Mike “The Unhealthy Ass” Sommerfeld is on a mission to defend his Arnold Males’s Basic Physique title and is taking a no-nonsense strategy to outperforming the likes of Wesley Vissers and a debuting Sam Sulek. For example this, the large German used a current Instagram put up to share one in all his go-to leg days for whole domination, and you’ll attempt it too.
Sommerfeld introduced the whole package deal to the stage throughout the 2025 Arnold Basic, impressing the judges along with his muscle mass, definition, symmetry, and conditioning, however with a stacked area forward of him in March, the large man shares that one of many exercises he’s solid follows a back-to-basics strategy. Apparently, The Unhealthy Ass’s leg day is about high quality over amount and requires simply 4 workout routines in whole. “Two for hams, and two for quads,” he defined.
Mike Sommerfeld’s 4-Train Leg Day Exercise Forward of the 2026 Arnold Basic
Warmup
Hamstrings
Quads
Mike Sommerfeld’s Leg Day Technique Defined
Becoming a member of the likes of different bodybuilding nice, Martin Fitzwater, Sommerfeld shared that he begins leg exercises with adductors to heat up his higher legs and get the blood circulation stimulated. “I at all times begin with adductors to heat up my hips and get me going,” defined Sommerfeld. “Particularly mentally, and bodily, to elevate heavier weights for the upcoming workout routines.” He famous that whereas on the machine, he pushes his again to the pad so far as doable, to extend each the stretch and the contraction whereas executing his reps.
Homing in on his hamstrings, Sommerfeld’s first train is the seated leg curl. “The explanation for that’s, you get an incredible pre-stretch place by simply sitting down (and getting arrange) on the machine” mentioned the man-mountain. Subsequent up is the deadlift. “Why? As a result of we already contracted hamstrings fairly onerous, and they’re pumped as hell,” confirmed Sommerfeld. “Now we are able to stretch the s**t out of our hamstrings.”
Shifting on to quads, the 2025 Arnold Males’s Basic Physique champion shared that his new favourite quad train is the hack squat (additionally known as the hack press). “The explanation for that’s, it feels a lot extra pure to my knees.” Sommerfeld defined that he feels virtually zero stress or ache on his knees with this squat variation. “And I can go actually deep into the stretch, and I can focus fully on my manner up, to contract my quads as onerous as doable.” The Unhealthy Ass additionally shared that he likes to make use of rest-pause units on the hack squat, performing his reps in the direction of failure, taking a brief break, after which going once more to in the direction of failure. “So, after hitting 10 to 12 reps, I wish to pause for a number of seconds, after which go once more for 3 to 4 extra reps.”
Final however not least for his legs, Sommerfeld rounds out his exercise with the belt squat. “The explanation for that’s, it’s truly a lot smarter to make use of a belt squat as a result of it masses your hips, not your shoulders,” coached the champ. “In common (again) squats you will have all of the load in your shoulders, and your physique must stabilize all of it the way in which. That creates numerous fatigue and we wanna practice legs not our full physique. That is why I selected the belt squat, an incredible piece of apparatus. You’ll be able to maintain your self and stabilize your self (on the platform). You’ll be able to go actually deep, wait a second within the stretched place, after which go up once more, and squeeze it out.”
By way of units and rep, Sommerfeld defined that he does “a number of, a number of, units,” however for us mere mortals, 2 to three units of 8 to 12 reps will carry mass constructing outcomes. By specializing in the standard of his stretch and contractions and isolating his quads and hamstrings slightly than fatiguing the remainder of his physique, Mike Sommerfeld might current his finest physique but come March.
To observe Mike Sommerfeld on Instagram, click on right here.