Classic Physique competitor Terrence Ruffin has one of the most aesthetically pleasing physiques in the world. He showcased it via artistic posing routines to back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Olympia and two Arnold Classic victories in 2021 and 2022. Watching Ruffin effortlessly transition from pose to pose is reminiscent of bodybuilding greats Craig Monson and Ed Corney.
Ruffin’s on-stage success is largely attributable to the tight conditioning of his X-framed physique. In a YouTube video published on Oct. 30, 2022, Ruffin hit a leg workout with Wellness athlete and recent IFBB Pro Tiffany Sam. Check it out below:
Warm Up
Ruffin hit several sets of resistance band exercises before hitting the weights to properly warm up his joints for injury prevention. After this, both athletes completed a few sets of seated hamstring curls and squats with just a barbell.
Ruffin’s coach, Joe Bennett, explained that it can be beneficial during warm-up sets to pause at the top of each repetition to reset physically. This can help ensure each rep moves through the full range of motion.
Superset: Seated Hamstring Curls & Yoke Bar Squats
Ruffin and Sam started with five to six supersets of seated hamstring curls with heel-elevated yoke bar squats. Most people have a stronger quad-to-hamstring ratio, so often, the hamstrings could use improvement.
The benefit of the yoke bar with elevated heels is less stress on the knees and lower back. Elevating the heels helps bias the quads.
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Leg Press
The leg press was second for Ruffin and Sam — a favorite for quad development. Ruffin worked his way up to seven 45-pound weight plates on each side for half a dozen sets before dropping a pair of plates for a back-off set. Sam worked her way up to a similar weight and took sets to failure.
The two bodybuilders were conscious of moving through their full ranges of motion, even on heavier sets where they focused on a controlled eccentric. Ruffin typically adjusts workouts based on feel, ensuring he feels the stimulation in the target muscles.
Lying Hamstring Curls & Smith Machine Split Squats
Moving back to the hamstrings, Ruffin and Sam hit lying leg curls for several high-rep sets. They squeezed at the top of each rep and performed slow negatives. They both utilized assisted reps near the end of their last sets.
You can’t just walk in and lift your max loads.
Sam scored some single-leg Smith machine split squats for unilateral quad work, utilizing a foam roller to elevate her none working leg. Unilateral quad development can potentially work out muscular imbalances. Ruffin encouraged Sam to reach mechanical failure, which she seemed to be avoiding. Ruffin believed that may be stifling her progress, so he had her tack on an extended drop set.
[Related: Nick Walker and Mike O’Hearn on the Importance of Mindset During Competition Prep]
Leg Workout
Below is each movement Ruffin & Sam performed on their leg day:
- Superset: Seated Hamstring Curls & Yoke Bar Squats
- Leg Press
- Lying Hamstring Curls
- Smith Machine Split Squats
Ruffin led the cameraman through some leg flexing methodology, explaining how to flex every muscle in the quad when on stage. He expressed that at least 40 percent of bodybuilders don’t know how to properly flex their legs.
Ruffin was just over six weeks out from the 2022 Olympia at the time of the video’s publication. The finer details in his physique appear to be coming in steadily as he tries to build his best package to date. We’ll see how Ruffin’s improvements line up against the other top athletes in the Classic Physique division at the 2022 Olympia.
Featured image: @ruff_diesel and @teffanysam on Instagram
