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Pre-Exhaust Leg Workout For Killer Quads!

Struggling To Build Your Legs? Try This Pre-Exhaust Leg Workout!

When it comes to hitting a muscle group, be it chest, back , legsor shoulders it's the same old "hit your heavy compound movements first then finish off with some higher repetition isolation exercises."

Ask any personal trainer or read an article in a fitness magazine about leg workouts and that's exactly what you'll find.

Start with a few low rep sets of your heavy barbell squat then move onto a leg press and finish off with high repetition leg extensions and leg curls.

That only works until it doesn't work.

Hit a plateau?

Want to experiment with an old school training technique?

Perhaps you just want to shake up your workout regime a little bit?

Run out of weight to add your barbell on heavy squats? (this is why I started doing this pre-exhaust leg workout!)

Here's How Pre-Exhaust Training Works...

To pre-exhaust our quads we will begin hitting an exercise or two that entirely isolates the quads, this means our heavy back squats are out of the question until our quads are fatigued.

Therefore we'll be starting off with the leg extension machine and high repetition barbell front squats.

Once we've smashed a 4 - 6 sets of quad-based isolation exercises for our legs we'll move on to the heavy lifting as per normal.
You'll find you're able to lift nowhere near as much weight on your back squat and leg press, however the contraction and pump you'll find from squatting with pre-fatigued quads cannot be matched!

See also
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Here's a Recap of the Leg Extension... (Exhaustion Exercise #1)

  • Assume position on a leg extension machine with your legs placed under the pad, feet forward and hands on the side bars.
  • Using only your quads proceed to extend your legs in front of your as you push against the pad, your torso should not move at all (hold yourself in place with the side bars).
  • Hold the extended position for 1 second (legs extended forward in front of you).
  • Slowly allow your legs to lower back down to the starting position.
  • Continue for the desired number of repetitions.

Leg Extension Variations

Unilateral Leg Extensions

Perform all of your repetitions with one leg before switching over and hooking your opposite leg under the pad and performing the desired number of repetitions.

Unilateral training is particularly popular for ensuring and resolving muscular inbalances.
When performing the traditional double leg leg extension may guys tend to lean and push further with one side in order to compensate for the weaker quad.

Common Leg Extension Mistakes

Failing To Hold The Contraction

Ensure at the top of each repetition you're pausing for the count of one while you squeeze your quads.
Performing the leg extension with excessive speed and no contraction is a waste of time as you're barely placing any tension on the muscle.

See also
Pre-Exhaust Chest Workout That'll Blow Your Chest Up!

Give My Pre-Exhaust Leg Workout A Try!

Leg Extensions - 3 sets - 12 to 15 reps per set.

Front Squats - 3 sets - 12 to 15 reps per set.

Heavy Barbell Back Squats - 4 sets - 6 reps per set.

Leg Press - 4 sets - 6 to 8 reps per set.

What's Your Take On Pre-Exhaust Training? Let Me Know Below!

Scott J.
Scott J.https://ignorelimits.com
I’m SJ. I’m a fitness enthusiast and published author. I transformed my body from a skinny fat 135lbs with 18% body fat to a solid 192lbs at 8% body fat. I became qualified in a field I was passionate about. I founded several online businesses that allow me to pursue ideas and projects in my life that I am passionate about without having to constantly worry about money. I published several eBooks explaining the training and dieting techniques I used to achieve the body I have today. I learnt a plethora of new information on dieting and fitness by reading and applying what I read, to find out what does work and what doesn’t work, because as I’m sure you’ve noticed the health and fitness industry is full of non-sense claims and BS. I found out what was true and what worked for me and applied that knowledge. And you bet I had fun during the whole process.

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