A training system for building bigger legs

The training system Benoit Brodeur talked about was so simple that at first glance it almost seems like a joke. One long set of squats, a couple of leg extensions, three leg curls — and yet it reportedly made this Hungarian wrestler’s legs so big that he had to move up a weight class.

Why did this training system stand out in the first place?

Benoit Brodeur wasn’t someone who was easy to surprise. He had been president of the Quebec bodybuilding federation for twenty years and had moved around the bodybuilding world from Tahiti to California. He had trained with names such as Vince Gironda, Mike Mentzer, Robbie Robinson, Tom Platz and Bertil Fox. Later he also stayed in touch with people like Gunter Schlierkamp and Ronnie Coleman.

That is exactly why his phone call caught Chris’s attention. Benoit said he had seen a pair of legs like none he had come across since Tom Platz. When someone who has seen the legs of real bodybuilding legends up close says that, it is worth listening.

The man wasn’t even a bodybuilder. He was an Olympic-level Hungarian wrestler visiting friends in Montreal. His concern was a rather odd one: the new leg program had made his thighs so thick that his competition weight no longer fit. Benoit measured the thigh circumference at 86.5 cm. For comparison: legs of even 70 cm are rare, and 86 cm legs are an almost unreal sight. It is about the same feeling as seeing 60 cm arms.

How was this training system structured?

The simple truth: it wasn’t about the number of exercises. The whole plan consisted of three exercises. One set of squats, two sets of leg extensions and three sets of leg curls. It sounds short, but the difficulty of this plan came from the way it was performed.

1. Barbell squat

After a general warm-up, the wrestler did two warm-up sets with 60 kg in the 6-8 rep range. The same 60 kg stayed as the working set. That was about 30% of his squat one-rep max (1RM), so it wasn’t a heavy load; the long working time was the main enemy.

By the eighth week, one working set meant 8 minutes of continuous squatting. Yes, 8 minutes. He didn’t start there. He began with 2 minutes, and the time stretched out with every workout.

Week 1: Workout 1.1: 1 x 2 minutes; Workout 1.2: 1 x 2:20
Week 2: Workout 2.1: 1 x 2:40 minutes; Workout 2.2: 1 x 3 minutes
Week 3: Workout 3.1: 1 x 3:20; Workout 3.2: 1 x 3:40
Week 4: Workout 4.1: 1 x 4 minutes; Workout 4.2: 1 x 4:20
Week 5: Workout 5.1: 1 x 4:40 minutes; Workout 5.2: 1 x 5 minutes
Week 6: Workout 6.1: 1 x 5:30; Workout 6.2: 1 x 6 minutes
Week 7: Workout 7.1: 1 x 6:30; Workout 7.2: 1 x 7 minutes
Week 8: Workout 8.1: 1 x 7:30; Workout 8.2: 1 x 8 minutes

The repetitions were controlled and smooth. The drive up from the bottom was slightly explosive, at least for as long as fatigue allowed. Training on Monday and Thursday gave the body enough of a routine to settle into: the work was hard, but not every day.

2. Leg extensions

Honestly, after a set of squats like that, even walking over to the leg extension machine sounds like a separate effort. But he did it. The leg extensions were 2 x 30: 10 repetitions with the legs turned inward, 10 repetitions with the legs straight and 10 repetitions with the legs turned outward.

Every repetition was controlled. At the top he squeezed the muscle hard and held the peak contraction for about 1 second. This wasn’t swinging the weight up with momentum, but deliberate work for the front of the thigh.

3. Lying leg curl

The last part was the lying leg curl. He did 3 sets in the 6-8 rep range. After the first repetitions came a 10-15 second pause, and then the set continued to failure. In total: 3 x 6-8, with a 10-15 second pause in between and then continue to failure.

The whole eighth-week leg workout lasted under half an hour. That is the most deceptive part of this story. A short workout doesn’t mean an easy workout.

The training system in practice: what to watch for

This program only suits someone who knows how to squat and can hold technique under fatigue. If your lower back, knees or hips start sending signals, you need to leave your ego at the door. The translator also noted that because their back didn’t allow them to carry a heavy load, this approach seemed especially interesting.

The first 2-3 minutes of squatting may even feel easy. That is normal. They are an introduction, not the final test. The serious moment comes at around the 3-minute mark. After that it becomes clear whether your mind holds up as well as your legs.

If 2 minutes feels like too much right from the start, you can begin with 1 minute or with 1:20 instead. The point isn’t to show off how much you can suffer, but to work gradually toward longer work times. Squatting for 8 minutes straight takes exceptional willpower and pain tolerance.

FAQ: a training system for your legs

Is this training system suitable for a beginner?

Not really, if you’re a complete beginner. Your squat needs to be technically solid first, and your body needs to know how to cope with the effort. You can start with a shorter time, for example 1 minute.

Why was the weight only 60 kg?

Because the goal wasn’t maximum weight, but long, controlled muscle work. 60 kg was about 30% of their one-rep max and allowed squatting for several minutes straight.

Is a workout of under half an hour enough?

It is, if the work is this dense and hard. With this plan, the result isn’t determined by the length of the workout, but by how the squat set, the 2 x 30 extensions and the 3 sets of leg curls get done.

Translator’s note: definitely very exciting. I plan to take it on myself, all the more so because my back won’t let me lift heavy weights right now!!! To others who want to try it, I recommend thinking hard first about what each person is capable of. After all, you can also start the program with 1 minute or with 1:20, etc.

“The Leg Program That Worked Too Well” Christian Thibaudeau