Sometimes, our fans can teach us a thing or two, which is why Muscle & Fitness will be showcasing a Bad-Ass Workout of the Week, submitted by one of our highly knowledgeable readers. Then our training experts will explain why they’re so bad-ass, how how to make them badder; and what training style they work for.
This week, Dan Trink, Director of Training at Peak Performance in NYC, tips his cap to this routine from our Facebook fan Lynette. Let us know what you think, and show off your own workout at badassworkout@muscleandfitness.com. If we think it’s worthy, we’ll post it on the Muscle & Fitness website.
THIS WEEK’S OFFICIAL BAD-ASS WORKOUT – THE GLUTE, QUAD CRUSHER
1. Leg Extensions: 2 warm up sets – 15 reps; 4 x 12-15 working sets
2. Seated Leg Press: 1 warm up – 15 reps; 4 x 15 working sets
3. Super Set: 3 sets
Hack Squat 12 reps (increasing weight each set)
Walking Lunges (14/12/last set 30 reps just body weight)
4. Superset: 3 sets
Sideways One Leg Press: 15 reps per leg Single Leg Press: 12 reps (foot high on platform to hit glutes)
5. Leg Press 3 x 15
6. Superset:
Glute Cable Kickbacks 3 x 12 Sumo Squats with heavy dumbbell 3 x 10 reps per side
7. Superset:
Smith Squats 3 x 12 Box Jumps (well jumps on a bench) 3 x 10
8. FST-7 Burnout for Quads: Leg Extensions (again) 7 sets x 12- 15 reps (30 sec. rest between sets)
See what our expert had to say about this workout
WHY WE CHOSE THIS WORKOUT
First off, Lynette, unless I’m getting completely fooled by your name, you are a female reading Muscle & Fitness. You earn 3 “Bad-Ass Points” just for that. Plus you submitted a Glute and Quad workout and we all know that lower body work does not get the attention it deserves in most gyms. Two more Bad-Ass Points for you. You’ve got a lot of the classic isolation movements covered such as Leg Extension and Leg Press, which certainly target the muscles you are looking to work. And with the combination of high reps and tons of sets I’m not surprised you were sore for 5 days. Finally, you’ve got something in there called the Sideways One Leg Press, which I’ve never even heard of. One additional Bad-Ass Point.
HOW TO MAKE IT BADDER
While you have the isolation moves covered, I’d like to see more compound movements such as Barbell Squats and Deadlifts in your program. And don’t neglect the lower rep, heavier weight work. Driving up intensity that way will help you improve overall lower body strength. And while volume is great for gaining size, you may have gone a bit overboard on the number of sets and exercises. Keep things a bit more simple and find the movements that are going to deliver the most bang for your buck. Focus on quality over quantity and your booty and legs will be the envy of all the girls sweating there asses of over in the spin studio. Finally, squatting in the Smith Machine is just not a great idea for a lot of reasons. I’ll spare you the lecture and just ask that you move those squats over to the squat rack where they belong.
WHO SHOULD DO IT
If you’ve been neglecting legs for a while, love high volume, feel more comfortable training on machines and want a butt tight enough to bounce a quarter off of, this program can certainly get you some results. If you are looking to get stronger, want to be able to sit on a toilet without soreness for a week and prefer to use the Smith Machine as a coat rack instead of a squat rack, you’d probably be better off going with a simpler program that contains some barbell basics and less overall variety.
Dan Trink, CSCS, is a strength coach, personal trainer, fitness writer and nutritional consultant. He is also the Director of Training at Peak Performance in NYC. You can find out more about Dan at Trinkfitness.com or on his Facebook page.
