I don’t think my legs are at their full potential. Yeah, they’re looking a hell of a lot better than they were 12 years ago, but they still need work. Apparently, I’m the only one that thinks that.

If I had a penny for every time I got compliments in my legs or was asked about my leg training because someone was interested in doing the same – I’d have that beach house in the Caribbean by now. Maybe even a nice villa somewhere in Europe.

People are always shocked to find I only train legs once a week. They only need to be worked once a week. They are the strongest part of my body, and they’re the most responsive to a workout. So why do more than I need to? No point in over-training, right?

I train my upper body three times a week because it is in need of the most attention, improvement and it’s my weakest half. Shoulders in particular.

When I train any part of my body, it’s always with equal intensity as the rest. Including leg day. I’m on a round right now where I’m just kind of poking around the gym, not doing the same workout twice. Every week it is different and I’m doing either supersets, dropsets, pyramids, or a combination.

This past Wednesday, when I hit legs, this is what it looked like:

Superset 1
• Leg press:
First set 20 reps at 115lbs
Second 15 reps at 205lbs
Third 10 reps at 295lbs
Fourth 6 reps at 385lbs
Fifth 15 reps, rest/pause 15 seconds, 15 reps 115lbs

• Single leg reverse lunge & shoulder lift
2 sets 15 reps at 12lbs (told you I can’t do much with my shoulders)
2 sets 10 reps at 15lbs
1 set 15 reps at 12lbs

Superset 2
• Straight leg deadlift
First set 12 reps 115lbs
Second 10 reps 135lbs
Third 8 reps 155lbs
Fourth 6 reps 175lbs

• Sitting calf raise
2 sets 15 reps 90lbs
2 sets 8 reps 110lbs

Superset 3
• Leg extension
2 sets 10 reps 90lbs
2 sets 8 reps 115lbs

• Goblet squat
2 sets 10 reps 35lb kettlebell
2 sets 8 reps 45lb kettlebell

Superset 4
• Standing calf raise
2 sets 15 reps 45lbs barbell over back
2 sets 10 reps 65lbs barbell over back

• Laying hamstring curl
2 sets 10 reps 60lbs
2 sets 8 reps 70lbs

Now that it’s warmer outside, I tend to wear shorts to my classes or when training clients in one-on-one sessions. My “The Other Side of 50” as they call themselves, will tell me that they remember when they had nice, shapely legs. Most of my clients are women, and after recalling their shapely legs, frustration about menopause sets in and the tone of the session or class changes. Luckily, I’m a positive and upbeat person so I can spin it back around and menopause is gone (at least thought wise…).

On the other end of that spectrum, my younger female clients will tell me that they want my legs. Well, genetics. Not to mention the fact that I have years of athletics strapped to my belt and many more years of weight training of my own beyond that. A recent blood test confirmed what I already knew: I have high testosterone levels. Literally double of what the highest a woman should have. So naturally, my body is going to shape at a different rate and in different ways.

That’s not to say that nice, shapely legs be it muscular (like mine) or toned like a dancers may be are completely unattainable. With effort and dedication, comes anything. And that is exactly what I find myself telling not only my clients, but regular people I pass by who comment on my legs and ask how.

Dream big. Dig deep. Don’t quit.