Leg Day with Julian "The Quad Guy" Smith

Want a balanced leg workout that gives your quads and hamstrings everything they need to grow? Look no further than Julian Smith's balanced and tactical total-leg workout!
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With a nickname like "The Quad Guy," Optimum Nutrition-sponsored athlete Julian Smith has a lot to live up to when it comes to leg workouts.
This master of slow, controlled lifts and old-school bodybuilding techniques understands that, when it comes to legs, it's all about quality over quantity—and his workout does not disappoint.
"The key is slowing things down," says Smith. "Working on keeping good form and making sure the muscles are getting everything out of each rep."
From old-school sissy squats to muscle-isolating contraction exercises, Smith has the completely balanced leg workout you can take to any gym.
| Sissy Squat |
Smith starts his leg workout with—you guessed it—quads. As he discussed in his previous article on slow negatives, Smith loves the Smith machine because it allows him to get into more intense quad- or glute-focused positions beyond what a normal barbell can do.
"Make sure you are fully warmed up before performing this movement," Smith cautions. "This is as old-school as it gets when it comes to quad training."
The Smith machine sissy squat is pure isolation for the quads. If you look at the position your legs are in at the bottom of the movement, the full stretch resembles the leg extension.
In addition to completing a good warm-up, Smith recommends strict adherence to proper form. To target your quads, keep your upper leg and torso in line as you lower your body. If you're not comfortable performing this movement on a bench, like Smith does, stand on a small box or step to start until you grow more comfortable.
Keep your hips forward throughout the movement so when you come up, you directly work your quads. Perform four sets to failure, focusing on form and technique the entire time.
| Close-Stance Barbell Squat |
The barbell squat is a classic total-leg exercise, but Smith shifts it to a quad-dominant movement by moving his feet close together and focusing on contracting the quads as he lifts the bar.
"Not a lot of people have the range of motion or the flexibility to do something like this," Smith explains, "so just make sure you have good form. Start out light before you get into the heavier sets."
If you're wondering how this guy with chiseled quad sweeps and impressive hamstrings became so flexible, you're not alone.
"A lot of people ask about my mobility training and how I became so flexible," says Smith. "Well, throughout my workout I sit in the full extension of the sissy squat, stretching my quads while I rest. It keeps me fresh for what I'm about to do and prepares my body for the exercise."
Smith's mobility certainly pays off in the close-stance barbell squat. He recommends 4 sets of 6-8 reps for this exercise, stretching for 1-2 minutes in between each set.
| Seated Quad Contraction |
It may not be a flashy exercise, but if there's one technique that sets this "Quad Guy" apart from the competition, it's his use of flexing and contracting to build and sculpt muscles.
The seated quad contraction is exactly that: sitting down and squeezing your quads as hard as you can for 10 seconds at a time. Smith points out this is not the same as locking your legs out, because that would put too much pressure on your joints.
"It's the same concept as flexing your arm, but in your quads," explains Smith.
Perform 4 sets of 4 reps, holding each rep for 10 full seconds of contraction. Do this right and your quads will burn unlike anything you've ever felt before. No wonder he's known for his legs!
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