Do you remember the last time you saw that pompous guy with a big upper body walking on toothpick legs? Yes, how bad did that look?
That’s right. You surely don’t want to go that route hence why it is very important not to skip leg day. Like I wrote numerous times, apart from giving you a solid-looking base to support a great upper frame, leg training helps you produce more of those hormones which are directly related to muscle production and recovery. I also find a good leg session to be the most effective fat burner.
So there you have it… it’s win-win-win when we speak about leg training and for this reason today we are going to share with you our Licious Legs workout.
As an introduction let us quickly go through the primary muscles composing our legs since we will split our session keeping these muscle parts in mind. At the very top we have our gluteus (the bum, the booty, that ass, you name it!). Moving down we have the quadriceps in front and the hamstrings at the back (the front and rear thigh muscles). Further down on the way to the feet we then have the calves.
The Licious Legs Workout:
Today’s leg workout consists of 4 exercises, some of which include a super-set combo as you will see further on. Below you will be able to choose either my pick or Martina’s pick for each of the 4 exercises. Perform each exercise for 3 sets preceded by a warmup set at low weight before.
1) QUADRICEPS (and gluteus):
Andrew’s pick:
Full Squats:
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. However for the purposes of showing you the right posture I have moved away from the squat rack which was getting in the way of the photo 🙂 To begin, first set the bar on a rack just above shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder-width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times and maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.
- Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees and sitting back with your hips as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until your hamstrings are on your calves. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel or middle of your foot as you straighten the legs and extend the hips to go back to the starting position.
- In this session I chose to focus on volume rather than power. So I decided to load the bar to arrive at my body weight and perform 4 sets to failure. My failure was around 40 reps per set just in case you need a benchmark to aim for 🙂 At the end of each set after placing the bar back in the rack I squeezed my quadriceps and glutes and held for 20 seconds while keeping a normal breathing pattern. This enhances the blood flow to the legs and will also help you improve muscle separation. The rest between each set depends on how fit you are but you will always need a good 3 minutes.
Martina’s pick:
Leg Press (wide stance followed by narrow stance):
This is going to be a super-set; first a set at a wide foot stance followed by a set at a narrow foot stance (as shown in the picture above).
- Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a wide foot stance.
- Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are extended in front of you. Make sure that you do not lock your knees. This will be your starting position.
- As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle.
- Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale. Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions (you need to preserve some energy for the narrow foot stance!) and ensure to lock the safety pins properly once you are done. You do not want that platform falling on you fully loaded.
- Without taking any rest go directly to the second part of the super-set by placing your legs at a narrow foot stance.
- Repeat steps in bullet points 2 to 4 above.
2) GLUTEUS (and hamstrings):
Andrew’s pick:
Barbell Hip Thrust (aka The Bridge):
- Begin seated on the ground with a swiss ball (or bench) directly behind you. Have a loaded barbell over your legs. If you’re going to lift heavy make sure you have a pad on the bar so that you can reduce the discomfort caused by this exercise on your thighs.
- Roll the bar so that it is directly above your hips, and lean back against the swiss ball.
- Begin the movement by driving through your feet, extending your hips vertically through the bar. Your weight should be supported by your shoulder blades and your feet. Extend as far as possible, then reverse the motion to return to the starting position.
- Repeat 15 to 20 times (if you are lifting a lighter weight you can repeat to failure).
Martina’s pick:
Bulgarian Split Squats followed by Front Squats:
This is going to be a super-set; first 10 repetitions of Bulgarian Split Squats on each side immediately followed by a set of Front Squats to failure. The rest between each super-set should be around 3 minutes.
The Bulgarian split squat is simply a 1-legged squat with the rear foot elevated on a bench, box or similar.
- Place what will be your front foot about 3 foot-lengths in front of the bench, and place the top of your rear foot on the top of the bench; this is your starting position.
- Adjust the distance of your front foot from the bench as needed to make sure the front shin is about vertical in the bottom of the squat.
- With a controlled speed, bend at the knee to lower yourself with an upright trunk until the rear knee lightly contacts the floor (don’t let it hit the floor or rest on the floor). Hold for 5 seconds/counts.
- Stand again pushing more through the front heel than the balls of the foot. Maintain the position of the front knee over the foot; do not let it collapse inward or push it excessively outward.
- Repeat 10 times and then change leg. Repeat for another 10 times.
Front Squats can be performed either using a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells. In this session Martina chose to use a single dumbbell.
- Start by holding a dumbbell with both hands (as shown in the picture) so that your palms are facing each other. Place feet apart, slightly pointed out at a shoulder width stance.
- Keep your weight on your heels, not on your toes, for the entire movement.
- While keeping your body upright, engage your abs and lower your body as much as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
- Pause at the bottom, and then drive your heels into the floor to return back to the starting position.
- Repeat 15 to 20 times (or repeat to failure making sure you stop when proper form starts to give in).
3) HAMSTRINGS:
Andrew’s pick:
Straight-leg Deadlift (aka Romanian Deadlift):
- Put a barbell in front of you on the ground and grab it using a mixed grip at shoulder width as shown in the bottom picture above.
- Bend the knees slightly and keep the shins vertical, hips back and back straight. This will be your starting position.
- Keeping your back and arms completely straight at all times, use your hips to lift the bar as you exhale. The movement should not be fast but steady and under control.
- Once you are standing completely straight up, lower the bar by pushing the hips back, only slightly bending the knees, unlike when squatting. At the start of the movement take a deep breath and keep your chest up. Hold your breath as you lower and exhale as you complete the movement.
- Repeat 15 to 20 times (in this session I chose to keep a low weight and perform each set to failure since I was focusing on volume rather than power).
Martina’s pick:
Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls:
- Lie faceup with your arms pressed into the floor by your sides, knees bent, heels placed on top of a swiss ball.
- Press your heels into the ball, brace your abs in tight, and lift your hips up off the floor.
- Keeping your hips high, slowly extend your legs and roll the ball away from your body in a controlled manner. Do not to lock out your knees.
- Bend your knees and slowly curl the ball back into your body, returning to the start position.
- Repeat 15 to 20 times (or repeat to failure making sure you stop when proper form starts to give in).
4) CALVES:
Andrew’s pick:
Calf Raises on Leg Press Machine:
- Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance.
- Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you without locking your knees. Place your toes and balls of your feet on the lower portion of the platform with the heels extending off. Toes should be facing forward. This will be your starting position.
- Press on the platform by raising your heels as you breathe out by extending your ankles as high as possible and flexing your calf. Ensure that the knee is kept stationary at all times. There should be no bending at any time. Hold the contracted position for a second before you start to go back down.
- Go back slowly to the starting position as you breathe in by lowering your heels as you bend the ankles until calves are stretched.
- Repeat 10 to 15 times (in this session I chose to keep a low weight and perform each set to failure since I was focusing on volume rather than power).
Martina’s pick:
Seated Calf Raises followed by Standing Calf Raises:
Seated Calf Raises:
- Sit on the machine and place your toes (pointing forward) on the lower portion of the platform provided with the heels extending off.
- Place your lower thighs under the lever pad, which will need to be adjusted according to the height of your thighs. Now place your hands on top of the lever pad in order to prevent it from slipping forward.
- Lift the lever slightly by pushing your heels up and release the safety bar. This will be your starting position.
- Slowly lower your heels by bending at the ankles until the calves are fully stretched. Inhale as you perform this movement.
- Raise the heels by extending the ankles as high as possible as you contract the calves and breathe out. Hold the top contraction for a second.
- Repeat for 10 times.
Standing Calf Raises:
- Stand on a slightly elevated platform to allow your calves to get an eccentric stretch at the bottom of the exercise.
- Place your toes pointing forward on the lower portion of the platform with the heels extending off. You can place your arms on your side or out in front of you to help with your balance. This is your starting position.
- Raise the heels by extending the ankles as high as possible as you contract the calves and breathe out. Hold the top contraction for a second.
- Slowly lower your heels by bending at the ankles until your heel touches the floor. At this point you should be feeling an eccentric stretch in your calves.
- Repeat for 15 to 20 times.
As you notice above we do like to include super-sets in our session as these are a guaranteed way of exhausting the trained body part to the last drop of energy. Another way of doing so is by working to failure (maximum number of possible repetitions while maintaining proper form). Make sure that from time to time you vary the weight lifted, the number of repetitions and the speed of execution so that you keep shocking your muscles and maximise growth.
To fitness with love,
Andrew & Martina
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