Don't Skip Leg Days

Yet another lesson learned in consistency...

I know I've said this a million times - "Consistency is key" - but it seems even I can't follow my own advice.

After committing to weekly leg days a couple of months ago (which I managed for about 4 months straight), I skipped just one and witnessed a knock-on effect that saw 4 weeks go by without me hitting the leg press. Now, I'm experiencing the consequences of my actions.

I hit a heavy leg session 2 days ago and for whatever reason I was lifting weights like I hadn't had any time off. I went straight back into my usual leg day - sure I did a couple of warm up sets - but I lifted just as heavy as I had been 6 weeks prior.

Today, over 60 hours later, I'm still walking around like I'm doing my best Golem impression. My calves won't straighten properly, my quads ache every step and getting out of the office chair feels like climbing a mountain.

Yes, I'm being dramatic and honestly I deserve to be in pain for being so stupid, and more importantly, for being so inconsistent with something I promised to myself.

So, I hereby pledge to make sure I hit a leg day AT LEAST once a fortnight. I have just started cardio and ab days in attempt to shed some Christmas fat, so I'll sometimes be substituting leg days for full cardio sessions, but when I don't, weekly leg days are a TOP PRIORITY.

On that note, I'd like to share my leg day workout with you. Believe me when I say that you will feel the burn...

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Single leg extensions	1x15 Warmup
	4x8
Leg Curls	1x12 Warmup
	4x7
Angled leg press	1x10 Warmup
	1x10
	4x7
Calf raises	3x20
Hack squats	1x12 Warmup
	4x7
Abductors	1x10 Warmup
	4x12
Adductors	1x12 Warmup
	4x12
Bulgarian split squats	4x8

I like to hit a warmup set for each new muscle I'm working - injuries have really encouraged me to spend more time in the gym, even if that means stretching for 20 mins.

I also like my working sets to range between 6-8 reps and to failure, with roughly 1 minute's rest between sets, as this is most efficient way to build muscle. If you have different goals in the gym, like endurance or strength then you should alter your set/rep and rest times accordingly.

PS: You'll probably find that you can max out the Abductor/Adductor machine, and the Leg Extension machine, which is why my rep range is much higher. I will sometimes switch to single leg reps and almost half the weight, but this is almost impossible on the Abductor/Adductor machine. In any case, always start light if it's your first time performing an exercise or using a machine, and slowly work your way up.