The Ultimate Science-Based Leg Day For Muscle Growth (2023)

Summary

This video script introduces a leg-focused workout routine as part of the 'ultimate push-pull leg series.' It begins with a general warm-up, followed by six exercises targeting quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and abs. The workout emphasizes a minimalistic strength approach and an optimization for hypertrophy, featuring heavy sets, paused squats, and variations like hack squats and Bulgarian split squats. The script also provides tips on technique, muscle emphasis, and progressive overloading for effective muscle growth.

Takeaways

• 🏋️‍♂️ The workout is part of the 'ultimate push-pull leg series' focusing on leg muscles including quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and abs.
• 🔥 The routine starts with a general warm-up, emphasizing the importance of warming up before leg exercises due to the large muscle group involved.
• 📈 A minimalistic approach to strength and an optimization approach to hypertrophy is used, with one heavy set of squats and variations for back offsets.
• 💪 Squats are performed with a weight at 85-90% of one's one-rep max for 2-4 reps, aiming for an RPE of 8 or 9, ensuring a challenging yet manageable set.
• 🔄 Squat alternatives include hack squats or Bulgarian split squats, with a suggestion to increase rep range for a hypertrophy focus.
• 🧘‍♂️ The paused squat exercise is highlighted for its benefits in emphasizing quads and glutes, and for reinforcing proper technique.
• 🇷🇴 Romanian deadlifts are included with tips to focus on hamstrings or glutes, and to avoid lower back strain.
• 🚶‍♂️ Dumbbell walking lunges are advised with caution against cutting depth, free-falling on the negative, and grip strength limiting load.
• 🦵 Seated leg curls are recommended over lying leg curls for better hamstring growth, with tips on seat positioning and toe rotation.
• 🦶 The leg press toe press is used for calves, with variations in toe position to target different calf regions.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Decline plate crunches are used to finish the workout, targeting the abs and emphasizing the importance of progressive overload for development.
• 📚 The full 12-week program is available, offering an ebook, spreadsheet, exercise demos, and coaching cues for a comprehensive training system.

Q & A

What is the focus of the 'ultimate push-pull leg series' workout?

The focus of the 'ultimate push-pull leg series' workout is to target the lower body, specifically the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, and to finish with an exercise for the abs.

Why is a general warm-up important, especially on leg day?

A general warm-up is important on leg day because the legs constitute about half of the body, and warming up helps to prepare the muscles for the intense workout ahead.

What is the minimalistic approach to strength mentioned in the script?

The minimalistic approach to strength mentioned in the script involves performing only one heavy set per week for exercises like the squat, bench press, and deadlift, aiming for 85 to 90 percent of one's one-rep max for two to four reps.

What are the two substitution options for the squat exercise if someone cannot or does not want to perform it?

The two substitution options for the squat exercise are hack squats as the first option and Bulgarian split squats as the second option.

How does pausing during the paused squat exercise affect the muscles being worked?

Pausing during the paused squat forces the quads and glutes to overcome the load from a dead stop, which is harder than normal reps and can lead to a more hypertrophic stimulus with lighter loads and less overall joint and body stress.

What is the recommended warm-up routine before starting the heavy set of the squat?

The recommended warm-up routine is a pyramid warm-up with weight across four or five warm-up sets until reaching the working weight, which is 85 to 90 percent of one's one-rep max for two to four reps.

How can one shift the emphasis of the Romanian deadlift (RDL) from the lower back to the hamstrings?

To shift the emphasis from the lower back to the hamstrings in RDLs, one should ensure the barbell does not drift forward away from the legs and consider wearing a belt to help direct more attention to the hamstrings.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when performing walking lunges?

Common mistakes to avoid in walking lunges include cutting depth short, free-falling on the negative, and letting grip strength limit the load used.

Why are seated leg curls considered more effective for muscle growth than lying leg curls?

Seated leg curls are considered more effective for muscle growth because they challenge the hamstrings in a more lengthened position, allowing for more stretch and load on the hamstrings compared to lying leg curls.

How can toe position during the leg press toe press affect the emphasis on different calf muscles?

Pointing toes out emphasizes the medial or inside part of the calves, pointing toes in emphasizes the lateral or outside part of the calves, and pointing toes straight ahead grows both the inside and the outside evenly.

What is the recommended approach to progressively overload the abs during the decline plate crunch exercise?

The recommended approach is to hold a plate to the chest and focus on squeezing the abs together, allowing the lower back to round. Over time, one should aim to add either some weight or a rep from session to session to ensure progressive overload.

Where can the full 12-week 'ultimate push-pull legs hypertrophy system' be found?

The full 12-week 'ultimate push-pull legs hypertrophy system' can be found on jeffnipper.com, where it comes with an ebook, Excel spreadsheet, exercise demos, coaching cues, and is available in four, five, and six-day per week versions.