This combo is going to burn your quads to cinders...in a good way...(yes, that is a thing).

You're going to be doing two exercises...a plate leg extension (I'll explain that one) and a one-arm gripping dumbbell squat...with the goal of accumulating as much lactic acid (a.k.a. lactate) in your quads as possible.

The purpose of generating lactic acid like this is to elicit a Growth Hormone response in your body...when lactic acid levels go up, your body secrets GH in response.

It's a very effective way to target and "unlock" stubborn fat...not pleasant but effective. The quads being one of the biggest muscle groups in the body make them a great target for this training.

To do this, we'll be using a pre-exhaust protocol.

Normally, pre-exhaust sets are done to target hard-to-grow muscles for hypertrophy by doing an isolation exercise first, then a compound exercise to assist the target muscle by bringing in secondary muscles. Doing flyes then bench press is a good example of this.

In our case, we'll be doing leg extensions for isolation then the squat variation for the compound...not for growth but for the BURN.

And if you have access to a leg extension machine, you can absolutely use that instead. I actually like this plate version because it allows a very fast transition to the next exercise, which is important in pre-exhaust training.

 

Exercise #1 - Plate Leg Extensions

If you have bumper plates, I recommend using one of those instead of a steel plate. Bumpers are "softer", so to speak, while the steel plates may require extra padding like a towel.

Sit on the end of a flat bench with your knees just over the end of the bench. Make sure the bend in your knees is right against the end of the bench, otherwise you may find this exercise brings in the core too much and that the core fatigues before your quads.

Set the plate on top of your feet, with your toes pulled back to form a shelf. Rest the plate on your shins (this is why bumpers work better). I'm using a 45 lb plate. Lean back a bit and grip onto the sides of the bench to lock yourself down.

Now just do a leg extension.

It's a VERY simple way to accomplish basically the same thing as a machine, without needing one.

As well, this plate setup makes you flex your feet, very similar to when you grip a bar with your hands for an upper body exercise.

Do as many reps as you can. The weight should be something you can get a lot of reps with so that you build up a tremendous lactate burn. Do these with a hard contraction...not fast, and under control.

If you have a pair of blood flow restriction straps, this is a great time to be wearing them on your upper thighs...and by great, I mean horrible.

I have several recommendations for straps, if you're interested in getting a pair (BFR Bands and Ronin Wraps).

When you hit the end of the line, dump the plate (another good reason to use a bumper) then grab the bar you have set up for the next exercise.

 

Exercise #2 - One-Arm Gripping Dumbbell Squats

You've just hammered your quads until they're choked with blood and

lactic acid...now we'll continue the fun by bringing in help from other muscles group...your glutes and your arms.

Have a bar (or something else solid) set up at about chest height and a couple of dumbbells sitting a little in front. I'm using a pair of 45 lb dumbbells here.

Right after you dump the plate, set your feet down and grab one of the dumbbells. Grip the bar with your other hand. Now start squatting.

Do 5 reps on one side, then switch hands and do 5 more.

Keep going back and forth like this with 5 reps until the burn shuts your quads down...and I mean that literally. You should push to the point where you can't stand up.

That's the beauty of having the bar to grip on...you can assist yourself as much as possible to keep the set going until you get to this point.

Now rest one minute and do it again, exactly as before. If you're wearing the BFR straps, loosen them during the rest periods.

I recommend doing 4-5 total sets of this to fully flood your quads with lactate.

By the time you're done with these sets, you won't have any further need for leg training in that workout.

Watch the full video and rundown of this workout here.

Click here to start from the exercise demo.

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Want Another Insane Lactate Workout Like This?

Try the Good Morning Burger...

Nick Nilsson
The Mad Scientist of Muscle

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https://youtu.be/A67y_jGqFBs
https://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-monsters/2/landers/6-good-morning-burger.htm
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