The following details my primary leg workout from last Saturday at Kirkland Gold’s Gym.  The workout was designed by my coach, John Meadows; however I made a few modifications to suit my needs.  Here is the workout…

 

Seated Leg Curl

 

I used the unilateral seated leg curl as it was the only seated curl machine available at my gym.  Weight listed is per each leg – FYI.

 

Set 1 x 15 reps with 50lbs (warm-up)

Set 2 x 15 reps with 55lbs (warm-up)

Set 3 x 10 reps with 70lbs

Set 4 x 10 reps with 70lbs

Set 5 x 10 reps with 70lbs

Set 6 x 10 reps with 70lbs

 

*The key on the working sets today is to perform them rest-pause style.  Fully extend your legs after performing each rep and rest for a 1 second count.  This will get tough by your 3rd and 4th sets, but try to maintain strict form.

 

Reverse Banded Hack Squats

 

This is the band I used: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/bars-weights/bands/pro-light-resistance-band.html.

 

Set 1 x 6 reps with 1 plate/side

Set 2 x 6 reps with 2 plates/side

Set 3 x 6 reps with 2 plates + 25’s/side

Set 4 x 6 reps with 3 plates/side

Set 5 x 6 reps with 3 plates + 25’s/side

Set 6 x 6 reps with 4 plates/side

Set 7 x 6 reps with 4 plates + 25’s/side

Set 8 x 6 reps with 5 plates/side

 

*The key here is to pause each rep at the bottom for a 3 second count before driving the weight back up.  These will get hard, but keep going until you can barely grind out 6 paused reps.  I counted this as 4 working sets.

 

Leg Press

 

Set 1 x 30 (15, 10, 5) reps with 5 plates/side

Set 2 x 30 (20, 5, 5) reps with 4 plates/side

Set 3 x 30 reps (15, 5, 5, 5) with 4 plates/side

 

*These will burn so pick your weight carefully.  I started a little too heavy on my first set and had to back off.  The goal is to pump out 30 straight reps and only rest 60 seconds between the 3 working sets.  I had to pause briefly because I was breathing so hard and due to the burn so the numbers above represent where I had to stop on my way to 30 reps.  Brutal, especially with the short rest breaks!

 

Leg Extensions

 

Set 1 x 8 reps with 205lbs

Set 2 x 8 reps with 205lbs

Set 3 x 8 reps with 205lbs

 

*The key here is to set the pad so you don’t have an extreme bend in your knee at the bottom because we are going to do pauses here as well.  Rest for 1 second at the bottom and then extend your leg and hold the contraction for 1 second at the top on each rep.

 

Here is a video:

 

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voiL2JYYXmc]

 

Walking Lunges

 

Set 1 x 12 paces each leg with bodyweight

Set 2 x 12 paces each leg with bodyweight

 

*This wasn’t part of John’s program, but I’ve been doing these based on the recommendation of my chiro/SASTM practitioner.  The key is to take very long strides and pause briefly at the bottom to help stretch the quad and hip flexors at the end of quad dominant leg training.

 

Here is a link to an article I wrote on the soft tissue technique mentioned above: https://www.elitefts.com/education/training/bodybuilding/graston-technique-my-experience-with-instrument-assisted-soft-tissue-mobilization/.

 

Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deads

 

I don’t go heavy on these due to my lower back – FYI.

 

Set 1 x 10 reps with 50lbs

Set 2 x 10 reps with 50lbs

Set 3 x 10 reps with 50lbs

 

*The key for me on these is to elevate the balls of my feet by placing the front of my foot on 5lb plates.  I also keep my knees locked to put a lot of stretch on my hamstrings.  This wouldn’t be wise if using heavy dumbbells because you could tear a hamstring.  The goal is more so the stretch for me than anything else.  I go all the way down, but come only ½ ways up.

 

That concluded this primary leg workout.

 

Train hard!

Mark