Two-time Figure Olympia Erin Stern continues to impart her invaluable fitness expertise with her followers. In a recent YouTube video, Stern shares the ultimate guide to obtaining strong and sexy legs.
“How do you build a great pair of legs, when I think about this I think about not only size but shape. We want to create curves because where there is curves you create interest, you draw the eye to that area.”
Erin Stern has taken the bodybuilding world by storm. Not only has she dominated the Figure division and secured two Olympia titles (2010, 2012), but Stern has also commanded the Bikini category, earning gold at the 2022 Republic Of Texas Pro. Stern takes the knowledge she has accumulated through the years and compiles it into easy-to-understand guides, sharing it with her followers on social media.
Consistently, Erin Stern provides advice on all things nutrition and fitness that range from mastering mind-muscle connection all the way to specialized workouts for targeting the ‘bra fat’ area. In a recent endeavor, Erin Stern revealed the ultimate guide to achieving strong and sculpted legs.
Erin Stern’s Ultimate Leg Workout
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- Smith Machine Sumo Squat
- Banded Stiff-Legged Deadlift
- Goblet Spanish Squat
- Double-up Single-leg Negative Leg Curl
- Calf Raise
- Banded External Rotation
Smith Machine Sumo Squat
Jumping straight in, Erin Stern demonstrates the Smith machine sumo squat to start off the leg workout.
“This exercise is going to target upper glutes, quads, and adductors. And to get into position for this you want to make sure that the bar is sitting across your traps, you’re grasping the bar with an overhand grip.”
“You want to think about squeezing your upper arms towards your rib cage with elbows pointed down. The core stays nice and tight. As you’re placing your feet, step a little bit in front of the bar. You don’t want to be directly under the bar.”
She emphasizes pushing the weight through the heels while driving back upwards using only the glutes.
“Push the weight through the heels and think about driving back upwards using just your glutes,” adds Stern.
Banded Stiff-Legged Deadlift
During the next exercise, Erin Stern shares a tip about the band which she explains provides extra tension for this movement.
“You’re going to set this band up on right about hip height. Just a little bit below. So, where the crease of the hip is, you want that band to sit just below the crease and this is going to allow you to comfortably hinge.”
“I’m going to step forward and place some tension on the band because we’re working against tension on this exercise. Using the band is not only great for getting a little extra contraction at that mid-rep point but it’s also awesome for giving you the queues that you need.”
Goblet Spanish Squat
For the goblet Spanish squat, Erin Stern makes sure to demonstrate where the band should be placed as well as how to get into the proper position to execute this exercise.
“Step into the band and place that band just under the knee. So, you want it to be resting against the top of the calf below the crease of the knee. You’re going to step out and feet are going to be shoulder-width apart, maybe a bit wider if you would like.”
“You’re going to get that dumbbell into goblet position where your butt in your hand is underneath the top part of that dumbbell,” adds Stern.
“As you sink down into the squat, you’re going to think about keeping your upper body nice and tall and really think about the resistance of the band here and as you come up out of the squat, think about pulling your knees back against the band.”
Double-up Single-leg Negative Leg Curl
Concerning double-up single-leg negative leg curls, Stern explains that this movement serves as an effective hamstring builder.
“This exercise is excellent not only for building strength in the hamstrings but also for building size. So, if you’re looking for that hamstring peak, this is a great exercise.”
“The idea here is to use weight that’s just a little bit lighter than you would normally use for your regular leg curls. You’re going to get into position and you want to try to think about pushing your hips into the pad.”
“You’re only hinging at the knee here so you’re going to think about pulling that pad up evenly with both hamstrings lowering your non-working leg and slowly lowering that working leg.”
Calf Raise
Stern continues with calf raises where she emphasizes that you shouldn’t be locking out the knees. Instead, she advises lifters to keep them straight.
“For the calf raise, a couple of things to consider here: I’m doing it with my toes pointing forward but you can also vary. You can point outward and point inward if you would like. Now, you want your legs to be straight so you want your knee to be soft but straight. So, don’t lock out the knee but also don’t keep a bend in it.”
Banded External Rotation
Finally, Stern goes into the banded external rotation movement which she reveals is great for the upper glutes.
“It is excellent for upper glute development. You’re going to need a mini band here. You’re going to place it around both feet right at about the arch. And you’ll get on to a bench, face down, at hip level, you want the edge of that bench and you’re going to keep your legs straight and separate your feet enough to where you feel that tension.”
“You’re just going to pull your heels apart and then bring them back together,” adds Stern.
This isn’t the first time that Erin Stern has shared leg workouts. Previously, Stern walked fans through three exercises that helped tighten the inner thighs. She has also provided a ‘faster-paced’ superset to work the legs and glutes.
As a knock-out two-time Figure Olympia champion, Erin Stern easily provides targeted workouts for every part of the body. Whether you are looking to put on muscle mass or simply tone and tighten, Erin Stern has a simple yet effective guide to help you along the way.
To watch Erin Sterns’s full video, click the link below:
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