The following details my main leg workout for the week.  I completed this last Saturday morning and the workout was based on a John Meadows program.  I trained alongside my bride at Kirkland Gold’s Gym and here is what we did…

 

Lying Leg Curls

 

I performed 3-4 warm-up sets first – FYI.

 

Set 1 x 8 reps with 140lbs

Set 2 x 8 reps with 140lbs

Set 3 x 8 reps with 140lbs

Set 4 x 8 reps with 140lbs

 

*The key here is to set the weight down, pause, and then fire your hamstrings and curl the weight back up.  Rest-pause all reps on every set and try to select a weight in which you barely get all 8 reps by your 4th set.

 

Smith Machine Hip Thrusters

 

John called for the adductor machine, but I decided on this exercise instead even though it targets glutes more than adductors – FYI.

 

Set 1 x 15 reps with 135lbs

Set 2 x 12 reps with 185lbs

Set 3 x 10 reps with 225lbs

Set 4 x 10 reps with 225lbs

 

*Drive your hips and bring the weight up without hyperextending your back.  Hold the contraction at the top for a 1 second count on all reps.

 

Leg Press

 

Set 1 x 20 reps with 2 plates/side

Set 2 x 18 reps with 3 plates/side

Set 3 x 16 reps with 4 plates/side

Set 4 x 14 reps with 5 plates/side

Set 5 x 12 reps with 6 plates/side

Set 6 x 10 reps with 7 plates/side

Set 7 x 10 reps with 8 plates/side

Set 8 x 8 reps with 9 plates/side

Set 9 x 8 reps with 10 plates/side

Set 10 x 8 reps with 11 plates/side

 

*Use a standard foot placement where you are strongest and simply work up in weight doing sets of 8 reps.  I always begin with higher reps and low them as the weight is increased.

 

Superset: Leg Extensions & Ground Base Squats

 

This is economical and portable for ground base squats if your gym doesn’t have the equipment: https://www.elitefts.com/eliteftstm-e-series-core-blaster.html.  I did 2 sets with lighter weight working up to 4 rounds of the following superset – FYI.

 

Leg Extensions x 6 reps with 280lbs

Immediately followed by…

Ground Base Squats x 6 reps with 100lbs

 

*Nothing special on the leg extension, just make sure you get your knees warm as the key is use heavier weight than normal with lower reps.  Move directly to the ground base squats and take a wide stance with your toes pointing somewhat out so you can sink down deep into your hips at the bottom.  I can’t go heavy due to my lower back and in fact substituted this exercise for conventional wide stance squats.

 

Here is a video:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keZwN0R_UJM]

 

Walking Lunges

 

Set 1 x 12 strides each leg with bodyweight only

Set 2 x 12 strides each leg with bodyweight only

 

*This was in addition to John’s program, but it’s helpful for stretching everything out at the end of a leg session.  Take long strides and gently pause while touching your trailing knee to the ground on each stride.

 

That concluded this leg workout.

 

Train hard!

Mark