Bodybuilding star Phil Heath is still pushing the pace inside the gym even though he has no competition lined up. In a recent YouTube video shared on September 25, 2024, ‘The Gift’ walked fans through his latest time under tension leg day training session, offering key tips along the way to maximize results.
Boasting cartoonish 3D muscle density and bursting fullness, Heath dominated the Men’s Open landscape for nearly a decade. He reigned supreme in the category for seven consecutive years (2011-2017), laying waste to high-caliber foes on stage, which included his heated rivalry with Kai Greene.
Heath last competed at the 2020 Mr. Olympia contest, where he finished in third place, behind Brandon Curry, and former two-time titleholder Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. You wouldn’t be able to tell that Heath has been out of action since given the Pro-level physique he sports year-round.
Bodybuilder Phil Heath Destroys Leg Workout, Offers ‘Key Tips’ For Maximum Results
Find his exercise selections below:
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- Leg press machine
- Pendulum squat machine
- Leg extension machine
- Lying hamstring curl machine
- Seated calf raise machine
Leg press machine
After setting up properly, Heath shared a key tip about warm-ups; he believes you should find a weight that can be performed for 20-30 repetitions so you start the workout by contracting the muscle to ‘the fullest of its potential.’
“I just actually did a warm-up set just to make sure that I have the seat where I want it. All the different position points are in place. Of course, making sure I choose a weight that I can really warm up with.
One key tip about warm-up: like I mentioned with the seat, foot placement, and all that stuff, this is actually where you choose a weight, after you figure that out, that you can do for at least 20-30 repetitions. What we’re doing is trying to figure out one major thing, how the muscle can contract to the fullest of its potential.”
Pendulum squat machine
Exercise variation is critical to Heath, so he believes in testing out new equipment anytime he’s at the gym, just as long as he’s not holding up people waiting on the machine.
“They say variety is the spice of life. You can change your foot position. I like it a little bit lower but who knows. I haven’t used this in a while or at least I’ve never used this here at this gym and I can get a little bit more comfortable with it. That’s what this is about.”
“When you actually have the opportunity to test equipment, do so. Any time you’re really in the gym you have that, especially when there’s no one waiting say hey, how many sets do you have? If anything, just tell them hey I’m just trying to warm up so I don’t break my shit,” shares Heath.
Leg extension machine
Heath credited the leg extension machine as an excellent pre-exhaust exercise that will help you maximize progress during squatting or pressing movements.
“The leg extension. Now, theoretically, a lot of people will get on the bicycle maybe spin for five or ten minutes warm their body up, and then go right into leg extensions.
I’ve done that throughout my career. It definitely helped pre-exhaust the tissue, helping me with squats, presses, etc., but what I did today was completely different.”
In addition to urging lifters to focus on time under tension, Heath says to monitor the exercise carefully to ensure pain-free sets.
“Focus on the time under tension. Making sure I’m not feeling any pain. I’ve had torn MCLs, I’ve had stem cells on it I’ve done all that and it still hurts sometimes. I’m trying to make sure of how I’m feeling.”
Hamstring curl machine
His next Pro tip was to never kick up the weight when its heavy on the hamstring curl machine. If this does happen, he says it’s advisable to lower the weight.
“Maneuver and make sure that my heels are on that pad correctly, that’s really all that matters,” shares Heath. “The biggest thing about these types of machines, lying leg curls, you don’t want to ever kick when it gets heavy. I know a lot of people are trying to get those last reps in and it is fucking heavy man but you can’t kick.
You want it to be as smooth as possible on the way up and on the way down, if you can’t do it just lower the weight. It’s all good.”
Seated calf raise machine
Heath finished off the workout with the seated calf machine. Throughout his bodybuilding tenure, Heath trained his calves every other day with varying set/rep ranges.
“Last but not least, we got to do some calves. Can’t end a leg workout without doing calves. I preferably like to do calves at least twice a week. When I’m in competition when I was competing, I was doing them every other day to be quite honest.
But that doesn’t mean I was choosing three or four different exercises, I was only doing one machine, one exercise per workout. That could mean five crazy sets to failure. That could mean 10 and 10, 10 sets of 10 reps. Sometimes I’ve done 10 and 20, I do feel that the calf can endure a lot of pain a lot of punishment.”
Phil Heath’s leg training has paid dividends even in retirement at 44 years old. He recently dropped jaws within the bodybuilding community after sharing a physique update with feathered quads, proving that his exercise selections deliver not just results but longevity.
Heath made a career out of trying new exercises and warming up properly. The next time you’re attacking leg day, replicate his workout or implement some of his tips to boost your progress.
Watch the full video from Phil Heath’s YouTube channel below:
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