Leg Day with EC Athlete Cody

Leg Day with Cody

Warm-Up:  Stair Climber

• Skip every other step.
• No holding on or leaning on the machine.
• Try to sync your breathing with your steps.

Jump Squats

• 30-45 seconds of explosive jump squats

Walking Lunges

• 20-25 lunges of distance per leg

Back Squat

1. With the weight on your shoulders, step back from the supports.
2. Your feet should be slightly wider than hip-width apart.
3.  Your toes should be slightly pointing outward.
4. Flex your stomach, squeeze your glutes, and inhale deeply into your stomach.
5. Move your butt back, squat down slowly.
6. Continue to drop until the tops of your legs are parallel or lower (the crease of your hip is below your waist).
7. Explode back up to the starting position.
8. After your set is complete, walk carefully forward to return the weight to the rack, and lower it down safely onto the supports.
9. Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Between Legs Barbell Lunge

1. To begin, first set the bar on the floor in the area you will be exercising. Load your desired weight onto the barbell.
2. Straddle the barbell by stepping over it with one foot, placing it between your legs.
3. Keeping this position, bend down and firmly grasp the bar.
4. Once you have firmly grasped the bar, push up through your legs, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint.
5. Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
6. Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with your other leg forward.

Partial Stiff Leg Dead-lift

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, firmly grasping the weighted barbell (or dumbbells) you are going to use by each foot.
2. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body.
3. Grab each weight with your arms straight.
4. Push your butt way back and keep your back flat. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor.
5. Keeping your core tight, push through your heels to stand up straight. Keep the weights close to your shins as you pull.
6. Pause at the top and squeeze your butt, then slowly lower the weight along your shins.
7. Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Leg Press (Single Leg)

1. 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. (Note:For the purposes of these directions we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any stance you prefer. Such as single leg, narrow stance, sumo, etc.)
2. 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. Tip:Make sure that you do not lock your knees. Your torso and the legs should make a perfect 90-degree angle. This will be your starting position.
3. As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle.
4. Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and ensure to lock the safety pins properly once you are done.

Single Leg Hamstring Curls 

1. Keeping the torso flat on the bench, ensure your legs are fully stretched and grab the side handles of the machine. Position your toes straight (or you can also use any of the other two stances described on the foot positioning section). This will be your starting position.
2. As you exhale, curl your legs up as far as possible without lifting the upper legs from the pad. Once you hit the fully contracted position, hold it for a second.
3. As you inhale, bring the legs back to the initial position.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: It is also possible to just use one leg at a time for better isolation.

Calf Raises

1. Adjust the padded lever of the calf raise machine to fit your height.
2. Place your shoulders under the pads provided and position your toes facing forward (or using any of the two other positions described at the beginning of the chapter). 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. Toes should be facing forward, outwards or inwards as described at the beginning of the chapter. This will be your starting position.
3. Raise your heels as you breathe out by extending your ankles as high as possible and flexing your calf. Ensure that the knee is kept stationary at all times. There should be no bending at any time. Hold the contracted position by a second before you start to go back down.
4. Go back slowly to the starting position as you breathe in by lowering your heels as you bend the ankles until calves are stretched.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: There are several other ways to perform a standing calf raise. A barbell instead of a machine can be used instead as well as dumbbells, one leg or two legs at a time. A smith machine can be used for calf raises as well.