The “Perfect” Leg Workout for Bodybuilding by Pro Trainer Joe Bennett | BarBend

Joe “Hypertrophy Coach” Bennett explains how he designs the ideal evidence-based workout for quads and hamstrings.

Last updated on May 3, 2024

Can you think of anything more valuable in your muscle building journey than training with some of the best bodybuilders on the planet? We can train with the people who train these athleteslike professional trainer Joe Bennett.

On April 30, 2024, ‘the hypertrophy coach’ took to YouTube to break down how he designs and builds an evidence-based leg workout for bodybuilding. For context, Bennett works with top competitors like two-time Arnold Classic winner Terrence Ruffin. Pull up a chair; Bennett takes you to school:

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Before you dive in, understand that Bennett’s training philosophy isn’t about elevating specific exercises to “must-have” status. Yes, there are certain moves he recommends (and we’ll explain why). But these exercises aren’t the only way to improve leg gains.

Good bodybuilding coaches build on principles and build workouts that reflect those ideals while meeting the needs of the athlete.. Bottom line, you’ll need to do some work here before you start working on your legs.

Evidence Based Bodybuilding Leg Training | Joe Bennett

We won’t bury your lede. Here’s Bennett’s bodybuilding leg workout structure, focusing primarily on the quads and hamstrings, along with the exercises he recommends:

Sets and reps: Bennett does not offer specific recommendations for programming sets and reps. That said, research indicates you can build muscle in a variety of rep ranges between 5 and 30 approximately. (1)

When it comes to training volume, doing 12 to 20 hard weekly sets in each muscle group is a good evidence-based starting point. (2) If you train your legs twice a week, that would mean providing you quadriceps and hamstrings with 6-10 sets of work each in this session.

Bennett relies primarily on machine leg exercises for hypertrophy because of their consistency and stability. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be these specific exercises in that exact order,” notes Bennett. His training design is guided by adherence to a few fundamental principles:

Principles of leg training

• Train full range of motion: Bennett acknowledges some of the emerging research on long partial reps, (3) but argues that nothing is lost by including the reduced range of a given muscle.
• It biases the extended and mid-range position: According to Bennett, most muscles are strongest in their mid-stretch range, followed by being fully stretched, which should allow for more overall mechanical tension. This aligns with most scientific research. (4)
• Avoid redundancy: Bennett recommends not performing too many similar exercises that challenge the muscle through the same pull line or resistance curve; cites an example of doing three back-to-back flat bench press variations during a chest workout.
• High stability and reinforcement: “You don’t want poor support or exercises that are too complex to take away from your ability to use progressive overload,” says Bennett. It is generally more difficult to produce force on unstable surfaces. (5)

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Here’s an exercise-by-exercise summary of Bennett’s bodybuilding leg workout movements, along with their rationale and recommended exercise substitutions:

Seated leg curl

• Bennett points this out you can start the workout with leg extensions or leg curlsbut he personally prefers to put athletes on the seated leg curl machine right off the bat because “no bodybuilder has too much hamstring muscle.”
• Bennett recommends using a seat belt if the station has one to hold your hips firmly in place and allow you to produce more force.

change it: Stiff leg deadlift, 45-degree back extension Bennett strongly suggests using the seated leg curl machine if you have access to one, calling it “definitely the best hamstring exercise.”

Hack Squat

• “We want a fully extended quad,” notes Bennett of his preference for full-depth machine squats.
• He recommends sinking as deep as possible at the bottom of the rep, but not fully extending the knees at the top. This will help bias the extended and mid-range position of the quadriceps, where they are strongest.

change it: Heel Squat Variations, Split Squat

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Lying leg curl

• Bennett rotates into the straight leg curl to tap into the mid-range and reduced hamstring position.
• “Do you need some degree of hip extension [on the lying leg curl],” notes Bennett, but don’t focus on squeezing your glutes as hard as possible to the detriment of total force output.

change it: Knee leg curl, glute-ham raise

Leg extension

• “Between [hack] in the squat and leg extension, you can train your quads through their full contractile range,” Bennett says.
• He also recommends not worrying about foot angle or position too much, saying the research on how these adjustments affect muscle activation isn’t significant enough to be practical.

Bennett did not approve any exchanges for the leg extension machine because of how it exclusively stimulates the quads. If you’re in trouble, you can do the exercise yourself if you have resistance bands and a raised seat.

leg press

• Bennett uses the leg press as a quad finisher and recommends that you incorporate some sissy squat technique by letting your heels come off the plate.
• Be sure to use a much lighter weight than you’re used to, especially if you press your legs with heavy weights on a regular basis.

Bennett holds the same belief for the “sissy leg press” as the leg extension; the move is simply difficult to replicate with other teams. If you don’t have a leg press but you do have a leg extension (or vice versa), consider doubling the number of sets you do.

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References

1. Adda, Ghoual. (2019). The effect of repetition oscillates on maximal strength and hypertrophy. International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports. 8. 149-157. 10.26524/ijpefs19415.
2. Baz-Valle E, Balsalobre-Fernndez C, Alix-Fages C, Santos-Concejero J. A Systematic Review of The Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Muscle Hypertrophy. J Hum Kinet. 2022 Feb 10;81:199-210.
3. Pedrosa, GF, Lima, FV, Schoenfeld, BJ, Lacerda, LT, Simes, MG, Pereira, MR, Diniz, RCR, & Chagas, MH (2022). Partial range of motion training results in favorable improvements in muscle adaptations when performed on long muscles. European Journal of Sports Science, 22(8), 12501260.
4. Rassier, DE, MacIntosh, BR, & Herzog, W. (1999). Length dependence of active force production in skeletal muscle. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985), 86(5), 14451457.
5. Lehman, GJ, Gilas, D., & Patel, U. (2008). An unstable support surface does not increase scapulothoracic stabilizing muscle activity during the push up and push up plus exercises. Manual therapy, 13(6), 500506.

Featured Image: Hypertrophy Coach / YouTube