Sample Leg Prioritized Split
Shannon and I began working together a few months ago when she was not happy with how her legs were looking at her last show. Legs were one of her weak points and we devised a plan to bring her legs up while still hammering her upper body hard. Now getting ready for the 2018 Toronto Pro Qualifier, this is a sample 4 week rotation of what Shannon's leg training has been looking like. We had a heavy leg day full of hard compound movements and focusing on staying strong. We also added a 2nd leg day that was focused on smaller exercises or more explosive movements that would actually aid in recovery. I gave Shannon the option that if she was not feeling recovered she could take that leg day off every few weeks. If you have trouble with having your legs grow try this out and let me know how it goes!
Make sure you thoroughly do 2 to 3 warm up sets for each body part to ensure prevention of injury. I only want the last set of each exercise to be taken to failure. The other ones you want to find a weight that will allow you to leave about 1 rep in the tank. I also want you to ensure on squeezing the muscle being used hard by following a 2 to 3 second negative, explosive positive and a 1 second hold at the peak contraction. Lastly, I want you to only take 60 seconds in between sets, you can do 90 seconds for legs or for the deadlifts and bench press.
I want you to send me videos of your main leg exercises every week and you doing them so I can take a look at your form. This is my biggest focus for you. Proper execution and tension mixed with hard work will make them grow.
The goal is to increase the weight or amount of reps every week. If the aim is 10 and you feel you can easily do 12, do 12. The goal is to push yourself.
I want you to keep me posted with your recovery on the optional leg day, if you feel you are not recovering right now being off gear, just let me know and I will be aware that you are not able to do it.
Day 1: Legs (Heavy)
Hamstring curls (Seated or lying, alternate every week) 3x10 superset with
weighted walking lunges 3x8 per leg. On the last set of the hamstring curls I want you to do 30 partials out of the bottom.
Front Squats find a weight that is a tough 8-10 with and do 4 sets of 6-8 with it. Last set should be to nearly failure.
Smith machine 1.5 squats 4x6
Close Stance Leg Press 3x25
Leg Extensions 3x15 with 2 second hold at the top.
Barbell or Dumbbell Stiff Leg dead 4x10. Keep form perfect and get a big stretch. Use straps if needed. Alternate every week.
Seated Calf raises 4 dropsets of 4 sets to failure every set (ex. Using 25 lb plates= 4 platesx15, 3 platesx15, 2 plates x20, 1 plate x20) Make sure to squeeze at the top for 2 seconds and do not bounce out of the bottom.
Day 2: Chest and Shoulders
Incline Machine Press work up to 2 top sets of 8 (Big Squeeze and slow negatives)
Incline Barbell Press 5x5 (Make these explosive on the way up with slow negatives, same weight on all sets, the first 2 sets you should have 2-3 reps In the tank)
Dumbbell Press or Hex Press 3x12
Push ups from the knees 3xfailure superset with dumbbell flyes 3x8
Dumbbell Lateral Raises 3x12-15
Seated Smith Machine or free weight Presses 3x8-10 (Use perfect form and feel the negative)
Bent over rear delt raises 3x20
I want you to do this quick ab routine before or after training. https://www.vidivodo.com/p90x-ab-ripper-x :) Try to get better and better at it each time.
Day 3: Legs (Optional based on recovery. Pump Style, do not worry about weight but about squeezing the muscle hard)
Weighted Sissy Squats 3x15
Sumo Deadlifts work up to an explosive set of 6. Should have 3-4 harder sets. The key is moving the weight quick, if it slows down drastically it is too heavy.
Hack Squat Machine 3x12
Banded Goblet Squats 4x12 (3 second negatives) superset with
Adductor Machine 4x8
Calf Raises Do 200 reps with bodyweight on a small ledge. Do as few sets as you can and take them very slow. Hard 3 second squeeze at the top, hard 2 second stretch at the bottom.
Day 4: Back
Dumbbell Rows work up to a tough set of 8. DO a triple drop set on the last set.
Neutral grip pulldown 4x8 (Slow negatives)
Assisted wide grip pull ups 3x8-12
Rack pulls from below the knee work up to a top set of 4-6. Focus on getting stronger. I want you to raise it or lower it about an inch from what you were doing last 4 weeks. The point is for you to do something different. You can also add bands to each side if you want. Make sure to keep form perfect though.
-See it as a deadlift, same form cues. Keep it strict and I want you to kill it every time at the bottom. As you come up, squeeze the lats as hard as you can for 1 or 2 seconds before coming back down. Focus on getting stronger each week.
Rope pullovers or Dumbbell 4x12
Decline bench leg raises 3xfailure superset with Rope Crunches 3x20 with 3 second holds
Day 5: Arms
Assisted Dip machine 3x12 superset with Ez bar cable Curls 3x12
-Keep your torso upright, elbows tucked in and go down slow while focusing purely on triceps.
Overhead bar cable Extensions 3x10-12 superset with Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls 3x12. When you are done the hammer curls, stand up and cheat out another 8 reps.
-Here I want you to focus on keeping your elbows tucked in and really feeling the triceps.
-For Biceps make sure to squeeze hard and feel the biceps.
Dumbell Floor Press 3x8 (3 second negatives) superset with incline bench curls 3x10
-Slow 3 second negatives for both and big squeeze.
Tricep Dips on Bench Do 65 reps in as few sets as you can
Barbell Curls Use a 30 lb bar and curl it for 3 minutes, hold strict form and cheat if you need to. use straps if needed, do not stop curling, if you want a break hold it over your head. J
I want you to do 5 rounds of the following with no breaks. Will be 100 reps. All with perfect form.
Straight leg weighted Calf Raises 10 reps superset with Standing bodyweight calf raises 10 reps.
Make sure you thoroughly do 2 to 3 warm up sets for each body part to ensure prevention of injury. I only want the last set of each exercise to be taken to failure. The other ones you want to find a weight that will allow you to leave about 1 rep in the tank. I also want you to ensure on squeezing the muscle being used hard by following a 2 to 3 second negative, explosive positive and a 1 second hold at the peak contraction. Lastly, I want you to only take 60 seconds in between sets, you can do 90 seconds for legs or for the deadlifts and bench press.
I want you to send me videos of your main leg exercises every week and you doing them so I can take a look at your form. This is my biggest focus for you. Proper execution and tension mixed with hard work will make them grow.
The goal is to increase the weight or amount of reps every week. If the aim is 10 and you feel you can easily do 12, do 12. The goal is to push yourself.
I want you to keep me posted with your recovery on the optional leg day, if you feel you are not recovering right now being off gear, just let me know and I will be aware that you are not able to do it.
Day 1: Legs (Heavy)
Hamstring curls (Seated or lying, alternate every week) 3x10 superset with
weighted walking lunges 3x8 per leg. On the last set of the hamstring curls I want you to do 30 partials out of the bottom.
Front Squats find a weight that is a tough 8-10 with and do 4 sets of 6-8 with it. Last set should be to nearly failure.
Smith machine 1.5 squats 4x6
Close Stance Leg Press 3x25
Leg Extensions 3x15 with 2 second hold at the top.
Barbell or Dumbbell Stiff Leg dead 4x10. Keep form perfect and get a big stretch. Use straps if needed. Alternate every week.
Seated Calf raises 4 dropsets of 4 sets to failure every set (ex. Using 25 lb plates= 4 platesx15, 3 platesx15, 2 plates x20, 1 plate x20) Make sure to squeeze at the top for 2 seconds and do not bounce out of the bottom.
Day 2: Chest and Shoulders
Incline Machine Press work up to 2 top sets of 8 (Big Squeeze and slow negatives)
Incline Barbell Press 5x5 (Make these explosive on the way up with slow negatives, same weight on all sets, the first 2 sets you should have 2-3 reps In the tank)
Dumbbell Press or Hex Press 3x12
Push ups from the knees 3xfailure superset with dumbbell flyes 3x8
Dumbbell Lateral Raises 3x12-15
Seated Smith Machine or free weight Presses 3x8-10 (Use perfect form and feel the negative)
Bent over rear delt raises 3x20
I want you to do this quick ab routine before or after training. https://www.vidivodo.com/p90x-ab-ripper-x :) Try to get better and better at it each time.
Day 3: Legs (Optional based on recovery. Pump Style, do not worry about weight but about squeezing the muscle hard)
Weighted Sissy Squats 3x15
Sumo Deadlifts work up to an explosive set of 6. Should have 3-4 harder sets. The key is moving the weight quick, if it slows down drastically it is too heavy.
Hack Squat Machine 3x12
Banded Goblet Squats 4x12 (3 second negatives) superset with
Adductor Machine 4x8
Calf Raises Do 200 reps with bodyweight on a small ledge. Do as few sets as you can and take them very slow. Hard 3 second squeeze at the top, hard 2 second stretch at the bottom.
Day 4: Back
Dumbbell Rows work up to a tough set of 8. DO a triple drop set on the last set.
Neutral grip pulldown 4x8 (Slow negatives)
Assisted wide grip pull ups 3x8-12
Rack pulls from below the knee work up to a top set of 4-6. Focus on getting stronger. I want you to raise it or lower it about an inch from what you were doing last 4 weeks. The point is for you to do something different. You can also add bands to each side if you want. Make sure to keep form perfect though.
-See it as a deadlift, same form cues. Keep it strict and I want you to kill it every time at the bottom. As you come up, squeeze the lats as hard as you can for 1 or 2 seconds before coming back down. Focus on getting stronger each week.
Rope pullovers or Dumbbell 4x12
Decline bench leg raises 3xfailure superset with Rope Crunches 3x20 with 3 second holds
Day 5: Arms
Assisted Dip machine 3x12 superset with Ez bar cable Curls 3x12
-Keep your torso upright, elbows tucked in and go down slow while focusing purely on triceps.
Overhead bar cable Extensions 3x10-12 superset with Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls 3x12. When you are done the hammer curls, stand up and cheat out another 8 reps.
-Here I want you to focus on keeping your elbows tucked in and really feeling the triceps.
-For Biceps make sure to squeeze hard and feel the biceps.
Dumbell Floor Press 3x8 (3 second negatives) superset with incline bench curls 3x10
-Slow 3 second negatives for both and big squeeze.
Tricep Dips on Bench Do 65 reps in as few sets as you can
Barbell Curls Use a 30 lb bar and curl it for 3 minutes, hold strict form and cheat if you need to. use straps if needed, do not stop curling, if you want a break hold it over your head. J
I want you to do 5 rounds of the following with no breaks. Will be 100 reps. All with perfect form.
Straight leg weighted Calf Raises 10 reps superset with Standing bodyweight calf raises 10 reps.