Maxing out the upper legs, thigh training has advanced greatly since the days, where upper leg workout comprised of a few sets of regular squats, and that was about it. The back squat is definitely the growth exercise. Real thigh impressiveness cannot be built without squats,

except perhaps by most genetically gifted people. If you are looking for more size, then you must base your workout around the regular back squat. The other upper leg exercises, though important, are more of a supplemental nature. Each has its use, but without the basis that squatting provides, they are pretty useless.

Squatting is a very natural exercise, but it was not extensively used by weight men until the introduction of squat stands. Prior to that, lifters would shoulder the weight after first standing it on end, and then they shuffled it into position on their shoulders. The bases of most leg workouts today owe their foundations to the Milo course, which recommended a double progression system, a real benefit for beginner bodybuilders. It recommended twice as many repetitions for legs as for other parts. You take a set poundage (on the light side) for an exercise) say the curl) and you proceeded to curl it five reps. You worked out every other day. On the second exercise day, you also did the movement five times. Then on the third exercise day, you increased the reps to six. After two more workout days you went on to

seven, and so on, up to ten repetitions. When you had done ten reps twice with starting weight, you increased the weight of the bar by five pounds, and began all over with five reps. In doing leg exercises, you started with ten reps and increased by two reps every

third day until you reached twenty. Then you increased the weight by ten pounds and dropped back to ten reps.

This system has several marked virtues. The first is that the body gets used to small amounts of progression, which definitely helps to avoid sticking points. In order to handle more and more and more weight, many of today's aspiring bodybuilders pile on the discs in

order to maximize intensity and strength, only to find that they are quickly driving themselves into a muscle building stalemate. The other virtue of the Milo system was that it was cyclic in nature. When you reached the maximum number of repetitions, it was a tremendous relief

to increase the weight by only five pounds (or ten in the case of squats) and then go back to half the number of repetitions. It provided a sort of rest period (cycle training) in the first part of each series of progression. Even today, this system is great for the first five or six months of any newcomer's weight training. After that, it simply doesn't work.

The king of exercises, the squat, will help your overall gains along more than any other movement. You should beware, however, of doing too much. An excessive number of sets with maximum weights can lead to over training. It is seldom advisable to squat more than twice a week, and even then, one session should be somewhat watered down. In other

words, don't shoot for two weekly squat workouts using the training to failure technique. After squatting, you should (unless you are a beginner) employ at least one other frontal thigh exercise. The hack squat is a good supplementary movement. Added size and shape can

result from hacks.

The thigh extension exercise is useless, at least as a thigh builder. It is a very popular movement, however, and used by bodybuilders at all stages. Its charm may be that it is delight to behold. There you are, your thighs held in place by a bench, your lower legs pumping up and down. It looks like something is working. But where's the size?

The truth of the matter is that the thigh extension is a fantastic knee exercise, and that's it. The usefulness of the thigh extension is limited to its muscle-isolating effect. The quads are actually separated during the movement, which may contribute to improved

appearance on contest day when you have dieted off all the fat. Needless to say, the thigh extensions themselves will not remove fat.

Another negative aspect of thigh extensions is that they should not be performed at a time when you are trying to build up squat power. They would lessen your gains in squatting poundage. Not to be neglected are the thigh biceps, you should exercise them during every leg workout. If you vary the angle at which you perform leg curls, you will hit different parts of the leg biceps, and accordingly maximize the development in those areas.

When training the thighs, pay attention to developing proportion. For instance, if you have just done heavy quarter squats for the thighs, you want to guard against developing "turnip thighs" (large upper thighs, small lower thighs). In order to balance development, you should now work the lower thigh with some specialized movements, such as the sissy squat, or hack lift.

Great weights can be hoisted using the leg press, and the apparatus is useful in working the thigh relatively comfortably from a variety of angles (you can alter foot placing dramatically). But as an overall-thigh exercise, the leg press is definitely inferior to the squat, which is truly the most effective thigh builder currently known to mankind. Not the answer you were looking for? Maybe not, but it's the truth! Here are the best leg exercises, descriptions of each can be found in the Smart physical Workout website.

• The Squat, entire thigh area (6 to 20 reps per set).

• The hack squat, mid and lower thigh (10 to 15 reps each set)

• Leg curls, thigh biceps (12-15 reps each set)

• Thigh extensions, lower and middle thigh (110 to 15 reps each set)

• Leg press

• Sissy squat

that about covers the thigh area, and more can be found at the Smart Physical Workout website.