Name: Playbook - Michael Smith - LEGS x CALVES
Uploaded: 2023-01-07T18:23:10.425Z
Duration: 90 min
Description: LEGS x CALVES

Kasen Obedoza

Kevin

This workout will begin with isolation exercises that target the quads [specifically the outer head or vastus lateralis] and hamstrings followed by heavy compound movements.

For the compound movements it’s important to allow your target muscles to recover between sets which is why the rest times here are between 2 - 3 minutes. For isolation movements, less rest time at 1 - 2 minutes is used between sets to help promote additional muscle hypertrophy.

perform 5 minutes of steady state cardio
[ incline treadmill or bike ]

Warm-Up

Perform one set of each exercise back to back followed by the suggested rest time.

- Sit in a seated hamstring curl machine adjusted to fit
- Curl your legs activating your hamstrings
- Release and repeat

Seated Leg Curl

- Adjust the pad so that it falls on top of your lower leg (just above your feet) Also, make sure that your legs form a 90-degree angle between the lower and upper leg
- Using your quadriceps, extend your legs to the maximum as you exhale
- Ensure that the rest of the body remains stationary on the seat
- Pause a second on the contracted position
- Slowly lower the weight back to the original position as you inhale, ensuring that you do not go past the 90-degree angle limit

Leg Extension

[superset] Leg Extension x Leg Curl

- Start with a shoulder width stance
- Keep your back on the pad as you lower down
- Reach parallel and push through your heels extending your legs to come up

Hack Squat

- Slowly lower the bar with a slight bend in your knees, hinging at the hips and keeping your back straight
- Lower weight until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings
- Drive your hips forward and use your hamstrings to power back to standing

Barbell RDL

- Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance
- Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you (Make sure that you do not lock your knees)
- Your torso and the legs should make a perfect 90-degree angle
- As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle
- Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and ensure to lock the safety pins properly once you are done

Leg Press

- Begin standing with your feet about hip-width apart and holding dumbbells in your hands down by your sides
- Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips
- Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground (Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should be in line with your front foot) 
- Do not allow your front knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint
- Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up
- Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg

Walking Dumbbell Lunges

- Adjust the padded lever of the calf raise machine to fit your height
- Place your shoulders under the pads provided and position your toes facing forward 
- The balls of your feet should be secured on top of the calf block with the heels extending off it
- Push the lever up by extending your hips and knees until your torso is standing erect
- The knees should be kept with a slight bend; never locked
- Raise your heels as you breathe out by extending your ankles as high as possible and flexing your calf
- Hold the contracted position by a second before you start to go back down
- Go back slowly to the starting position as you breathe in by lowering your heels as you bend the ankles until calves are stretched
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions

Standing Calf Raise

LEGS x CALVES

Jake

Nick

Aye man lol this was killer, not gone lie I quit half way through but in 2 months I will be able to finish the whole circuit. That’s the goal

Dominic

CHEST x SHOULDERS

Syed

Makeer

BACK x REAR DELT

Sebastian

Hello Michael I have been feeling pain for last couple of weeks on my left hamstring, while i was preforming lying hamstring curls i felt a popping or kicking sound, i tried to do lower weights to prevent it form pain and let it recover, but it only hurts when i do these specific exercise.

LEGS x CALVES

Community

More workouts from Michael Smith