IFBB Professional League Men’s Open bodybuilder Regan Grimes will return to the competitive stage at the 2025 New York Pro on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Teaneck, NJ.
During his prep, Grimes devoted a training session to emulate a leg workout from seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath. Grimes replicated a leg session featured in Heath’s documentary Becoming Number 13, saying it was about more than matching sets and reps; he also wanted to try to match Heath’s form. “I’m doing exactly what he was doing,” Grimes shared.
Phil Heath’s Leg Workout
- Leg Extensions
- Barbell Squats
- Vertical Leg Press and Walking Lunges
- Calf Raise Machine
[Related: Warm-Ups, Recovery Times, and New Techniques — 5 Tips To Improve Muscle Gains]
Warming Up and Leg Extensions
Grimes began warming up on an air bike. Once he found the right training music, he began with leg extensions. Grimes performed five sets of 12 reps each.
Grimes displayed his training alongside footage of Heath performing the same exercises. Between sets, Grimes said the training was different than what he had been doing, but he saw the positive side of switching up training.
Grimes noted that he was not going as heavy as he could on each set since his goal was stimulating the muscle, not maxing out lifts. Research suggests that a combination of high load and low load resistance can build muscle well. (1)
Barbell Squats
Throughout the session, Grimes rested one to two minutes between sets. Each set was for 20 reps. He worked up to a top weight of 315 pounds. Heath did not squat to parallel as a powerlifter would, and Grimes followed Heath’s lead.
“I know it’s short range, but the tension (on the quadriceps) is there the whole time. My legs feel blown up,” Grimes admitted.
Aside from depth, Grimes kept his chest high so as not to lean forward, which kept tension on the quads.
Vertical Leg Press and Walking Lunges
The third exercise was a vertical leg press. Heath implemented this with his then-coach Hany Rambod’s FST-7 system, performing seven sets of 10 reps with minimal rest between sets. Grimes followed suit and acknowledged soreness but no knee pain.
The final exercise was walking lunges for four sets of six reps per leg (12 steps total). Grimes made one change in his session — Heath used a traditional barbell, while Grimes opted for a safety squat bar as it was more comfortable.
Grimes and Heath stopped short of the knees touching the ground to keep constant tension.
“I enjoyed it…painful at times, and a really good pump.”
—Regan Grimes
Grimes added sets of calf raises because he feels he needs to work that part of his physique.
Grimes’s 2025 debut will be at New York Pro. It will be his first time competing since the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest. He must win a pro show before Sept. 14, 2025, to qualify for the 2025 Mr. Olympia contest.
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Reference
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Peterson, M. D., Ogborn, D., Contreras, B., & Sonmez, G. T. (2015). Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 29(10), 2954–2963. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000958
Featured Image: @regangrimes on Instagram
