Phil Heath, the former basketball player entered bodybuilding in 2002 and has won several noted titles to his name as of now.
Phil Heath has a massive body often compared to legends like Arnold. The 34 year old bodybuilder from US has massive 32" hams and 20" calves. This obviously is a result of the 12 year massive bodybuilding.
Phil Heath's legs are not only massive and scary but powerful and aesthetic at the same time. Today we'll take a look at some leg workouts of the legend you need to add up to your leg workout routine to achieve legs like him.
1. Leg Extension
Leg extensions work mainly on the quadriceps. You need a leg extension machine as shown in the image above. Sit with your legs under the pads and feet forward.
Now using your quads, life the legs up to the maximum while you exhale. Slowly move them down while inhaling and repeat the process.
2. Barbell Squats
This exercise can be performed on the Smith's Machine or using a barbell. For beginners, the Smith's machine is recommended.
Place the barbell on your back slightly below the neck with your hands holding at slightly wider than a shoulder grip. Keep your toes slightly pointed out and at shoulder width apart and move down while keeping your back erect. Inhale while moving back up and repeat the procedure.
3. Leg Press
Leg Press is an important exercise for calves, glutes and hamstrings. However, with incorrect position and wright, it can be extremely injurious.
You need the leg press machine for this exercise. It might be inclined or flat. Rest yourself on the machine with your legs placed on the pedal at shoulder width apart. Remove the safety bars and lower the platform while inhaling. Now push it back up while exhaling and repeat he procedure.
4. Hack Squat
Hack squats are a variant of the standard barbell squat exercise and it requires a dedicated machine. Place your back on the pad and feet on the platform using a shoulder width medium stance. Hold the side handles with your handles and slowly disengage the platform.
Slowly lower the unit by bending your knees until they form a 90 degree angle. Now move back up while exhaling to complete a rep.
5. Walking Lunges
You need a lot of long space to perform this exercise, so make sure you create one by moving away the free weights and benches if necessary. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and a barbell across your upper back.
Step forward with one leg while keeping your back erect and flex the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your knee nearly touches the ground. Raise yourself and perform the same for the other leg.
6. Lying Leg Curls
You need Leg curl machine to perform this exercise. Face down on the pad with the lever on the back of your legs slightly under the calves. Grab the handles of the machine and start curling your legs as much as possible while exhaling.
Move them back down slowly to complete a rep. Make sure to not overweight the machine as it can cause serious leg injury.
7. Standing Single-Leg Curl
Stand with your torso bent and waist facing forward on the Leg Curl machine. Position your toes straight and halds on the machine handles and curl your leg up without flipping off from the pad. Move it down and repeat for the other leg.
8. Seated Leg Curl
Sit on the leg curl machine with your back erect stood up against the support pad. Secure the lap pad against your thighs and the back of your lower legs on the pads.
Now pull your legs upward as far as possible while keeping your torso stationary and move them backwards slowly to complete a rep. This exercise differs from the leg extensions due to different feet position.
9. Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Deadlifts are by far among the best compund exercises that target your back and lower muscles. It has several variations. The one we're talking about here works primarily on the Glutes and Lower back.
Hold dumbbells in your hands and keep your arms to the side and straight. Keep your legs at shoulder width apart while slightly bent and torso straight. Bend your waist to move the dumbbells on top of your feet. Now move back up while inhaling.
10. Standing Calf Raise
This exercise can be performed with dumbbells, on Smith's Machine or on Calf Raise machine. Hold dumbbells to your side, rest the barbell on your back shoulders, or rest the pads on your shoulders while keeping the body straight.
Now raise your heels by extending your ankles as much as possible while maintaining balance and slowly move them down. Make sure to not bend the knee throughout the workout.
11. Seated Calf Raise
Seated calf raises are performed on the machine. Sit on the machine with your toes places on the lower portion of the platform and place your thighs under the pads while holding the handles with your hands.
Now lift your heels up by flexing your calves muscles as much as you can and exhale in the process. Inhale and lower your heels to the starting position.
12. Sled Machine Calf Raise
Rest yourself on the Sled Machine with your feet positioned on the platforms using a shoulder width medium stance on its lower edge. Now raise your heels by flexing your calves as much as possible and exhale.
Move your heels back while inhaling to complete a repetition. Repeat for the desired amount of reps but make sure to not overweight the machine for this exercise.
�You need to make sure you�re working with different rep ranges, angles, and exercises to find out what produces results for you,� says Phil. �A lot of guys can squat 500, 600 pounds but have relative twigs for legs�they obviously need more volume. And other guys are always doing higher reps, but should be following a periodization program, where they do a 10-8-6-4-rep program to build strength every now and again throughout the year.�
Working right is better than working hard when it comes to bodybuilding. Making sure you are following the right steps and procedures to perform an exercise is a mandatory step to ensure an un-injurious workout.
Phil Heath's recommended leg exercises are among the most beneficial of their kinds and you must think about adding them to your workout set. Let us know the results in the comments section.
