"IT's AMAZING what you can do with two fingers and a thumb..."
(that's what the ad says if you can't read all the wording)

 

Trained legs with Randy Howard at Strength Beyond in Kalamazoo.  I thought I broke my rib on leg press last week (the back pad was putting a ton of pressure on one rib....and then it popped somehow....felt like a baby was moving around inside of me--very freaky since I'm not currently pregnant) and it was still pretty sore this week so I didn't go too heavy...but still got in a pretty rough workout

Seated Calf:
4x15

Lying Leg curl:
6x12

Leg press: 
1x20 4 plates
1x20 8 plates
1x20 12 plates
1x20 16 plates
1x20 16 plates

Stiff leg deadlifts:
3x15

Leg extensions:
4x20

Squats:
1x10 135lb
1x10 225lb
1x10 315lb
1x10 405lb

Seated Leg curls:
3x12

Bulgarian split squats:
1x30

I felt really good on squats.  My knees were feeling good and the 405x10 was easy without wraps or belt, but it was putting a decent amount of pressure on my rib so I decided against 495x10.  Regardless---at that point were were nearly an hour into the workout and had just pre-exhausted quads with 4 sets of 20 on leg extensions immediately before squats.

This is the first offseason I've ever taken a fully bodybuilding approach to leg training (even when I was a bodybuilder I still focused at least as much on increasing my squat strength as anything else) and I think it's paying off.  My legs were never a strong point, but I think they will be if I ever get back on stage.

I'm still not sure when that will happen...I'm comfortable that I'm getting close to where I was when I left bodybuilding in 2007 and believe I could do well on stage if I competed.   I kind of got the bro-nod from my training partner Randy that I'm back to the point where I won't embarrass myself on a national stage, so I'm trying to think of when would be the best time to finally/officially/for real this time do it.

With three kids and a fourth due in early January....along with a full time job, a nutrition business, and another online business in the works, there never really is a good time.

I'm really trying to lean towards Master's Nationals next year...and I think I can talk Randy into doing that show as well, but my kids want me to coach softball for them again and between the three of them (even if I only coach one team) that's up to 5 nights a week where I'll be either at a game or coaching a game or practice....so I don't know how I'll make it work.
I don't think I could be fully content if I didn't get back on stage at least one more time so I'll have to find the best time possible and make it happen.