critical in addition to leg blasters but sounds like I think a lot more highly of leg blasters than he does.

When assessing the benefit of some type of training, to me, the *ultimate* arbiter is not what a physiologist says but what athletes and coaches are doing and what MY body tells me when performing the goal activity (I don't exercise to be good in the gym...). After all we are an n of 1.

funny enough I'm a physiologist (after a fashion) saying that for me (n=1) leg blasters improve my leg strength and also saying that for three other trained athletes it improved their strength

[caderader]

Strange that in this small group of people who did leg blasters their 1RM front squat increased after 4 weeks of doing leg blasters (and not training front squats)

I do agree with Rod's premise that weight lifting is critical in addition to leg blasters but sounds like I think a lot more highly of leg blasters than he does.


funny enough I'm a physiologist (after a fashion) saying that for me (n=1) leg blasters improve my leg strength and also saying that for three other trained athletes it improved their strength

That's a good article, I read that a few years back after falling into MTI through the backcountry article but I don't think it's strange. Lots of things will build strength without being predominantly strength focused. I do think it's impressive that a well trained population (veteran MTI athletes) improved their 1rm. I think it would have improved more had they been doing a powerlifting routine or even a novice linear progression like Starting Strength. For me, if I come off of a "Strength" block, my 1rms decrease marginally while doing leg blasters for more than 3-4 weeks.

All that said, I'm not trying to get into a pissing match over it. The mountain doesn't care what your squat max is, it cares if you have the right kind of strength. I think leg blasters are awesome for skiing fitness and, as far as dryland training goes, high up on the specificity pyramid. Also worth noting is that a huge proportion of this site spends less time worrying about any of this than I do and are far superior skiers than I am so...

[tgapp]

Jong question alert:

I'm new to training consistently - I've done ski training previous years (mostly for uphill performance so a lot of zone2 cardio), but this year my partner and I are doing the MTI ski conditioning thing, and we, perversely, love it. Maybe it's the masochists in both of us, but my legs have been consistently sore for the past month. Feels good.

So - how do I keep this up year around? In previous years I subscribed to the "get in shape by being super fucking active" mentality, but I'm ready to be a bit more disciplined in my training approach.

Girlfriend wants to do the Uintas Highline trail next year - she chatted with TFW about it and is now super amped. Wants to train all winter. It's fun to have a goal to work towards together.

So - where do we even start?

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[2FUNKY]

If your legs are “ consistently sore” then you need to give them a break to heal and repair. You will be stronger once they rest. You don’t grow in the gym, you do that out of it. Eat and rest. Our body absolutely needs a rest/recover day/s. If not you will be prone to injury.


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[EWG]

Jong question alert:

I'm new to training consistently - I've done ski training previous years (mostly for uphill performance so a lot of zone2 cardio), but this year my partner and I are doing the MTI ski conditioning thing, and we, perversely, love it. Maybe it's the masochists in both of us, but my legs have been consistently sore for the past month. Feels good.

So - how do I keep this up year around? In previous years I subscribed to the "get in shape by being super fucking active" mentality, but I'm ready to be a bit more disciplined in my training approach.

Girlfriend wants to do the Uintas Highline trail next year - she chatted with TFW about it and is now super amped. Wants to train all winter. It's fun to have a goal to work towards together.

So - where do we even start?

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There are literally a thousand options, so if you throw out the kind of stuff you want to do, we can help ya. What interests you? Home workouts? Gym? Training outdoors? Weights? Body weight? Running, biking, hiking? Want to buy equipment? Couples only, single only, both? Lower body, upper body, both? Whatcha thinkin?