Top Classic physique bodybuilder Wesley Vissers is skipping the 2025 competitive season to improve his legs so that they balance his champion-caliber upper body.
The 2024 Arnold Classic Physique champion ramped his leg volume by 50%, combining techniques and philosophies from the sport’s best, including elite coaches Hany Rambod, Stefan Kienzl, four-time Mr. Olympia champion Jay Cutler, and seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath.
Wesley Vissers’ Updated Leg Routine
- Lying Hamstring Curls
- Belt Squats
- Machine Hack Squats
- Nordic Curls
- Machine Adductors
- Dumbbell Lunges
FST-7 Leg Curls and Coach Kienzl’s Tip
Vissers prioritizes advanced techniques like FST-7 (Fascial Stretch Training), developed by Rambod. FST-7 involves seven sets of 10 to 12 reps with a 30-to-35-second rest in between for maximum pump and stretch. Studies suggest intensity techniques, like FST-7 sets, can help promote muscle growth. (1)
Vissers wore high-heeled weightlifting shoes during squats to achieve deeper knee flexion, a better quad stretch, and more stimulus. (2)(3)
Be intelligent and enjoy your workout for much longer with more aesthetic results.
—Wesley Vissers
Coach Kienzl urged to stop walking in between sets during leg day. Vissers typically prioritizes output, burning calories, and staying lean, but he has to refrain during leg day to reserve energy for lifting.
The specificity principle states that weak areas should be prioritized before other muscles. (4) Other data shows prioritization is more beneficial for strength, though strength contributes to hypertrophy.
Cutler’s Wisdom & Heath’s Leg Day Pick
Vissers shifted into Cutler mode with high-volume, moderate-intensity isolation work.
[Cutler] trained high volume, not going to extreme failure, but more sets, more reps.
—Wesley Vissers
Higher volume stimulates muscle growth without overtaxing the body — a more sustainable, long-term tactic. While intensity and failure sets can stimulate growth, increasing volume is needed for continued gains. (5)(6)(7)
Vissers capped the session with dumbbell walking lunges, which Heath recommends. Science-based hypertrophy educator Jeff Nippard ranked walking lunges as the best glute exercise, even above hip thrusts.
Pro tip: Take wider steps for greater depth, range of motion, and stretch.
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References
- Mangine GT, Hoffman JR, Gonzalez AM, Townsend JR, Wells AJ, Jajtner AR, Beyer KS, Boone CH, Miramonti AA, Wang R, LaMonica MB, Fukuda DH, Ratamess NA, Stout JR. The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men. Physiol Rep. 2015 Aug;3(8):e12472. doi: 10.14814/phy2.12472. PMID: 26272733; PMCID: PMC4562558.
- Kubo K, Ikebukuro T, Yata H. Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2019 Sep;119(9):1933-1942. doi: 10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y. Epub 2019 Jun 22. PMID: 31230110.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J. Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A systematic review. SAGE Open Med. 2020 Jan 21;8:2050312120901559. doi: 10.1177/2050312120901559. PMID: 32030125; PMCID: PMC6977096.
- Gentil P, Oliveira E, de Araújo Rocha Júnior V, do Carmo J, Bottaro M. Effects of exercise order on upper-body muscle activation and exercise performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 Nov;21(4):1082-6. doi: 10.1519/R-21216.1. PMID: 18076251.
- Robinson ZP, Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Refalo MC, Jukic I, Steele J, Zourdos MC. Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Series of Meta-Regressions. Sports Med. 2024 Sep;54(9):2209-2231. doi: 10.1007/s40279-024-02069-2. Epub 2024 Jul 6. PMID: 38970765.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017 Jun;35(11):1073-1082. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197. Epub 2016 Jul 19. PMID: 27433992.
Featured image: @wesleyvissers on Instagram
