YAFT: Why do my legs grow so much faster than my upper body?

[Syringer]

So I've been working out semi-seriously for the past year and a half or so, and have noticed incredible gains in my legs, while my upper body has only been moderately stronger. For instance my bench started out at about 155, and I can max out at maybe 205 now..I used to curl maybe 25 lb back then, and I can now do about 40..

However I used to leg press maybe 360 lb. at most, but now I stack up to about 1100+ lb. on the leg press machine..about as much as you can load on there. I've gained maybe 15 pounds since when I've started too, from about 160 to about 175..but just reach a major plateau when it comes to my upper body. I've tried lots of methods for my upper body..including staying with the same techniques week in week out..to changing my techniques each time..but it doesn't seem to help it much at all.

My legs on the other hand, I pretty much stay with the same routine day in day out while progessively increasing weight on the loads..and it seems to do the trick finely..

 

[Feldenak]

Need that upper body strength to kill those spiders, eh?

 

[jagec]

Maybe that's because it's more important to get your legs in shape...

you can kick someone a lot harder than you can punch them.

 

[Sluggo]

In a bench press you are using a small percentage of your total muscle mass. Its a pretty isolation oriented exercise.

With a leg press, you are using virtually every muscle below your waist, and even a few above your waist. The great strength comes from the combination of the large group of muscles ( some of them being the largest muscles in your body) all working in unison to move the selected object.

 

[IamElectro]

Originally posted by: Sluggo
In a bench press you are using a small percentage of your total muscle mass. Its a pretty isolation oriented exercise.

With a leg press, you are using virtually every muscle below your waist, and even a few above your waist. The great strength comes from the combination of the large group of muscles ( some of them being the largest muscles in your body) all working in unison to move the selected object.

^^^I do believe I learned something new today.


This was an interesting read on building up your arm muscles.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Originally posted by: Syringer
So I've been working out semi-seriously for the past year and a half or so, and have noticed incredible gains in my legs, while my upper body has only been moderately stronger. For instance my bench started out at about 155, and I can max out at maybe 205 now..I used to curl maybe 25 lb back then, and I can now do about 40..

However I used to leg press maybe 360 lb. at most, but now I stack up to about 1100+ lb. on the leg press machine..about as much as you can load on there. I've gained maybe 15 pounds since when I've started too, from about 160 to about 175..but just reach a major plateau when it comes to my upper body. I've tried lots of methods for my upper body..including staying with the same techniques week in week out..to changing my techniques each time..but it doesn't seem to help it much at all.

My legs on the other hand, I pretty much stay with the same routine day in day out while progessively increasing weight on the loads..and it seems to do the trick finely..

HOLY FVCK 1100+lbs? that's more than half a ton!

 

[Ryan]

Maybe your upper half is shrinking?