Tip: A 5-Minute Quad Workout

That Might Kill You

Do your legs need a wake-up call?
Yes, yes they do. Here's the
shortest, most growth-inducing
workout you'll ever do.
by Ellington Darden, PhD | Today

Get ready for a variation of a routine from my

book, The New Bodybuilding for Old School
Results. If you need to remind your quads what
true high-intensity training feels like, I
challenge you to apply this series.

Three exercises, each done for one set – with

all three exercises requiring no more than five
minutes. That's all it takes for your legs to
wake up and experience significant growth
stimulation.

Here's a description of the eye-opening routine:

1. Dumbbell Squat, 30-10-30

The sequence, 30-10-30, stands for:

One slow 30-second negative rep (the

lowering portion), followed immediately by...

10 full reps using a controlled but faster

pace, followed immediately by...

Another rep done with a 30-second negative

So that's 12 total reps: the first rep and the last

rep are 30-second negatives with 10 normal
reps in between. The entire set takes
approximately 90 seconds. You'll need a clock
with a second hand in plain sight to help you
count.
Note: I've trained some strong men, but they
seldom used dumbbells that weighed more
than 25-pounds each for this exercise.

To start, the dumbbells should be hanging

down by the outsides of your thighs. Keep your
upper-body muscles rigid, chest out, and torso
erect. Look closely at your clock.

Start bending your knees slightly, inch by inch.

Be halfway down at 15 seconds and all the
way down at 30 seconds. The dumbbells
should almost touch the floor. Then do 10 full
squats smoothly and go right into the final
slow negative rep. Try your best to make it last
30 seconds. Then move on to the leg press.

2. Leg Press Machine, Normal, 12 Reps

The 30-10-30 dumbbell squats have effectively
pre-exhausted your quads, so you'll need to
load about 80 percent of the resistance on this
machine that you'd normally use for 12 reps.
Smoothly perform at least 12 reps. The leg
presses should take 60 to 90 seconds. Without
resting, move to the third exercise.

3. Wall Squat with Body Weight, 60-

Second Hold
Position your feet 18 inches out from the
bottom of the wall, slide down until the tops of
your quads are parallel to the floor, place your
hands on top of your head, and hold in the
bottom squat for one solid, demanding minute.

This is a unique double pre-exhaustion series,

so you're going to feel fatigue, burn, and pain
like you've never felt before in your legs. You'll
probably need a training partner nearby to
push you with the right words... and to make
sure you don't cheat.

At the end of the 60-second hold, all you have

to do is sit down, which I promise will be easy
to do. What won't be easy is getting up. In fact,
it might take you another 60 seconds or so.
Lazy No More
That's it! Three exercises in five minutes. A
wake-up routine for your quads, which have
been sleeping way too much.

Related: Growth Explosion – The 30-

10-30 Technique
(https://www.t-
nation.com/workouts/growth-explosion-
the-30-10-30-technique)
Related: Turn Up The Volume
(https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-
turn-up-the-volume)

Ellington Darden, PhD

Dr Darden was director of research of
Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries for 20
years. He is the author of a number of
best-selling books, including The Nautilus
Book, The Nautilus Diet, A Flat Stomach
ASAP, and The New High Intensity
Training. Dr. Darden was also recognized
by the President's Council on Fitness,
Sports, and Nutrition as one of the top ten
health leaders in the United States.

Buy Dr Darden's book: New Bodybuilding

for Old-School Results

Today