John Jewett is the 11th-best Men’s Open bodybuilder in the world. That’s not a knock; the 2024 Mr. Olympia was one of the most competitive “O”s in recent memory, and Jewett had a solid showing in a packed field.
- Jewett nearly cracked into the top 10 this year in his first effort as a Men’s Open Olympia competitor. He’s shown out in the 212 division at the Olympia since 2019.
That said, for bodybuilding pros like Jewett, leg training can be perilous.
Take squats — they’re easy to learn but hard to master. Jewett doesn’t endorse nixing the squat from your leg training (and neither do we). But if you haven’t been squatting much, the week after a bodybuilding competition ain’t the time to start. Here’s what Jewett has to say on effectively navigating that post-competition period.
John Jewett: The Worst Leg Training Mistake for a Pro Bodybuilder
Jewett won the Vancouver Pro in July, booking his ticket to the 2024 Olympia. He then spent the subsequent three months focusing on his contest prep diet and workouts, including his leg training.
But after the stage went dark, it was nose-to-grindstone for Jewett all over again. On Oct. 19, 2024, Jewett discussed the most insidious mistake a young bodybuilder could make after competition.
- “A complete revamp of [your] training, [adding] new lifts and high volumes, is the worst leg training mistake post-show,” Jewett said.
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Why? As Jewett tells it, the post-show period should be for “freshening up” for the offseason that follows. But there’s a caveat — it all depends on how much fatigue you generated during both peak week and the actual bodybuilding competition itself.
“The degree of scaling your training up or down depends on how much fatigue was carried into peak week,” Jewett explained. “For me, fatigue was very low … so week one of leg training was the same as I had done pre-peak.”
Bodybuilding competitions are extremely vigorous. Between weeks of sustained calorie deficits, dwindling strength, hours atop hours of mind-numbing cardio, and ritualistic posing, most bodybuilders make it to the finish line with a nearly empty gas tank.
- After competing, many bodybuilders will opt for weeks or months off to recover, wherein they gradually increase calories and pivot to rebuilding any lost muscle or strength. (1)
Jewett is on the money. The weeks following a bodybuilding competition are not the time to hurl yourself into a brand-new leg training routine full of foreign exercises or advanced training protocols like drop sets.
- “Once past this post-show phase, a volume assessment can occur and I can push up as recovery allows,” Jewett remarked.
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Here’s what Jewett’s post-Olympia leg training looks like. Spoiler alert: It’s pretty much the same stuff he did prior to stepping on stage in Las Vegas.
- Leg Extension: 3 x 12-15
- Rogers Squat: 3 x 8-12
- Leg Curl: 3 x 8-12
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: 2 x 10-14
When it comes to leg training, Jewett adheres to the KISS principle. You probably should, too. If you’re aiming for your first bodybuilding competition, remember to take it easy in the weeks that follow.
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References
- Roberts BM, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Fitschen PJ. Nutritional Recommendations for Physique Athletes. J Hum Kinet. 2020 Jan 31;71:79-108. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2019-0096. PMID: 32148575; PMCID: PMC7052702.
Featured Image: @johnjewett3 / Instagram
