Hany Rambod colleges Eric Janicki on quad coaching science.
Final up to date on April third, 2025
Muscle-building strategies are evolving quickly with the most recent hypertrophy research, driving sooner progress. Maximizing the stretch, eccentric power, and ranging angles appear to be the most important culprits.
How do you apply this to your coaching? In March 2025, elite former bodybuilding coach Hany Rambod emphasised these progress components throughout a leg session with novice bodybuilder Eric Janicki.
I’ve been doing this for 20 years. [These techniques] add up; it’ll hit in another way.
—Hany Rambod
Rambod & Janicki’s FST-7 Leg Exercise
[Related: 3 Bodybuilding Myths You Need to Stop Believing]
The Analysis on Leg Extensions
Train setup can decide how muscular tissues are activated. Reclining the leg extension backrest hits the deep rectus femoris quad muscle greater than sitting upright attributable to a higher stretch. Pushing the leg lever again underneath the seat enhances this impact. (1)
Higher-Inside Quad Focus & Vary of Movement
Rambod prompt pointing the toes down like a ballerina (plantar flexion) to bias the inner-upper teardrop muscular tissues with quad extensions. Janicki carried out the primary half of the set with toes pulled towards the shins to maximise power manufacturing, then switched to toes pointed downward for the second half.
The secret is to maintain your hip anchored to get a full stretch.
—Hany Rambod
Place pads underneath the knees for a higher higher quad stretch. Whereas pre-exhausting the quads with extensions isn’t crucial, Rambod inspired it to boost the mind-muscle connection throughout subsequent compound lifts.
FST-7 Flex Units
Rambod believes posing throughout coaching interprets to higher aggressive bodybuilding success.
There are progress components from flexing muscular tissues. You achieve the consequences you need on stage.
—Hany Rambod
FST-7 flex units, or posing between units, is a quintessential a part of Rambod’s programming. After quad extensions, push on the outer ft and squeeze the quads for a complete of three minutes whereas hitting the entrance and facet chest poses.
Squat Depth and Tempo
In case you have a tendency towards dominant glutes, Rambod suggested squatting till the thighs are slightly below parallel to forestall the glutes from taking on. Overdeveloped quads detract from the V-taper aesthetic. Go gradual throughout squats to maintain stress on the quads. For greater glutes, use a deeper vary of movement.
Regional Hypertrophy & Bracing
Janicki lay susceptible on a V-shaped pad whereas mendacity hamstring curls to create a bent hip angle, much like how a preacher curl targets the biceps however for the hamstrings. Analysis signifies that muscle progress is maximized the place stretch and stress are best. This variation biases the decrease hamstrings. (2)
References
- Mitsuya H, Nakazato Ok, Hakkaku T, Okada T. Hip flexion angle impacts longitudinal muscle exercise of the rectus femoris in leg extension train. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2023 Jun;123(6):1299-1309. doi: 10.1007/s00421-023-05156-w. Epub 2023 Feb 16. PMID: 36795130.
- Zabaleta-Korta A, Fernández-Peña E, Torres-Unda J, Francés M, Zubillaga A, Santos-Concejero J. Regional Hypertrophy: The Impact of Workouts at Lengthy and Brief Muscle Lengths in Recreationally Skilled Ladies. J Hum Kinet. 2023 Jul 15;87:259-270. doi: 10.5114/jhk/163561. PMID: 37559762; PMCID: PMC10407320.
Featured picture: @ericjanickifitness on Instagram
