Legend holds that half a century ago, you could hitchhike to Hollywood, rent a studio apartment, and get discovered bench pressing at your local gym. Nowadays? Forget it, kid—rack up half a million YouTube subscribers and get back to me. The only people getting picked out of a crowd in L.A. these days are suckers and soon-to-be Scientologists.
Not long ago, the classic physique competitor was catching a workout at LA Fitness in Santa Monica when an exec at Fitplan approached him to contribute his image and expertise to the app, which features the fitness wisdom and workouts of athletes and fitness legends like Alex Rodriguez and Mike O’Hearn.Â
Little did the exec know, Patrick does, in fact, have half a million YouTube subscribers. “He was just going off of what I was doing in the gym,” Patrick says. The contract was practically inked before he had finished his set. “It was the L.A. dream.”
Don’t call it luck, though: If anyone has put in the sweat equity to build and market his physique, it’s Patrick, who, at 5’11” and 230 pounds, spent the past three years transforming himself from a men’s physique competitor to a rising contender in classic physique.Â
Along the way, he also produced and starred in nearly 300 YouTube videos on fitness topics from bulk dieting to back workouts. They’re more than the usual beefcake BS: Patrick’s expertise—accrued from years of training everyone from athletes and A-listers to dads and grandmothers—shines through in every frame. His posts average close to 400,000 views apiece.Â
One key point of focus for Patrick’s recent transformation: his legs. Patrick’s wheels were less of a priority in men’s physique. “In classic physique, it’s all about symmetry,” he says. “You have to focus on all the details.”Â
To that end, his leg workouts are high-volume, moderate-weight affairs, focused on bringing maximal blood into the muscles. “I trained heavy my first two or three years,” he says. “It never really worked for me. I like it more when it feels like a sport: Your heart rate’s up, you’re moving fast.”Â
Lower weights aren’t just better for physique competition, he argues—it’s a healthier approach in the long run. “I want to be able to walk in 20 years,” he says. “I’m playing for the long game.”Â
That’s exactly what you’ll do in this twice-weekly program, which is based on Patrick’s leg day for the Fitplan app. “It hurts,” he concedes. “But it works.”Â
“Most people are quad-dominant,” Patrick says. “So we start with RDLs to fix that.” You’ll also fire up your lower back and get your hips mobilized and ready for the heavier work to come. Don’t go too heavy on this move—this is a warmup. Put your mind in your muscles and get a deep stretch on each rep.
Do It: Stand tall, holding a barbell in front of your thighs. Hinge at your hips and lean forward as far as possible while maintaining the arch in your lower back. Allow your knees to bend slightly as you perform the move. When you can’t descend any farther without rounding your back, pause, reverse the move, and return to the start position.Â
4 sets x 12, 12, 10, 10 Rest: 90–120 sec.
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Per Bernal
Bulgarian Split Squat
“You have to be mentally prepared for this one,” says Patrick. “It’s one of the toughest ones.” Bulgarians require tons of focus, balance, and flexibility, particularly in your back leg, so Patrick works with a light weight—around 50% of his max on the move, as opposed to the 80% he uses on other exercises—and takes his time with each rep.Â
Do It: With a barbell on your upper back, stand in front of a box or bench. Step your left foot backward, placing the top of your left foot on the bench. Keeping your torso upright and your gaze forward, bend both knees, lowering yourself downward until your right knee is close to the floor. Reverse the move and repeat for reps.
4 sets x 12, 12, 10, 10 Rest: 60–75 sec. per legÂ
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Back Squat
“This is the only exercise where I’ll take longer between sets,” Patrick says. Sometimes, he’ll lighten the load and add one finishing set of slow negatives: “Maybe 15 reps taking four to five seconds on the way down.” Ouch.
Do It: Position a loaded barbell across your upper back and grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands wider than shoulder width. Keeping your chest up, your gaze forward, and your lower back in its natural arch, bend your knees and hips, spreading your knees to the sides and dropping your hips until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as low as possible while maintaining good form). Pause, then return to the start position.Â
4 sets x 12, 12, 10, 10 Rest: 120–150 sec.Â
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
This is the same move as the Romanian deadlift, only you’re using dumbbells and pushing the weight a little more—especially on that last set.
5 sets x 12, 12, 10, 10, 8 Rest: 90–120 sec.Â
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Superset: Leg Press + Walking lunge
On the leg press, Patrick recommends alternating between a high, wide stance, which emphasizes the glutes and hamstrings, and a narrow, lower stance, which shifts the focus to the quads. Pop up and go right into those lunges for a burn.Â
Leg Press: Lie back on the leg press machine and place your feet against the foot platform. Keeping your lower back slightly arched and your sacrum—the bony spot in the center of the back of your pelvis—firmly against the backrest, bend your legs until your knees form a 90-degree angle with your thighs. Pause briefly, return to the start position, and repeat for reps.Â
Walking lunge: With a barbell on your back, stand with your feet together and your torso upright and take a long step forward with your right foot. Keeping your torso upright and your gaze forward, slowly bend both legs until your left knee comes close to the floor. Pause and reverse the movement, stepping your left foot forward and repeating the move on your left side. Continue alternating sides until you’ve completed all the reps with both legs.
4 sets x 12, 12, 10, 20, 3/3Â Rest: 75 sec.Â
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Richard Theis / EyeEm / Getty
Superset:Leg Curl + Leg Extension
No doubt your legs will be screaming at this point, making it the perfect time to precision-bomb the hamstrings and quads with focused work on leg curls and extensions, getting a powerful peak contraction on each rep. On your fourth set of each move, blast out 10 reps, pause for a few seconds, do 5 more, pause, and repeat, dropping the weight if necessary.Â
Leg curl: Adjust the lever arm so that the pad rests against your Achilles tendons when you’re in position. Lie facedown on the machine, look forward and down, grip the handles, and fully straighten your legs. Slowly bend your knees, drawing your heels as close as possible to your butt. Pause, squeezing your hamstrings in the fully contracted position. Slowly reverse the move, lowering the weight without losing the tension in the muscles, and repeat for reps.Â
Leg extension: Adjust the lever arm so that it contacts your shin just above your foot when you’re seated. Sit in the machine with your back straight, your head in a neutral position relative to your spine, your lower back against the backrest. Place your feet under the lever arm pad and grip the handles firmly. Slowly straighten your knees. Pause, squeezing your quadriceps in the fully contracted position. Slowly reverse the move, stretching the quads as much as possible, and repeat for reps. Keep the tension on your quads throughout the set. Â
3 sets x 15, 15, 12Â 1 dropset x 10, 5, 5 Rest: 45 sec.Â
