Tuesday - Lower 1

Leg days are made to be brutal, let's see what's in store.

Fletcher Poole Banner

No let’s talk about Tuesday.

Here’s how I’ll structure these emails (same as yesterday you can skip this bit):

  1. The skeleton will be posted

  2. You’ll break open each type of exercise and talk about what you’re trying to find/cues/exercise ranking

  3. I’ll give a demo Lower session that I might make

  4. I’ll give a short list of other things I think you should be doing to make the most of this

Lower 2

The Skeleton

Your first Lower session is going to be made of two blocks.

For the most part these exercises will be in the 4-8 rep range with 0-1 RIR but please read the description of each type of exercise to make sure.

To learn about how to perform warmups on this please read this.

Every set no matter what will have 2-3m rest.

First Block

Muscle Target

1-2x Calf Press

Calves

2x Leg Extension

Quads

2x Leg Curl

Hamstrings

Second Block

Muscle Target

1x Squat

Quads, Adductor, Some Glute

Here’s the deal, you can move an exercise to anywhere inside its block.

If you want to focus on a muscle more than another, move it around so it comes first. I don’t care what order you do so long as it’s First Block, then Second Block.

Picking/Performing the Exercises

First Block

1-2x Calf Press

For this exercise you’re trying to pick something that makes you move the feet similar to this image.

  • You’re keeping your legs straight

  • You’re getting as deep of a stretch as possible

  • You’re bringing the feet to a neutral position, not trying to go on your tippy toes

The image assumes you’re on something like a leg press, if you are using something else just make sure the movement and cues are similar.

Pick something that lets you continue to load forever (bodyweight won’t work).

Hardest position: When you do this try and make it so that it’s hardest at the bottom of the movement.

Proximity to failure: You have the option of doing 1 or 2 sets, do whatever you feel like but take both sets here to failure.

Rep range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Leg Press > Standing Machine Calf Raise > Smith Calf Raise > BB Calf Raise > Never Do Bent Leg Calf Raise

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a long pause at the bottom (5 seconds is good).

Equipment: If you’ve got cranky knees you can use knee wraps.

2x Leg Extension

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us extend the knee similar to this image.

  • You’re holding onto the handles for support

  • You’re controlling the weight

  • Your knees are in line with the machines’ pivot

  • You’re picturing scooping your feet up

  • You’re standardising the movement on the way up but you’re not trying to lift with ego and have 100% extension

The image assumes we’re on a leg extension, if we don’t have this we’d want a movement similar like a smith sissy squat, or weighted sissy squat. We need to have fixed hips.

Hardest position: Find what’s most comfortable for you here.

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Leg Extension > Tom Platz Hack Squats > Smith Sissy Squats > Weighted Sissy Squats

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Equipment: Use straps for the handles if you want to be super overkill (or a seatbelt)

2x Leg Curls

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us bend at the knee similar to this image.

  • Your knee is lined up with the pivot on the machine

  • You’re leaning forward at the hips to lengthen the hamstrings

    • You’re also holding onto the handles and hugging the machine to get maximal stability

  • You’ve set the machine up to have a slight bend at the knee at the top of the movement to remove calf contribution

  • You’re scooping your feet towards your butt

The image assumes we’re using a seated leg curl, if we were using a free weight/other machine instead we’d just want to make sure that the leg path is similar and that force acts the same way.

Hardest position: Find what’s most comfortable for you here.

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Seated Leg Curl > Lying Leg Curl > Cable Leg Curl > DB Leg Curl > Never Do Nordics

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Second Block

1x Squat

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us move our legs similar to this image.

  • You’re focusing on bringing your heel towards your butt whilst bringing the legs back

  • You’re picking a low foot placement a tiny bit outside shoulder width on a leg press/etc in order to focus on the knee as much as possible (keep most of the foot on the machine)

    • Your feet are also turned out slightly so they’re in line with your knee throughout the movement

  • You’re allowing your knees to come towards your torso

  • You’re letting the knees come a little further away from each other on the way down

  • You’re imagining a movement similar to a leg extension on the way up

  • You’re holding onto handles to give yourself stability

The image assumes we’d be using a leg press, doing a deep movement we’d try and make it look similar and ensure that at the bottom the knee is further away from the force than the hip joint.

hip bias leg press

the hip is further (dark blue line) from force (orange line) than the knee joint (light blue line) this means the movement is hip bias

knee bias leg press

the knee is further (dark blue line) from force (orange line) than the hip joint (light blue line) this means the movement is knee bias

If you load a movement so that at it’s hardest position the knee joint is furthest from force than the hip joint, it’ll be knee bias.

Hardest position: This should be hardest at the bottom

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Pendulum Squat > Hack Squat > Leg Press > Smith Squat > Barbell Squat

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Equipment: Weightlifting shoes can help get into a more knee biased position by providing more rom at the ankle. Also, if doing free weight versions you can use a weight belt

Demo Lower 1 Session

Time to make another demo workout, here’s how your Lower 1 might look.

Again, this isn’t perfection or what you should be doing, it’s just how I’d do it, always prioritise something you love if it’s make or break, this is your plan.

First Block

Muscle Target

Exercise I‘d Pick (for me)

1-2x Calf Press

Calves

Lengthened Partial Calf Press

2x Leg Extension

Quads

Leg Extension (duh)

2x Leg Curl

Hamstrings

Seated Leg Curl

Second Block

Muscle Target

Exercise I‘d Pick (for me)

1x Squat

Quads, Adductor, Some Glute

Quad Bias Leg Press

That’s how easy it can be.

Find an exercise that fits the criteria as much as possible, sort out the order, then follow the reps/rest/warmup/sets!

Other Things You Should Bear in Mind

When it comes to picking your exercises themselves focus on ones you KNOW you’re going to love.

If you just love the journey and doing what’s best, that works too.

Listen to your body, use the cues to get the most out of the muscle, progress.

If you don’t enjoy the 4-8 rep range much, give yourself a rep range that’s below 12 (try not to go above this).

Do this workout every single Tuesday from now to the far far future.

If you reach a point where you’d like to have a different muscle priority, move around the order.

That’s all you need to worry about for this lower session, if you’ve built your upper/today’s and want me to see either let me know and send it over.

Also for anyone who did yesterday’s upper, let me know how that went too. Very interested.

You’ll notice when you perform this lower day that you’ll literally be dying on the last set, the squat pattern is insane. Give it your all.

Your Hypertrophy Hero,
Fletcher

P.S. Whilst you’re getting used to today’s/yesterday’s workout feel free to up the reps a bit and drop intensity to practice the movement. (Don’t do this for more than two weeks).

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