Strength/Weight Ratio

[Philip Chubb]

The forum mentions a lot that "excessive" leg hypertrophy is detrimental to the strength to weight ratio. I wanted to know if anyone actually knew what "excessive" really classified as. Is there any sort of average leg size for gymnast?

My other question is about weighted squating and the mass it gives. I used to squat and I got to around 1.5 bodyweight. If I discontiue that but still keep a day or two of low volume bodyweight exercises for my leg, will I eventually lose the mass I gained from heavy squats?

[Neal Winkler]

Leg size decreases your ability to perform upper body gymnastics moves. The smaller your legs the better, the bigger the worse. There is no point at which 1 more pound of weight is bad and less than this is good. It's just a continuum.

1.5x bodyweight is not very strong (beginning of intermediate level at best), so unless you are a really big guy I doubt your legs are all that big that you need to worry.

You'll lose your size if you make your legs weaker.

[Razz]

I belive Ido is capable of something like 2.5 bw squat and still able to full planche. Not 100% sure though and I know Ido may not be the best comparison, but just goes to show it IS possible to be pretty damn strong and still have good gymnastics upper body strength. Also take a look at Slizzardman, he does not in any way have skinny legs and he can still do a full front lever.

[Philip Chubb]

I belive Ido is capable of something like 2.5 bw squat and still able to full planche. Not 100% sure though and I know Ido may not be the best comparison, but just goes to show it IS possible to be pretty damn strong and still have good gymnastics upper body strength. Also take a look at Slizzardman, he does not in any way have skinny legs and he can still do a full front lever.

Wow thats amazing! Okay thanks guys. That definitely ends all of my worries after hearing that. 2.5 sounds pretty awesome if its true.