Legs Hypertrophy Workout - 60min Advanced
This advanced hypertrophy session utilizes a heavy-to-light approach to maximize muscle growth across the entire lower body. You will start with high-intensity barbell compounds to build mechanical tension before finishing with handle-based isolations for metabolic stress. It is designed to exhaust every muscle group from your quads to your calves using Tonal's unique digital resistance.
This session is for advanced lifters and athletes who want to increase lower body volume and break through size plateaus. It is particularly effective for those seeking aesthetic leg development and improved posterior chain power.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90-120s between heavy barbell compound sets, 60s for unilateral movements, and 30-45s during isolation finishers.
Barbell Front Squat
Quads, Glutes, Abs
Keep elbows high and parallel to the floor to maintain a vertical torso throughout the movement.
Barbell Deadlift
Glutes, Hamstrings, Abs
Engage the digital weight at the bottom and drive through your heels keeping the bar close to your shins.
Barbell RDL
Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs
Use Tonal's Eccentric Mode to slow down the lowering phase and maximize hamstring fiber recruitment.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Quads, Glutes, Obliques
Keep your front foot flat and use the handles for balance while driving vertically against the resistance.
Resisted Glute Bridge
Glutes, Abs, Hamstrings
Squeeze your glutes hard at the top of the bridge and resist the cable tension on the way down.
Goblet Curtsey Lunge
Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings
Step your back leg diagonally behind you while keeping your hips square to the Tonal display.
Resisted Calf Raise
Calves
Pause at the peak of the contraction for one second to maximize fiber recruitment with digital weight.
Iso Split Squat Pallof Press
Obliques, Abs, Shoulders
Brace your core to resist the lateral pull of the cables as you press the handles straight out.
Lateral Walk Out
Glutes, Abs, Obliques
Maintain a slight squat and keep the cables taut to keep your glute medius under constant tension.
Why this order
The workout is ordered to prioritize heavy multi-joint movements while the central nervous system is fresh to maximize load. We transition from the Straight Bar to Handles mid-workout to minimize equipment changes while moving into higher-rep isolation and unilateral work to drive sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.
Want this personalized for you?
This is a template workout. Connect your Tonal and the AI coach adjusts weights to your strength scores, swaps exercises around injuries, and progresses you week over week.
Start Free with AI CoachFrequently Asked Questions
Should I use Spotter Mode for the heavy barbell squats?
Yes, Spotter Mode is highly recommended for the Barbell Front Squat to allow you to push closer to failure with the confidence that Tonal will reduce the weight if you stall.
Why are the rep ranges so varied in this session?
Lower reps (4-6) on main lifts focus on mechanical tension and strength, while higher reps (12-15) on finishers maximize metabolic stress, both of which are critical for optimal muscle growth.
How should I choose my starting weight for the first set?
Select a weight that feels like an 8 or 9 out of 10 in difficulty for the target rep range. Tonal's digital weight will adjust automatically for subsequent sets based on your performance.
Can I use Smart Flex or Eccentric mode on these exercises?
Absolutely. Adding Eccentric mode to the Barbell RDLs or Bulgarian Split Squats is a pro-level way to increase the time under tension and further stimulate hypertrophy.