If you go to the gym during the morning and evening rush, you’re probably going to notice that every bench is taken by people focusing on their chest. The squat racks are usually occupied by gym rats doing rows and curls. Then there’s the rare few: the people who are busy working on their legs.

They may not be the aesthetically pleasing muscles that everyone notices right away but legs are far more functional and important. Besides, no one has ever said the following words: 

“I love how big his chest is and how small his legs are.”

If you have been slacking on leg day, six-time Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates has the answer. Let’s take a look at the leg workout Dorian used to bring home the Sandow.

Exercises

The exercises are pretty straight forward. In fact, these are a few of the classics of the sport of bodybuilding. Each workout, you’ll use the following:

• Leg Extensions
• Leg Press
• Hack Squat
• Seated Leg Curl
• Stiff Legged Deadlift
• Calf Press
• Calf Raise

Sets & Repetitions

Expecting hundreds of sets to get the same legs as Dorian? Think again. Each exercise will follow the same set and repetition range:

• 2 warm-up sets of 12 to 20 repetitions
• 1 working set of 12 to 15 repetitions
• 1 working set of 6 to 8 repetitions

Doesn’t seem like much? The key is twofold: 1. Make sure you are increasing your weight when you lower your repetitions and 2. You need to go all out with your intensity.

Intensity

Sure, the exercises aren’t anything crazy or controversial but they work.

The set to rep range may seem too simplistic.

The key to sick results? Intensity.

Intensity means focusing on the muscle and putting everything you have into each and every repetition. The set range is so low because as Dorian says, if you do it right, you don’t need any more than what he has suggested.

Get your mind inside the muscle, feel it moving and fighting to move the weight. You need to be doing this with intense focus for each and every repetition.

Rest Break

Dorian suggests resting as long as you need to but no more than that. You shouldn’t be jumping back into the next set after only 15 or 20 seconds but you also don’t want to wait too long. Depending on how you’re feeling, a rest break will probably be around 60 seconds.

The Complete Workout

Leg Extensions

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 warm-up set
• 1 working set (12 to 15 repetitions)
• 1 working set (6 to 8 repetitions)

Leg Press

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 warm-up set
• 1 working set (12 to 15 repetitions)
• 1 working set (6 to 8 repetitions)

Hack Squat

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 warm-up set
• 1 working set (12 to 15 repetitions)
• 1 working set (6 to 8 repetitions)

Seated Leg Curl

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 warm-up set
• 1 working set (12 to 15 repetitions)
• 1 working set (6 to 8 repetitions)

Stiff Legged Deadlift

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 warm-up set
• 1 working set (12 to 15 repetitions)
• 1 working set (6 to 8 repetitions)

Calf Press

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 warm-up set
• 1 working set (12 to 15 repetitions)
• 1 working set (6 to 8 repetitions)

Calf Raise

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 warm-up set
• 1 working set (12 to 15 repetitions)
• 1 working set (6 to 8 repetitions)

Tell Us What You Think!

Have you tried the Yates leg workout before?

What results did you achieve?

Let us know in the comments below!

Ferriss, Tim. "Dorian Yates on High Intensity Training, Injury Prevention, and Building Maximum Muscle." The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss. Tim Ferriss, 22 Apr. 2017. Web. 08 May 2017. <http://tim.blog/2017/04/22/dorian-yates/>.

"Dorian Yates - Blood And Guts, Legs." Bodybuilding.com. Bodybuilding.com, 08 Dec. 2016. Web. 08 May 2017.