Legs - Hypertrophy Focus
(Week 1, Muscle Max Split)Day Overview
This leg day emphasizes high-volume hypertrophy with a mix of compound and isolation movements to maximize muscle growth. The session begins with heavy squats to target overall quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, followed by targeted isolation exercises to focus on weak points and ensure balanced development. The exercises are ordered to progressively fatigue the muscles, with controlled tempos to increase time under tension. Advanced techniques like supersets and slow negatives are incorporated to push past plateaus and induce metabolic stress, aligning with the aggressive intensity style and progression strategy. Rest periods are kept minimal (~30-60 seconds) between sets to maintain intensity and metabolic fatigue, supporting muscle growth at an advanced level.
Exercises
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• Barbell Squats
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, positioning the barbell across your upper back and shoulders. Keep your chest up, core engaged, and back straight. Initiate the movement by hinging at the hips and bending the knees to lower your body as if sitting back into a chair. Keep your knees tracking over your toes and ensure your heels remain flat on the ground. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly below, then drive through your heels to return to the starting position. Maintain proper posture throughout, avoiding forward leaning or rounding the back. Use the Smith machine or power rack to guide the bar's movement, providing stability and safety during the squat.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 8-10 reps with an RPE of 8 on the first set, progressing to RPE 9-10 on the last. Use a controlled tempo (2-1-2) to maximize time under tension. Focus on depth and stability, pushing your limits safely to stimulate maximal hypertrophy. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
4
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• Leg Press
Sit on the leg press machine and push the platform with your legs to extend your knees.
Prescribed Sets:
Execute 4 sets of 10-12 reps at an RPE of 8-9, emphasizing a slow eccentric phase (3 seconds) and explosive concentric. Use a foot placement that targets the quads and glutes effectively. Rest 45-60 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
4
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• Romanian Deadlift
Focus on hamstring engagement by lowering the barbell with a slight knee bend while keeping the back straight.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 3 sets of 8 reps with an RPE of 8, focusing on a hip hinge movement to target hamstrings and glutes. Maintain a slow, controlled descent (3 seconds) and squeeze at the top. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
3
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• Walking Lunges
Begin by standing upright with feet hip-width apart. Step forward with your right foot, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about 90 degrees. Keep your torso upright and your front knee aligned over your ankle. Push through the heel of your front foot to stand up and bring your back foot forward into the next lunge position, stepping ahead into a new lunge. Continue alternating legs in a walking motion, maintaining proper form throughout. Keep your core engaged, shoulders back, and avoid letting your front knee go past your toes.
Prescribed Sets:
Complete 3 sets of 12 steps (6 per leg) with an RPE of 8, emphasizing balance and control. Use dumbbells for added resistance. Rest 30-45 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
3
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• seated leg curl
seated leg curl machine
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 12-15 reps at RPE 8, focusing on a slow eccentric (3 seconds) and a strong contraction at the top. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
4
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• Standing Toe Raise
Stand upright with feet hip-width apart, keeping your legs straight but not locked. Raise your heels off the ground by pushing through the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as possible while maintaining balance. Hold briefly at the top, then slowly lower your heels back to the starting position. Keep your core engaged and avoid using momentum; focus on controlled movement. To increase difficulty, perform on one foot or add resistance with a dumbbell or calf raise machine.
Prescribed Sets:
Execute 4 sets of 15-20 reps with an RPE of 8, pausing at the top for 1-2 seconds to maximize calf engagement. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
4
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• Ab Wheel Rollout
Kneel holding ab wheel, roll forward extending body, roll back contracting abs.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps at RPE 8, maintaining a tight core and controlled movement to engage the abs fully. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
3
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• Back Extension
Perform a back extension to strengthen the lower back and glutes.
Prescribed Sets:
Complete 3 sets of 12 reps with an RPE of 8, focusing on a slow eccentric and squeezing the lower back muscles at the top. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
Working Sets:
3