In episode 120 of WWE Superstar Sheamus’ hit YouTube show, “Celtic Warrior Workouts”, the man from Dublin was joined by lifting enthusiast and fellow pro wrestler LA Knight for a heavy arm and leg session. Knight (real name: Shaun Ricker) is a student of bodybuilding and prefers a workout split of the upper body (chest, shoulders, and back, but no arms), then legs and arms. He includes an additional day for cardio and abs. He repeats this split relentlessly in his never-ending quest to grow and maintain an enviable physique.
Check out Knight and Sheamus’ training session in the video below:
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LA Knight’s “Form is King” Arms and Legs Workout
Below are the exercises the duo performed at the Body Evolution Gym and Barbell Club in Columbus, GA, followed by a breakdown of each.
Arm Workout
- Close-Grip Barbell Curls— 1 x 30 (to warm up) followed by 3 heavier sets in the 8 -12 rep range.
- Incline Curls — 2 x 8-12
- Hammer Curls — 2 x 8-12
- Skull Crushers — 3 x 8-12
- Seated Dip Machine — 2 x 8-12
- Triceps Pushdowns — 2 x 12-15
Leg Workout
- IT Band Warmup Stretches
- Lying Leg Curls — 4 x 12-15
- Hip Thrusts — 3 x 12
- Leg Press — 4 x 12
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The Finisher
- Pit Shark Belt Squats — 3 x 15-20
Workout Breakdown
Below is a breakdown of each movement LA Knight includes in his training:
Barbell, Incline, and Hammer Curls
“I’m doing a narrow grip on (the bar),” said Knight, who is on his second arms and legs workout of the week. For the first session, he chose a wider grip. This time he brought his hands closer to hit the muscles from a different angle. Knight wants his blood pumping, so his muscles stay loose and ready for the intense session to follow. Knight took his time, hitting strict form through his full range of motion with every rep. He wants to feel a good stretch but prevent injury.
Knight’s arms stretch towards the ground at the bottom of the lift during incline curls.
The stretch is just as important as the contraction.
Sheamus noticed that Knight lifted with both arms during hammer curls before alternating to single-arm raises. Knight uses active recovery, allowing one arm to rest while training the other. It enables him to maintain higher intensity and perform more work in less time.
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Skulls Crushers, Seated Dips, & Triceps Pulldowns
Knight pointed out that the elbows should point toward the knees during skull crushers rather than rotated outwards. This is tricky for ring veteran Sheamus, who suffers elbow issues from previous injuries. However, he did his best to hit the proper form and showed significant improvement under Knight’s guidance.
As Knight performed dips on the Smith machine, he adjusted the negative by slowing down the upward motion, creating additional time under tension.
Knight’s triceps were popping as he concentrated on his technique, reaching peak contraction with every rep. Both wrestlers’ triceps have the “horseshoe” aesthetic — a testament to their muscle maturity and leanness to show it off.
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IT Band Warmup Stretches
“There’s a simultaneous stretching and strengthening happening here,” demonstrated the limber Knight as he leaned towards his knee. He was assisted by a weight bench. He used to neglect his hips and muscles around his pelvis, which caused him mobility issues. These days, the wrestler moves around the ring better than ever and credits those results to stretches like these.
Lying Leg Curls & Hip Thrusts
Knight feels his hamstrings are weak compared to the rest of his physique, so he trains them first when training his legs. Training weaker muscle groups first is a methodology used by Classic Physique Olympia competitors Terrence Ruffin and Wesley Vissers.
I really try to focus on keeping my hips down.
[Read More: The Best Upper Body Exercises and Workouts]
Knight noted that if his butt raises from the seat, it can pull bias away from the hamstrings during reps, making the work less effective.
“I’ve neglected my glutes for a long time,” said Knight. “So, this has been awesome for me.” For those who don’t have a hip thrust machine at their local gym, a Smith machine or barbell with a weight bench also works.
Leg Press
Maintaining their focus on hypertrophy, the boys go heavy on the leg press, repping close to failure. Knight paused at the bottom of the press, reiterating, “it’s all about good form.” He shakes his head at lifters who swing weights beyond their capability. He prefers chasing a pump with a lighter weight and better technique to protect his joints.
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[Related: The Snatch vs. the Clean & Jerk: Pros and Cons of the Two Olympic Lifts]
Pit Shark Belt Squats
“I’m gonna get my ass down as far as I can,” demonstrated Knight, who prefers to squat with his knees over his toes. Many lifters can benefit from a Pit Shark machine if one is available in their local gym. It teaches good form with little setup. Knight’s legs were burning as they rounded out their final heavy sets, but he didn’t tap out.
Featured image: @wwesheamus on Instagram
