Bodybuilding fans always enjoy watching top stars of the sport train together, and that was what they got recently thanks to two-time 212 Olympia champion Keone Pearson and 2024 Prague Pro winner Martin Fitzwater.
Both bodybuilders recently trained hamstrings together at Gold’s Gym Venice in Venice Beach, CA:
Fitzwater and Pearson’s Hamstring Training
- Standing Hamstring Curls
- Adductor Machine
- Lying Leg Curl
- Seated Leg Curl
- Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
- Single Leg Press
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Standing Leg Curls
Both bodybuilders started with standing unilateral hamstring curls. They worked to a top weight of 100 pounds for each leg for two sets. Those sets included forced reps and partials, which maximize workload and promote hypertrophy when training on a limited schedule. (1)
Adductors & Lying Leg Curls
Many fitness enthusiasts neglect adductors, but Fitzwater and Pearson performed two sets each before on an adductor machine.
The duo took turns performing bilateral leg curl for three sets, assisting each other to surpass failure.
Seated Leg Curl
Research has shown that seated leg curls are superior to the prone variations for hypertrophy. (2) Fitzwater and Pearson traded work and rest for three sets in the 10-15 rep range. The final set featured a lighter weight to increase volume.
Romanian Deadlift
Before their fifth exercise, Fitzwater and Pearson discussed footwear for training. Fitzwater prefers training without shoes.
“Back and chest, I still wear shoes, but leg days, hardly at all,” Fitzwater shared. Pearson agrees with the preference. However, research supports wearing shoes to increase the workload on the targeted muscles. (3) Though training without shoes may help support a stronger mind-muscle connection.
They used a Pit Shark station with a lat pulldown cable attachment to perform RDLs.
Single Leg Press
The final movement was a unilateral leg press. Each bodybuilder kept their foot position low on the platform, lowering as far as they could to achieve the deepest possible stretch. They closed their session after completing three sets.
Fitzwater and Pearson are qualified for the 2025 Olympia, which will be held Oct. 9-12 at Resorts World in Las Vegas, NV. Pearson confirmed he will attempt his second defense of the 212 Olympia crown.
Fitzwater will attempt to improve upon his fourth-place finish in the 2024 Mr. Olympia contest. He will compete at the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro on May 10, 2025.
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References
- Sødal, L. K., Kristiansen, E., Larsen, S., & van den Tillaar, R. (2023). Effects of Drop Sets on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports medicine – open, 9(1), 66. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00620-5
- Maeo, S., Huang, M., Wu, Y., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2021). Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(4), 825–837. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002523
- Valenzuela, K. A., Walters, K. A., Avila, E. L., Camacho, A. S., Alvarado, F., & Bennett, H. J. (2021). Footwear Affects Conventional and Sumo Deadlift Performance. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 9(2), 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020027
Featured Image: @martfitzh2o on Instagram
