Mike O’Hearn describes his training methods as “old-school, Bill Pearl-style,” referring to the iconic bodybuilder from the ’50s who wrote a great book on training techniques. The approach is simple, but not easy.
“I stick with the basics,” says O’Hearn. “I go heavy. Always. I may have a rep range from one to 30, but I always go as heavy as I can.”
Despite this devotion to lifting as heavy as possible (he regularly squats and deadlifts 650 lbs, for instance), O’Hearn has rarely dealt with injury. He credits this to lifting heavy from a young age.
“Heavy weights strengthen you from the inside out,” he says. “I’ve developed stronger tendons, connective tissue, and bone density.”
O’Hearn says: “Use all forms of the squat— low bar, high bar, narrow stance, and wide stance—at various times to hit all areas of your legs.”
Exercise 3 of 5
Leg Press
Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
8-15
Rest
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O’Hearn says: “Heavy leg presses can lead to pain in your knees. To combat this, lower the weight until your lower legs are at 90 degrees, then press back up.”
Exercise 4 of 5
Hack Squat
Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
10
Rest
--
O’Hearn says: “Place your feet farther apart or closer together and lower or higher to target different parts of your quads—outside, inside, and the teardrop.”
Exercise 5 of 5
Lying Leg Curl
Equipment
Sets
5
Reps
8-12
Rest
--
O’Hearn says: “Make sure your hips don’t come off of the pad during the movement, as this takes the tension off of the hamstrings.”
