Make sure to warm up properly before the workout. Try dynamic stretches coupled with explosive movements to prepare your leg muscles.
Keep your rest to about a minute between sets to increase the intensity, but be prepared to go a little lighter than normal.
The benefit of training legs hard is twofold: You’ll build a powerful base of strength and create an anabolic response you can’t get from training your upper body alone. When it comes to legs, though, most guys slog through it and take their medicine—squats— without much thought given to variety in either the main lift or the accessory moves.
To really get those huge, sweeping quads and big teardrops that you’re after you need to mix up your routine. Do the workout below 1–2 times per week.
You’ve seen these moves before, but they are tried-and-true muscle builders that remain popular in the bodybuilding world for one reason—they work. Leg extensions are a great starting exercise as they pre-exhaust the legs before the serious work ahead— leg presses, split squats, and stepups. Time to toss the skinny jeans for good.
Hold the contraction at the top of the lift for a second. Try pointing your toes in different directions on each set to hit your quads from different angles.
Exercise 2 of 4
Leg Press
Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
12
Rest
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Not allowing your knees to lock will keep tension on your quads the whole time. Lower the weight slowly, taking about two full seconds.
Exercise 3 of 4
Narrow Stance Split Squat
Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
10 (per leg)
Rest
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Keep your feet in line with each other. Balancing will be more difficult, but your legs will benefit from the added challenge. Stand tall with your chest up to keep all your weight on the front foot, hitting the lead leg harder.
