Help! blew my legs up at the gym

[Wheels]

I screwed up my legs last night at the gym.(the squats killed me) I thought the weight was light enough but when I was done the 3rd set my hammies locked up and then my quads( very similar to what happens to me in a race). VERY sore today(trouble just walking).....Man I hate my own guts sometimes......I was stupid.........or maybe my hamstrings are so weak that they are the cause of my in season cramp issues as well. Could it be that I need to work on squats all year? interesting.....any thoughts?

J

[Brownie]

best exercise for strengthening hamstrings and also your lower back are dead lifts. If you dead lift 200-300 pounds combined with high reps and and more than two sets everytime you are at the gym, your hamstrings will never again cramp up during a race.
the back of your legs will burn more than any race you have been in and same with your lower back, careful of your back though

[Suprvedov]

Brownie, you are talking about stiff-legged deadlifts for building hams vs regular deadlifts?

[mann83]

Be very careful with your hams. You were right to start light. Cycling causes huge muscle imbalances over the course of the season. I usually start with just the bar and some 10's doing upwards of 30 reps. Remember your hams have done nothing all year. Work them in slowly. As for Brownie's thoughts, there's a time and a place for 200lbs+ deadlifts and it's not right now. Deadlifts are great for the hams, but becareful they don't tighten up too much or your asking for back problems. I like to alternate with Deadlifts and ham curls over the course of the week (2 leg workouts). This exercises the weak area twice a week, but hits it in a different way. Remember muscles work on memory, so trick them now and then.

As for the rest of the week. If you can get on a bike do light spinning to get the blood flowing and aid in recovery process followed by stretching, followed by a hot shower, followed by some stretching, followed by drinking lots of fluids, followed by some stretching. Get the idea.

[Brownie]

ya stiff-legged lifts

[Graydon]

Lift less. Ride more.

[Brownie]

haha I am now

[the Superstar]

"Man I hate my own guts sometimes"

OH MY GOD ROTFLMAO