Training & Nutrition - Leg press, weaker left leg.

So the gym at the rehab centre has a leg press machine, it's the type with pulleys so that you lift the weights straight up rather then the 45 degree kind. Using it for the past few weeks, my left leg can only push 80lbs x15, knee pain prevents from determining what my RM1 would be. I've not bothered to really measure the other one but it's quite a lot stronger, using both legs I can do a series of 100 with 180lbs.

I can't really just get on a bike and ride in my current state.

The flexion/extension machine also reveals a very significant difference between my two legs, it's a hydraulic thing that has numbers that are only comparable to it's self. It reveals my left leg has ~1/10th the strength in extension and ~1/3 in flexion next to the right leg.


Thoughts about working only the left leg until it pretty much matches the right one?

So I've talked to my kinesiologist(?) today about this. She asked if I found my right leg to be OK strong, then suggested to find RM15 for right leg and work only my left leg until it reaches this value. Also similar process on the extention/abduction machine, meaning I'd have to reach "50" before going at it with both legs. And she wants me to ride the fixed stationary bike using only my left leg.

Yes, one legged pedaling works great. Even better on your normal bike set up on a trainer. I'd work both legs at the same tension. Do one, then the other, then both together, repeat. 1-2 minutes for each subset.

amputate. problem solved.

I'd totally love the weight savings :love:

What about doing excersises that don't use the leg press? Such as free standing squats. lunges, one legged romanian squats.
I have found that using machines to be very limiting.

Well I can't really squat yet because of lack of amplitude in the right heel and lack of strength in left leg. I've gotten quite a lot of new exercises drawn out for me next week, I think squatting is in there, something with a "roman" chair? and several others. I'll see in due time. Lunge seems like a stretching exercise, where you push against a wall? If so I allready do this to improve my heel flexibility.

Meanwhile I've started an exercise to work on my spin, spinning intervals that consist of 5 mins normal pedalling then spinning as hard as I can keep for 30s, rinse & repeat. I've only done 2 reps and it kicked my ass pretty good, so it ought to be working.

It's something like this, except I doubt I even go 1/2 as fast as these guys:
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=sVbwngNoHm0

Is this related to an inury, or do you have a biomechanical issue? I have a short leg, and have to use a lift to equalise things out.

Bow legged, and knockneed can be compensated for at least partly with shims.

1. get a doctor's advice
2. do single leg exercises, ideally with the same weight for each leg. The weaker leg will have to compensate by getting stronger faster than the other leg.