The following details my leg workout from last Saturday morning.  Limited in what exercises I can do when training legs I wanted a change.  I decided to pay the exorbitant $25 drop in fee to train at the local 24 Hour Fitness.  Christina trained with me (yeah, $50) and here is what we did...

 

Seated Leg Curls

 

I used a Hoist machine here - FYI.

 

Set 1 x 12 reps with 50lbs (warm-up)

Set 2 x 10 reps with 70lbs (warm-up)

Set 3 x 8 reps with 90lbs

Set 4 x 8 reps with 100lbs

Set 5 x 6 reps (failure) with 110lbs -> drop to 90lbs x 6 reps -> drop to 50 x 6 reps

 

*The key here is to get to a tough weight for 8 reps whereby you can really accentuate the negative.  Aim for 3 working sets with this weight adding two drops to extend the final set.

 

Lying Leg Curl

 

I used a Hammer Strength machine here - FYI.

 

3 sets of 6 reps with 95lbs w/eccentric overload

 

*Curl the weight up hold for a split second and then have your training partner force the weight back down on every rep.

 

Machine Squats

 

I used a Free Motion plate loaded machine here - FYI.

 

Set 1 x 10 reps with 1 plate/side

Set 2 x 10 reps with 2 plates/side

Set 3 x 10 reps with 3 plates/side

Set 4 x 10 reps with 4 plates/side

Set 5 x 8 reps with 5 plates/side -> drop to 4 plates/side x 4 reps -> drop to 3 plates/side x 4 reps

 

*This is a really cool machine that places most of the emphasis on your quads, but without killing my lower back.  I was able to work up in weight doing sets of 10 reps until I failed to get 10 and then had Christina pull plates twice to extend the set.

 

Leg Press

 

I used a Hoist Leg Press machine here - FYI.

 

Set 1 x 10 reps with 2 plates/side

Set 2 x 10 reps with 3 plates/side

Set 4 x 10 reps with 4 plates/side

Set 5 x 10 reps with 5 plates/side

Set 6 x 10 reps with 6 plates/side

Set 7 x 10 reps with 7 plates/side -> drop to 6 plates/side x 6 reps -> drop to 5 plates/side x 6 reps

 

*Work your way up in weight pausing at the bottom of each rep and not locking out to ensure continuous tension.  Finish with two drops to extend the set.

 

Leg Extensions

 

Set 1 x failure with 205lbs

Set 2 x failure with 205lbs

Set 3 x failure + 10 second isohold with 205lbs

 

*Flex hard in the contracted position performing 3 sets to failure.  On your final set, once you’ve hit failure, fight as hard as possible to extend your legs essentially doing an isohold for 10 seconds.  Pull your toes back and really contracted your rectus femoris.

 

Cable Pull-Throughs

 

3 sets of 10 reps with 150lbs

 

*Face away from the weight stack and grab a D attached to the lower pulley and pull it through your thighs - stretching your hamstrings at the bottom and contracting your glutes and hams at the top.  I do these primarily for the stretch and because the weight pulls your back vs. direct spinal compression.

 

That concluded this leg workout.

 

Train hard!

Mark