Tim Bishop - Stronger Legs & Lower Body

TIM BISHOP

Human Kinetics

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bishop, Tim, 1964

Stronger legs & lower body / Tim Bishop.

p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-9295-1 (soft cover)

ISBN-10: 0-7360-9295-1 (soft cover)

1. Exercise. 2. Leg exercises. 3. Buttocks exercises. 4. Weight training.
I. Title. II. Title: Stronger legs and lower body.

GV508.B57 2012

613.71--dc23

2011029050

ISBN-10: 0-7360-9295-1 (print)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-9295-1 (print)

Copyright 2012 by Tim Bishop

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This publication is written and published to provide accurate and authoritative information relevant to the subject matter presented. It is published and sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, medical, or other professional services by reason of their authorship or publication of this work. If medical or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

Acquisitions Editor: Justin Klug; Developmental Editor: Carla Zych; Assistant Editors: Claire Marty and Derek Campbell; Copyeditor: Mary Rivers; Graphic Designer: Nancy Rasmus; Graphic Artist: Keri Evans; Cover Designer: Keith Blomberg; Photographer (cover and interior): Neil Bernstein; Visual Production Assistant: Joyce Brumfield; Photo Production Manager: Jason Allen; Art Manager: Kelly Hendren; Associate Art Manager: Alan L. Wilborn; Illustrations: Human Kinetics; Printer: Versa Press

We thank Towson University in Towson, Maryland, and PerformFit Sports Performance and Fitness Training in Lutherville, Maryland, for assistance in providing the locations for the photo shoots for this book.

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P eople have been looking for ways to develop strength in the legs and lower body for over 2,000 years. Consider Milo of Croton, the wrestler who in the 6th century B.C. is said to have carried his baby calf every day until it was fully grown. As the calf slowly developed and gained size and strength, so did Milo. While our methods and understanding of resistance training have advanced since the time of Milo, people still strive to push their bodies to the limit in a quest for strength. And like Milo, people still use the principle of progressive resistance.

During the more than 25 years I have spent training, first as a professional athlete and then training others for professional sports, collegiate sports, strength development, mass development, and general health, I have seen firsthand the importance of a strong and stable lower body. It is the solid base from which other goals can be attained. I have seen this at the highest level of athletics right down to recreational golf. Hall of Famer and record-setting shortstop Cal Ripken is a fine example. In the off-season, he played very competitive basketball and performed strength training for the legs and lower body to keep his legs strong and powerful. His main focus, from a strength standpoint, was always legs and lower body, and he often told me how important his legs were in enabling him to stay competitive and perform at the highest level, day in and day out. His record of 2,632 consecutive major league baseball games suggests that he was doing something right! Of course, those who are not dedicated professional athletes have different goals and less time to devote to training. Ive helped athletes at all levels achieve the type and degree of success they were seeking.

I wrote Stronger Legs & Lower Body to help you accomplish your goals, whatever they may be. Use the specific, progressive resistance exercises and programs to increase strength, and apply the advanced power development techniques and concepts to add challenge to your training. Use the variations to modify the exercises to suit your fitness level or to slightly alter the impact on the targeted muscles.

Think of this book as one that you can refer to often for guidance and direction as you plan and work through your training programs. Let it be your road map to training your legs and lower body. The exercises and programs will not only help you build a strong and stable base but will also have you looking and feeling better.

Stronger Legs and Lower Body is divided into three parts. Part I provides the background to help you understand the process of building strength. Part II contains complete descriptions of what I consider the best exercises for the lower body. Part III explains how to use programming to reach your goals, and it includes a variety of ready-made programs to suit particular target areas, methods of training, and time constraints.

To build strength, you must train hard on a consistent basis. The techniques and programs in this book will help you train effectively and efficiently so that you can reap the benefits that come from having stronger legs and a stronger lower body.