IRON ONLINE LEG ROUTINES

RICK C'S FIT & LEAN LEG WORKOUT #4

OK .. my favorite leg workout:

This may not qualify as fit and lean to some, but it works great for me. I do quads and hams separate, so I will give both workouts. You could combine these, taking a few from each. If I was to do this, I would use 1/2 of each workout, then the other half of each the next.

I am 6'4", with long legs and a short upper body. While I love back squats, I tend to lean too much and not get as deep as I would like. With this in mind, I have made a few adaptations to my leg workout. I don't use near as much high rep work as I do low rep. This really shows most in my leg work. I usually work in the 6 to 8 rep range. I do this for both my bulking and cutting cycles with good success. In fact, I have found I can maintain more lean mass this way.

Quads Front Squats 3x6

I always start with a few warm-up sets. After I get nice and warm, I hit it heavy and hard. I really focus all my attention the bar as I walk up to the power rack, position the bar on my delts, then lift it off the pins with some controlled anger. I try to go down under control, get to at least parallel, lower preferred, then accelerate out of the bottom. I rest 3 to 4 minutes between sets.

With front squats, I can stay in a much better position .. not much lean, and it really focuses on the quads. I use the crossed arm form to support the bar. Never really felt comfortable with the other methods. If you have not done them before, remember you will use less weight, and it takes a while to get use to the bar on your delts ... but it is a great quad movement.

Split Squats - 2x6

I do this with the barbell inside the power rack. Sometimes I put the forward leg up on a small step, but usually just on the floor. 3 minutes rest between sets.

Hack Squat (machine) - 1x6 normal width and 1x6 narrow

I like to vary the width of my stance on these. Again, I go heavy and deep. I challenge myself more for depth here than anywhere else.

45� Squat - 2x6

I don't remember who makes this machine, but it puts the quads in a great position, while taking the back out of the movement. Again, I like to go heavy with long rest periods (3 min, 4 max on some days).

Well, that's quad day. I do hams 3 days later.

Hams (all with 3 to 4 minute rest):

Leg curls - 2x6

Nothing special, just controlled and heavy. I have always heard that hams respond best to low reps ... this has proven to be the case for me.

Good Mornings 2x6

I was always afraid of these. It took a long time for me to get up the whatever to give it a go. Turns out I can really feel these in the hams. I still try to do them under control, and keep the back very tight. I bend the knees slightly to keep the pressure off the back, which really focuses the stretch on the hams. BTW I am now using over 300 lbs., but started with just the bar! Start slow if you choose to try these!

Romanian DL - 2x6

Again, controlled and heavy. With this type of DL, you really don't go as deep as a normal SLDL. Bending the knee and pushing the butt back puts the hams in a great position for a stretch.

Reverse Lunge - 2x6

Don't really think I can describe this very well - just picture a lunge or split squat in a Smith Machine. I have found I can really focus the movement and work on the hams and glutes.

Leg Press 1x6

When I have something left, I will add a set or two of these, but with my feet very high and wide on the platform. I usually do calves on two days a week, but not necessarily leg day. Also, I do some serious stretching after I work a muscle .. seems to reduce soreness.

Rick C.