4 BEST EXERCISES FOR BIG LEGS
Samson Dauda's Leg Destruction Workout
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Extension | 5 | 15-20 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 5 | 20 |
| Leg Press | 5 | 15-20 |
| Smith Machine Squat | 5 | 12-15 |
Leg Extension
Perform five sets of 15-20 reps each, increasing the weight each set.
Pro Tip: Beginning your leg day with isolation exercises allows your leg muscles to warm up before moving onto more taxing compound movements. By pre-exhausting the quads, you limit the total weight you are able to save for the later compound movements. This allows you to keep intensity higher without increasing the load and stressing your joints.
Seated Hamstring Curl
Do five sets of 20 reps each, increasing the weight each set.
Pro Tip: Have lagging hamstrings? Try doing hamstring curls before your bigger compound movements. Not only will this serve as a great warm-up for your knees, hamstrings, and lower back, it will also allow you to increase the mind-muscle connection to encourage better hamstring activation during your compound movements.
Leg Press
Perform five sets of 15-20 reps each, increasing weight each set and going to all-out failure on the last set.
Pro Tip: Don’t be scared to go heavy on leg presses. Big compound movements like the leg press utilize multiple muscles and require heavier weight to tax the muscles and pack on some serious mass. Try to progressively add weight or reps over time to force new muscle growth.
Smith Machine Squat
Do five sets of 12-15 reps each set. Be sure to strive for full depth, ass-to-grass position. Utilizing a full range of motion (ROM), going below parallel, will maximize muscle activation and lead to more significant gains in strength and size.
In a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers compared the effects of squat range of motion on muscle gains. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups, performing either deep squats or partial squats for 12 weeks. Those who performed deep squats gained significantly more muscle, increased lower body muscle mass, and increased thigh muscle cross-sectional than the partial squatters. In fact, subjects in the partial squat group gained no measurable muscle mass at all but increased the thigh's cross-sectional area slightly.
Pro Tip: Remember, proper form is key to get the most out of this exercise. You want to ensure you are keeping as much tension on your quads as possible. By playing with the tempo of the lift, you can increase intensity without having to increase the weight. Try to keep a constant tension of 1-2 seconds on the concentric portion of the lift and a 3-4 second count on the eccentric, keeping the weight under control the entire time. This is a great exercise to finish your leg workout with to burn out the quads.
Fuel Better Recovery
To speed recovery after a brutal leg day, make sure you refuel your body with the proper nutrients to encourage muscle repair and growth. A post-workout protein shake from a quality, fast-digesting protein source like grass-fed whey protein isolate will ensure your muscles get the essential amino acids they need to rebuild—fast. ISO[H1] grass fed whey protein isolate gives you 25 grams of protein per serving and includes DigSEB digestive enzymes to support improved digestion and absorption.