This is my primary leg workout from this past Monday.  Unfortunately I forgot the printed copy of my workout at home from my coach, John Meadows.  For those that don’t know he is the mastermind behind much of my training.  However, today I improvised and did my own thing.  I decided to really hammer hamstrings first before moving on to more quad dominant movements.  Here is the workout…

 

Lying Banded Leg Curls

 

I used this band to increase tension and the intensity of the contraction: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/bars-weights/bands/pro-mini-resistance-band.html

 

Set 1 x 10 reps with 50lbs + band (warm-up)

Set 2 x 10 reps with 55lbs + band (warm-up)

Set 3 x 10 reps with 60lbs + band (warm-up)

Set 4 x 10 reps with 70lbs + band

Set 5 x 10 reps with 70lbs + band

Set 6 x 10 reps with 70lbs + band

Set 7 x 10 reps with 70lbs + band

 

*The key here is to use dorsiflexion of the foot on the concentric portion of the movement, flex hard in the contracted position, then use plantar flexion of the foot during the eccentric portion of the movement.

Screenshot_2015-05-27-14-50-57~2

Here is a video demonstrating the technique:

 

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9cZhda2Tdk]

 

Seated Leg Curl Superset w/Dumbbell Stiff-Legged Deads

 

Seated Leg Curls x 10 reps with 70lbs (each leg)

Immediately followed by…

Dumbbell Stiff-Legged Deads x 10 reps with 55lb dumbbells

 

*I prefer to sit and lean forward while performing the seated leg curls.  The only machine at Kirkland Gold’s Gym is a unilateral leg curl so it takes a while to get a feel for the movement.  I do think you get better muscle activation of the hamstrings with unilateral movements.  Immediately go to the dumbbell stiff-legs.  Perform the superset for 4 rounds.

 

Here is a video:

 

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8M8u0_dFXw]

 

Banded Leg Press

 

I used two of these bands: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/bars-weights/bands/pro-average-resistance-band.html

 

Set 1 x 8 reps with 3 plates each side + bands

Set 2 x 8 reps with 4 plates each side + bands

Set 3 x 8 reps with 5 plates each side + bands

Set 4 x 8 reps with 6 plates each side + bands

Set 5 x 8 reps with 7 plates each side + bands

Set 6 x 8 reps with 8 plates each side + bands

Set 7 x 8 reps with 9 plates each side + bands

 

*I just did sets of 8 going up in weight until I could barely get 8 reps.

 

Leg Extensions

 

Set 1 x 15 reps with 165lbs (feeder set)

Set 2 x 10 reps with 200lbs (feeder set)

Set 3 x 6 reps with 220lbs

Set 4 x 6 reps with 235lbs

Set 5 x 6 reps with 250lbs

Set 6 x 6 reps with 265lbs

 

*Hold the contraction for a split second on each rep.  Go heavy and push yourself.

 

Reverse Banded Hack Squats

 

I used one of these bands: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/bars-weights/bands/pro-average-resistance-band.html

 

Set 1 x 20 reps with 2 plates each side

Set 2 x 20 reps with 2 plates each side

Set 3 x 20 reps with 2 plates each side

 

*The key here is to take the pump in your quads to the next level.  Use a narrow foot placement and pump out the reps, but with control.  I had to stop a couple times on sets 2 and 3 to get all 20 reps – FYI.

 

That concluded this primary leg workout.

 

Train hard!

Mark