Emily Wilcock
Writer and expert2 years ago
Leg day is rarely at the top of anyone's favourite workout list. But occasionally the post-workout quad pump makes it worth it. This workout from Marino Katsouris is so good you’ll be posing in the gym mirror … and then struggling to walk down the stairs.
The workout:
Leg curls
- Lie on your front on the leg curl machine
- The movable padded part of the machine should rest just above your heels
- Push your heels towards your backside
- Then slowly return to the starting position
Hack squats
- Set yourself up on the hack squat machine with your feet shoulder-width apart and the shoulder pads resting on your shoulders
- Your back should rest firmly against the back of the machine
- Bend your legs at the knees until your backside is as low as it can go
- Then drive through your heels and push the shoulder pads up until your legs are straight
Barbell lunges
- Begin with the barbell resting comfortably on your back with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Bring one leg forward until your foot is flat on the floor, you should then be resting on the ball of the other foot
- As you bend your front leg to complete the lunge, the back leg should drop until your knee touches the floor
- Straighten your legs and pull your front leg back into the starting position
Leg extensions
- Take a seat on the leg extension machine
- Your knees should sit at the end of the seat, and they should be a knuckle’s width apart from each other
- The resistance pad should rest just above your feet
- While gripping on to the handles for support, drive the resistance pad away from you until your legs are straight
- Slowly release the movement until your legs are bent at the knee in the starting position
Wide-stance dumbbell squats
- Begin with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
- Your toes should be pointed outwards
- Grab a dumbbell with both hands and hold it in the centre of your body
- Bend your legs at the knee keeping your feet firmly planted on the floor
- Continue to bend your knees until your backside is as close to the floor as possible
- Drive the weight through your heels as you return to the starting position
Deadlifts
- Set up a bar with the appropriate weight on the floor in front of you
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Hinge your hips backwards while keeping your back straight
- Then grab the bar with both hands, slightly wider than your feet
- Slightly bend your knees as your hands take the weight of the bar
- Drive through your glutes and hamstrings to bring the bar up until your legs are straight
- Keep your back straight throughout the movement
Tip: To add extra resistance, thread each end of a long resistance band around the bar. Then stand on the middle of the resistance band as you perform the movement.
Calf raises
- Stand on the edge of a platform with the balls of your feet planted firmly
- Lift your heels so all your weight is driving through the balls of your feet
- When you can’t lift your heel anymore, slowly release the movement until your foot returns to being flat
Take home message
This workout has it all: glutes, quads, hamstring, and calves. Walking may be a little bit difficult the day after, but it’s worth it. Who knows? Leg day may soon become your favourite day of the week.
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Emily Wilcock
Writer and expert
After completing an internship with Myprotein, Emily returned to university to finish her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Marketing.
With experience in lifestyle writing, Emily aims to entertain and educate through her work. Her focuses include recipes, real and inspiring stories, and working with writers to help provide easy-to-digest evidence-based research.
Her work on recipes has been previously featured in The Supplement magazine, with a particular focus on high-protein, nutritious meals, plus advice on how to properly fuel your body.
Outside of work, Emily’s top priority is food. She’s a self-professed star baker and a connoisseur of all things baked. In her spare time, she’s either cooking up a storm, our looking out for the opportunity to try out Manchester’s newest restaurants. But as a huge fan of carbs, if it’s not pasta or pasta-adjacent, she’s not interested.
If she’s not in the kitchen, she’s tucked up with a book for an early night, or you’ll find her in the gym working up a sweat. Afterall, all those carbs require quite the appetite.
