Final up to date on December thirtieth, 2024
“It feels unreal; since I used to be 11 years previous, I dreamt of being on that Olympia stage, and now I’m actually shut.” The 2024 Classic Physique Olympia runner-up Mike Sommerfeld opened up lately throughout a leg exercise with four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler.
Sommerfeld tapped Cutler’s wealth of insights and revealed his secret weapon: alternating high-intensity, upper-lower physique exercises.
“I gained a silly quantity of muscle,” Sommerfeld confessed. Although he struggles to steadiness positive aspects and restoration. “[Don’t] focus a lot on [lifting heavy],” Cutler suggested. “Coaching must be cycled.”
[Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger Calls This Bodybuilding Exercise an “Absolute Must-Do”]
Cutler & Sommerfeld’s Leg Exercise
The workouts have been carried out within the following sequence for 3 units of 12 repetitions.
In the course of the session, Sommerfeld stated he switched from Open to Basic attributable to a genetic illness that impacts his liver. “I’m the healthiest ever in the meanwhile,” he proudly acknowledged. I simply want the main points.”
Cutler instructed Sommerfeld to maintain refining his greatness since “The man [Chris Bumstead] you needed to knock out is gone.” Regardless of the reigning Basic Physique champ retiring, Sommerfeld isn’t decreasing his guard. A win on the 2025 Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH, in early March would increase confidence.
Prioritizing Hamstrings
The duo prefers beginning leg day with hamstrings. Cutler begins each exercise with seated leg curls — his hack for citing weak hamstrings. Likewise, Sommerfeld shared his technique, “The second my brain connects, and I really feel contraction, I [stop and increase the weight],” he shared.
Cutler established 12 reps as what “appears to be [most effective].”
[Related: Why Bodybuilders Recommend Doing Leg Curls Before Squats]
Managed vs. Explosive Reps
Cutler and Sommerfeld debated rep tempo. Sommerfeld trains slower to stop accidents; Cutler prefers sooner rep speeds. One isn’t essentially higher, although a sooner raise and slower eccentrics are proven to optimize muscle development. (1)
Cutler focuses on a particular vary of movement throughout leg curls. “I don’t lengthen the [hamstrings] completely; I hold the strain, lock in, pause, and reset.” He doesn’t rely reps however nearly at all times subconsciously hits 10-12.
“Keep in mind, the weights don’t matter; it’s all concerning the really feel,” Cutler reminded.
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Reference
- Wilk M, Zajac A, Tufano JJ. The Affect of Motion Tempo Throughout Resistance Coaching on Muscular Energy and Hypertrophy Responses: A Evaluation. Sports activities Med. 2021 Aug;51(8):1629-1650. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01465-2. Epub 2021 Could 27. PMID: 34043184; PMCID: PMC8310485.
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