On March 1-3, 2024, the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH, will host the 2024 Arnold Classic as part of the Arnold Sports Festival. Winning the Arnold Classic is a gigantic momentum-builder for the 2024 Olympia in October. The Classic Physique will award its champion $30,000 in prize money and the coveted Arnold Trophy.
Two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Breon Ansley has his sights set on reascending the Classic Physique throne, starting with a second career Arnold Classic victory (he won his first in 2018). On Jan 25, 2024, he published his quad training with former Mr. Universe Mike O’Hearn during Ansley’s 2024 Arnold Classic prep. Check it out below:
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O’Hearn and Ansley’s Quad-Focused Leg Workout
- Leg Extension — Three Sets
- Machine Incline Hack Squat — Three Sets
- Unilateral Machine Single-Leg Press — Three Sets
- Leg Extension — One Set
- Machine Glute Bridge — Two Sets
Ansley appeared to train in the 10-12 rep range. He lifted heavy and took each set to, or close to, failure.
Ansley is acutely aware of his body and its areas in need of improvement. The training session with O’Hearn at Gold’s Gym in Venice, CA, was primarily focused on further developing Ansley’s quad sweep.
The quad sweep is seen where the muscles bulge under the hips, then widen as they run down the upper leg and narrow as they reach the knee.
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Machine Leg Extensions
Ansley emphasized pressing movements to develop his quads, hamstrings, and glutes. He warmed up on the leg extension machine.
I can’t think of one single exercise that burns more than extensions.
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Machine Incline Hack Squat
Ansley positioned his feet close together toward the lower half of the platform to bias his outer quad (vastus lateralis). O’Hearn noted that the angle at which Ansley squatted fine-tunes specific muscle groups rather than loads for building strength.
Ansley handled each rep slowly, sustaining extended time under tension. O’Hearn was impressed by Ansley’s control, especially during the eccentrics.
Unilateral Machine (Single) Leg Press
Single-leg presses bias the quads when the foot is positioned lower on the platform. Alternatively, a higher foot placement biases the glutes. This is due to the increase in knee flexion when the foot is lower, lengthening the quad at the bottom of each rep.
Training unilaterally, Ansley can correct strength and size imbalances. Earlier in his 2024 Arnold Classic prep, Ansley revealed that his right leg is smaller than his left and judges’ feedback reflects a need to balance them.
Machine Glute Bridge
After another set of leg extensions, Ansley finished the workout with machine glute bridges. By not resting in the bottom position of each rep, similar knee flexion to the leg press can be achieved to load the quads.
With only four months of training since 2023 Olympia, it’s unclear how well Ansley will have been able to correct the size imbalance in his legs. However, if successful in correcting the judges feedback, perhaps a second Arnold Classic title is at his finger tips.
Featured image: @mikeohearn on Instagram
