Lower the boom: give your legs a boost with an isolation move, kettlebells and the right mix of reps

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2009 by David Barr

Q: What's the difference between a regular squat and a front squat (besides the obvious)? Do they hit the same muscles?

A: Not quite. Because the load is in front of you, the front squat automatically changes your mechanics so your torso stays more erect during the exercise. Basically, this means there's more stress on the quads and not as much on the hamstrings and glutes as during a back squat.

Front squats are a great alternative if you tend to turn regular squats into a modified deadlift or good morning. Moreover, when using the rack grip (as in the "rack" position of a clean: elbows high, palms up, with the bar in the grooves between your fingers and palms), the front squat trains dynamic wrist flexibility and will carry over to power clean performance. This is ideal for novices trying to reap the benefits of the power clean. Otherwise, feel free to use the standard arms-crossed grip if it's more comfortable.

Q: I'd like to try kettlebells, but how do I fit them into my training routine? Should I do a kettlebell workout after lifting or in a separate workout altogether?

A: Kettlebells are a great addition to any training regimen, and they're versatile enough that you can incorporate them into an existing bodybuilding-style session or make them a workout of their own. Because you're likely to use less weight with kettlebells than with traditional loads, they work perfectly after a standard gym session.

For a separate kettlebell routine--which is what I recommend if you're just starting out with them--you can easily design a high-intensity program built on higher-rep, kettlebell-specific exercises such as kettlebell swings, the Turkish get-up and double kettlebell front squats. This necessitates an entire session devoted to using these great tools, preferably at the beginning of your training split.

Q: What's better for building mass in the legs: heavy weight and low reps (six reps or so per set) or lighter weight and high reps?

A: The rep range to which a specific muscle responds ideally depends on its fiber type composition. In other words, slow-twitch muscle fibers tend to respond better to higher rep ranges, and vice versa for fast-twitch fibers. Yet things get tricky when it comes to the leg muscles: The hamstrings are traditionally fast-twitch, while the quads are slightly slower. At first glance, then, a mid-range protocol (8-10) would be the best compromise, and it's a good place to start. But consider that muscles respond with different adaptations to different loads, which means you should incorporate a variety of rep ranges--from about six reps per set at the low end to up to 15-20--for maximum mass. This way, you'll not only hit the ideal rep range but you'll also take advantage of the different growth responses.

BY DAVID BARR, CSCS, USATF