The following details my secondary leg workout from this past Tuesday at 5am at Kirkland Gold’s Gym. The idea of secondary workouts is attributable to my coach, John Meadows, however I program the exercises and training techniques. The goal of the secondary workout is to get a massive pump in the targeted muscle group without taxing the central nervous system. This workout accomplished the pump, but almost encroached on a primary workout via CNS fatigue, lol. My training partner was still sore on Thursday, but I didn’t get sore – perhaps due to the Biotest Plazma I drank. Here is the workout…
5-4-3 Seated Leg Curls
Gold’s Gym has a seated unilateral leg curl machine which works perfect for this exercise technique. Weight listed is per each side.
Set 1 x 5-4-3 reps with 40lbs (warm-up)
Set 2 x 5-4-3 reps with 40lbs (warm-up)
Set 3 x 5-4-3 reps with 50lbs
Set 4 x 5-4-3 reps with 50lbs
Set 5 x 5-4-3 reps with 50lbs
Set 6 x 5-4-3 reps with 50lbs
*The key here is to curl and hold one leg in the contracted position while you perform 5 reps with the opposite leg, and then alternate back-and-forth doing 5, 4 and 3 reps on each leg.
Here is a video from a previous workout:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfwA8pFvf0c]
Leg Press
Set 1 x 15 reps with 2 plates/side (warm-up)
Set 2 x 12 reps with 3 plates/side (warm-up)
Set 3 x 10 reps with 4 plates/side (warm-up)
Set 4 x 6 reps w/4 plates + 6 reps w/5 plates + 6 reps w/6 plates + 6 reps with 7 plates/side
Set 5 x 6 reps w/7 plates + 6 reps w/6 plates + 6 reps w/5 plates + 6 reps with 4 plates/side
Set 6 x 6 reps w/4 plates + 6 reps w/5 plates + 6 reps w/6 plates + 6 reps with 7 plates/side
Set 7 x 6 reps w/7 plates + 6 reps w/6 plates + 6 reps w/5 plates + 6 reps with 4 plates/side
*These put some serious blood in my quads! Essentially you are going to do an ascending set where your training partner adds 1 plate to each side after 6 reps and you keep going with 6 reps + 1 plate/side until you’ve gone up 3 plates or 4 sets of 6 reps. The next set you reverse the technique and do a descending set. In total you will do 2 ascending and 2 descending sets before you’re done with the leg press. This is often a primary workout technique, but just don’t go as heavy with the weight.
Superset: Leg Extensions & Dumbbell Squats
Leg Extensions x 20 reps with 160lbs
Immediately followed by…
Dumbbell Squats x 10 reps with 50lb dumbbells
*The key here is to pump out the reps on the extensions and then go immediately to the dumbbells. I prefer to elevate my heels slightly and keep my feet narrow to really hammer the quads. Be sure to drop all the way down until the dumbbells touch the floor on each rep. Perform the superset for a total of 3 rounds.
Simply, but effective – these exercises blew up my legs in a relatively short secondary workout.
Train hard!
Mark
Just another question in regards to legs, I was wondering your thoughts on smith machine squats? worth doing?, also have back issues when doing normal squats seem to qweek it all the time.
Had a try the other day:
Leg extensions 4x 10 with drop sets
Leg press drop sets 4 x 12
Then Smith machine squats 4 x 12 not locking out at all trying to keep tension in the quads.
First time in a long time i was sore in the quads.
Smith squats are definitely worth doing if they don't exasperate back issue you may experience with normal free bar squats. They may allow you to remain in a more upright position, thus minimizing stress on your lower back. For whatever reason they are no better for me personally than free bar squats.
Drop sets as you mentioned are an excellent intensity technique. Also programming smith squats last in your workout will hopefully allow you to obtain the benefit of the squat without loading up as much weight on the bar.
All the best,
Mark
Thanks again and Merry Christmas!
Mark