The following details my leg workout from last Saturday morning at Kirkland Gold’s Gym. I’m easing my way back into training after an extended diet and competition schedule which put me on stage in 6 different 212 IFBB pro competitions over the last 5 months. As such I’m doing my own programming for a few weeks before I jump back into another 12-Week Meadows program. Essentially I’m going to listen to my body and limit volume and intensity as needed. This being my typical primary leg day, here is what Christina and I did…
Unilateral to Bilateral Lying Leg Curl
Set 1 x 16 reps alternating (unilateral) with 30lbs (warm-up)
Set 2 x 16 reps alternating (unilateral) with 35lbs (warm-up)
Set 3 x 16 reps alternating (unilateral) with 40lbs (warm-up)
Set 4 x 12 reps alternating (unilateral) with 65lbs + 12 reps with both legs together (bilaterally)
Set 5 x 12 reps alternating (unilateral) with 65lbs + 12 reps with both legs together (bilaterally)
Set 6 x 12 reps alternating (unilateral) with 65lbs + 12 reps with both legs together (bilaterally)
*The key here is to curl with one leg at a time alternating until you hit 12 reps on your working sets or 6 reps each leg. Immediately follow this up by curling both legs at the same time for an additional 12 reps. The first working set might feel light, but select your weight carefully as by the end these get difficult.
Here is a video for a form reference point:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rslZUCnVkjQ]
Banded Leg Press
I used one of these bands on each side of the leg press to create added tension on the eccentric which maximized when pressing to full extension at the top: https://www.elitefts.com/pro-light-resistance-band.html.
Set 1 x 25 reps with 2 plates/side + bands
Set 2 x 20 reps with 3 plates/side + bands
Set 3 x 16 reps with 4 plates/side + bands
Set 4 x 14 reps with 5 plates/side + bands
Set 5 x 10 + 4 + 4 +4 reps with 6 plates/side + bands
*The key here is to work your way up in weight and down in reps while maintaining perfect form and stopping short of failure. I also paused for a one second count at the bottom of each rep. Most injuries occur on the reversal from eccentric to concentric and pausing seems to make exercises safer for me. Now, the last set gets interesting with a bit more intensity. Do 10 reps, pause for about 10 breaths, perform 4 reps, pause for 10 breaths, perform another 4 reps, pause for 10 breaths and then do a final 4 reps. This should trash your legs!
Walking Lunges
Set 1 x 25 yards with bodyweight only
Set 2 x 25 yards with bodyweight only
Set 3 x 25 yards with bodyweight only
Set 4 x 25 yards with bodyweight only
*The key here is to take long, alternating strides pausing for a one second count with your trailing knee gently touching the ground with each step to really stretch out your quads and hips.
Superset: Leg Extensions & Cable Pull-Through
Leg Extension x 8 reps with 190lbs
Immediately followed by…
Cable Pull Through x 10 reps with 160lbs
*Hold the contraction for a split second flexing your quads as hard as possible at the top of each rep. Immediately go to the cable pull through for sets of 10 reps. I also followed up the pull through with a 20 second stretch of each quad. Perform the superset for 3 rounds.
That concluded this leg workout.
Train hard!
Mark