A Pro Bodybuilder’s Blueprint for Massive Leg Gains

If anyone in the game has legs that make heads turn, it’s Chris Bumstead. For nearly a decade, he’s dominated the Mr. Olympia stage, and while his legendary waist-to-shoulder ratio gets the headlines, those massive quads and hams aren’t hiding.

Sure, replicating his physique overnight is impossible, but following his plan is a smart place to start. In a recent newsletter, Bumstead revealed the exact workout he uses in retirement to maintain both size and strength. Surprisingly, it’s not stuffed with random, flashy moves—most of it is solid, heavy-hitting compound lifts that anyone can plug into their routine and actually grow with.

Related: Pro Bodybuilder Breaks Down the 5 Abs Exercises That Built His Six-Pack

Warmup

• Bodyweight walking lunges x 12/side
• Glute bridges x 15
• Cossack squats x 8/side
• Band pull-aparts x 20 (postural primer)

Chris Bumstead's Leg Workout

A. Back Squat

How to Do It

1. In a squat rack, grasp the bar as far apart as is comfortable and step under it.
2. Place it on your lower traps, squeeze your shoulder blades together, push your elbows up and nudge the bar out of the rack.
3. Take a step or two back and stand with your feet at shoulder width and your toes turned slightly out.
4. Take a deep breath and bend your hips back, then bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can without losing the arch in your lower back.
5. Push your knees out as you descend.
6. Drive vertically with your hips to come back up, continuing to push your knees out.
7. That's 1 rep.
8. Complete 5 sets of 6 to 8 reps.

B. Romanian Deadlift

How to Do It

1. Stand holding a barbell with your hands just wider than shoulder-width, to start. 
2. Maintaining a flat back, hinge forward at the waist, and lower the barbell, keeping it close to your shins. 
3. Return to the standing position by contracting your hamstrings and glutes. 
4. Keep the bar close to your body throughout the movement. 
5. That's 1 rep.
6. Perform 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

Related: The 5 Single-Leg Exercises Every Athlete (and Weekend Warrior) Should Master

C1. Bulgarian Split Squat

How to Do It

1. Holding a moderately heavy dumbbell in each hand, place your right foot back on a bench or step at about knee height. 
2. With your left foot out front, standing in a lunge position, bend your left knee and drop into a lunge without letting your knee go out over your left foot. 
3. Drive through your heel before standing back up. 
4. That's 1 rep.
5. Complete 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps on your left leg before switching to your right.

C2. Seated Leg Curl (Machine) 

How to Do It

• Sit on the machine and adjust the backrest so your knees line up with the pivot point.
• Place your lower legs under the padded lever just above your heels and press your thighs against the thigh pad to keep your hips stable.
• Grasp the handles for support and slowly curl your heels down toward your glutes, focusing on contracting your hamstrings.
• Pause briefly at the bottom, then slowly return to the starting position.
• That's 1 rep.
• Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

D. Walking Barbell Lunge

How to Do It

1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands holding a barbell on your upper back, to start. 
2. Step forward with your right leg, placing your foot down as if you were setting up a static lunge, flexing your knees 90 degrees, and dropping your hips. 
3. Lower your left knee toward the ground. 
4. Just before it makes contact with the floor, drive up and forward through your right leg, stepping into a lunge on your other side.
5. That's 1 rep.
6. Complete 2 sets of 20 reps total.