Legs : Advanced Routine Jay Cutler

LEGS  ADVANCED ROUTINE: JAY CUTLER THREE-TIME ARNOLD CLASSIC champ Jay Cutler is a superhuman figure in an otherworldly sport. With a quiet intensity, he has expanded the bounds of human potential. Now he helps you expand the bounds of your leg development with this hamstringfocused routine. >> “Weight is not a priority,” Jay says. “Hams don’t respond as much to heavy weight as they do to tight form.” >> Include stiff-legged and curling moves in any ham routine. “This ensures you work the hams from both the hip and knee joint.” #6 EXERCISE SETS REPS Lying DB Leg Curl* 2–3 8–12 One-Legged Machine Curl 2–3 10–12 Romanian DB Deadlift 5 8–12 * Perform 2–3 warm-up sets before performing the 2–3 working sets. LYING DUMBBELL LEG CURL START: Place a dumbbell at the foot of the bench so you can clamp it between your feet before you lower yourself down (or, if you have a partner, he or she can help you by putting the dumbbell in place when you lie down). “I lie face down on a bench with my kneecaps just over the edge,” Jay explains. “I place my hands on the floor or grasp the front legs of the bench for stability. In the start position your body should be in a straight line, with your hips down and your hamstrings almost fully extended — keep just a slight bend in your knees.” MOVE: Allow the tops of your quads to dig into the bench as you slowly bring the weight up until your lower legs are fully upright. Don’t bring the weight much beyond that or you’re going to lose tension on your hams. When you get to the fully upright position, squeeze and hold for a count of one. Then as you come back down, hold your hamstrings tight as you let the weight stretch them, fighting against gravity. Keep lowering the weight until your lower legs are just short of parallel. ROMANIAN DUMBBELL DEADLIFT START: Stand on a bench or box, and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Your shoulders should be rotated back, and your lower back should be in its natural arch. MOVE: Maintaining the arch in your lower back and holding your hamstrings taut, bend from the hips, feeling a stretch in your glutes and hams. “You want to avoid relaxing your hamstrings,” Jay cautions. “That transfers the effort to other body parts and reduces hamstring stimulation.” Lower your upper body and keep your head up as you allow the dumbbells to naturally come out to your sides. Then bring your torso back up, going through the same track of motion in reverse. _ ONE-LEGGED MACHINE CURL START: Using either a standing or supported onelegged curl machine, step into the machine with one leg under the pad. MOVE: Bring the weight up slowly, stopping at the point where you feel a maximal contraction in your hamstrings. “Some guys bring the weight up really fast and let it bounce off their butt, then catch it on the way back down. That’s terrible form, and it’s a good way to pull a hammy or throw out your lower back,” Jay cautions. At that point of maximal contraction, squeeze and hold for a count of one, then slowly lower the weight. Avoid letting the weight touch down to the stack at the bottom. Source: One of the magazines of MUSCLE & FITNESS