Women Seeking Leg Definition by Abby Eyre

I consider my lower half to be my best attribute. Therefore, before a show, I practice special detail to my leg routine. Applying high repetitions to “burn out” the muscle, and help bring out the lines in the quads. Keeping into consideration that heavy, compound exercises can increase the waistline.

Photo by Bill Jentz

Here is my pre-contest weekly leg routine:

-Five minute warm up on any cardio piece.
-Single leg press: 3 sets in reps of: 15-25
-The fourth set will be both legs to burn out another 25 reps.
-Cable lunges on a low pulley: 4 sets in reps of 15-25
-Single leg extension : 3 sets in reps of 15-20
-The fourth set will be both legs to burn out another 25.
-Stiff leg dead lifts: (straight bar or free weights): 4 sets in reps of 8-15
-Seated ham curl: 4 sets in reps of 8-15
-Butt blaster: 3 sets in reps of 12-15
-Sissy squats: 2 sets to finish off the routine- doing as many as I can without passing out!

Training schedule:

Crunches and calves are trained on alternate days thru the week.
*Cardio is applied everyday for pre-contest prep.

Supplementation plays a huge role in my daily routine. I use whey protein powder, up to three times a day. My work at the veterinary hospital is very demanding. A chance to eat might not be available, so the shakes are convenient.
I use glutamine on a daily basis, between 15-30 grams daily. I consider it crucial for muscle recovery, especially while preparing for a show. I use a multi-vitamin, and extra anti-oxidants. A combination cell protector with coQ10, pycnogenol, lutein, green tea extract, and vitamins A, C, and E. After every meal, I take a papaya enzyme to aid in digestion.

Photo by Bill Jentz

A typical diet consists of lean proteins, and carbohydrates- both starch and non-starch sources. Protein choices are chicken, turkey, and steak. Carbohydrates chosen are rice, potatoes, baby spinach, peas, or green beans. For pre-contest prep, I like rice or corn cakes. A favorite are Orville Redenbacher’s corn cakes, they taste great.

I usually take ten weeks to prepare for a show. Each show has different results regarding conditioning. It is always important for me to log my diet, training, and cardio. That way if I liked my condition (or not), then I can go back to my notes and see what I might need to change to get the results I am searching for. Preparing for each show is a learning experience, so be sure to learn from your mistakes or progress.

Photo by Bill Jentz

A pre-contest carbohydrate intake the week before a show is crucial for muscle fullness. Most competitors will cycle their carbohydrates from high to low. Let us say the show is on Saturday, so Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday would be a fifty-gram carbohydrate intake. Then Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday would be an intake of two-hundred grams. The morning of the show, jelly on rice cakes until that night. I save the “post show pig out” until after the finals.

Water depletion is standard for anyone who competes. Water intake would be (again, saying the show is on Saturday) Thursday a gallon of distilled water, cutting to a half gallon on Friday until midnight. Then sipping water until after pre-judging. Everyone will have different water requirements, so make sure you (and/or your trainer) judge the water you are holding under your skin, before deciding how much water to drink or not.

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