I posted a thread in the Dogg Pound about weak glutes causing my knee injury. Doctor wants me to obviously strengthen the glutes and to focus on bringing up the Vastus Medialis. Leg extensions are out due to being so hard on the knees. I did do some light, high rep, narrow stance squats with heels elevated the other day and started doing light(er) leg press with feet low and close on the platform. It's a little tough to get to parallel right now due to an alignment issue with upper and lower leg, but its getting better by the day. Just curious if anyone has and other movements to target/strengthen that area??
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Need Help with Vastus Medialis (tear drop)
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Need Help with Vastus Medialis (tear drop)
Last edited by thundergod; 12-16-2014, 08:09 PM.Its not the size of the hammer, its the size of the man holding the hammer.Tags: None
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I remeber a video of frank Zane saying that very light leg presses with your feet in the "calf raise" type foot pos hit the tear drops well
I like the Smythe machine performing a vertical leg press, it kills my tear drops
Typically for a muscle round
Or a drop set
From a therapeutic standpoint I like tke (terminal knee ext) on the three way hip machine for my patients and the leg with toes up and turned in in top 1/2 rom of movement
But I agree with SAMMICH that wide squat (specially to a box) will destroy teardrops and glutes
I also like john meadows split squat drop sets with ISO tension reps for this
Hypothetical example (adjust wt to your strenght... I do mine last on leg day)
Like 40 lb dbell for 10-15
10'sec hold
20 for 12-15
10 sec hold
Bw to failure (at least 10)
10 sec hold
Will destroy you vmo and glute wiseLast edited by DC_catholic315; 12-17-2014, 12:17 AM.I see you didn't take a s#!t before deadlifting....
I too like to live dangerously
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Following up to what I said, a few days ago I did box squats with super wide stance. I was trying to take the knee out of the movement due to a knee issue I have. I ended up focusing on tightening my glutes and inner thighs to do the movement, and I used the mental cue of "spread the floor" to squat wide more efficiently.
I focused on keeping tension in (and squeezing with) my glutes and hamstrings on the eccentric and exploding up on the concentric, to take the strain away from my right knee. What ended up happening is that the next day, my glutes, hammies, and vastus medialus were super sore. That's why I recommended that particular movement. Not only can it hit your vastus medialus quite strongly, but it can also teach you how to use your glutes more in the squat, which you mentioned was an issue.Ph.D., Theoretical Physics '16
kind of a douche
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Well, the VM is very active in terminal knee extensions, but doing them under actual "weight", as opposed to leg extensions, will be much better. Plus, doing box squats the "correct" way, will teach him how to activate the glutes as well, which he mentioned was an issure.Ph.D., Theoretical Physics '16
kind of a douche
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Look up "somersault squat" on youtube.
I started doing every few workouts and it seems to hit the area you need.
I looks like it'd be tough on the knees but it isn't.It's difficult to work out too hard, it's easy to work out too long.............
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Originally posted by Sammich View PostWell, the VM is very active in terminal knee extensions, but doing them under actual "weight", as opposed to leg extensions, will be much better. Plus, doing box squats the "correct" way, will teach him how to activate the glutes as well, which he mentioned was an issure.
to the OP: try doing some glute activation exercises before your leg days. Good chance you have very little ability activating them and thus cannot train them effectively
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Originally posted by greensoup View Post" terminal knee extensions, but doing them under actual "weight", as opposed to leg extensions, will be much better. " Lost here, please explain
to the OP: try doing some glute activation exercises before your leg days. Good chance you have very little ability activating them and thus cannot train them effectivelyPh.D., Theoretical Physics '16
kind of a douche
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I had an issue with knee cap alignment in one leg. The PT wanted me to do limited leg extensions. From the horizontal position, I only drop 15 degrees and back up. I do this for three sets of thirty reps. It has made a world of difference. I started with zero weight and worked my way up. When I went back to another PT for a shoulder problem 18 months later, he commented on how developed my VM's were....playing Bingo at the Senior Center :shocked:
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I also have a knee cap alignment issue, but it seems to stem from the glute not functioning properly which was caused by a flexibility issue in the ankle. Hopefully some people will realize that proper body alignment/functioning is critical.Its not the size of the hammer, its the size of the man holding the hammer.
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Originally posted by Agi View PostI had an issue with knee cap alignment in one leg. The PT wanted me to do limited leg extensions. From the horizontal position, I only drop 15 degrees and back up. I do this for three sets of thirty reps. It has made a world of difference. I started with zero weight and worked my way up. When I went back to another PT for a shoulder problem 18 months later, he commented on how developed my VM's were.
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