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Bodybuilder Brett Wilkin has some massive hamstrings thanks to a trio of tricks he uses for hypertrophy training. They helped him become the first Men’s Open competitor to punch his ticket to the 2023 Olympia via his 2022 Big Man Weekend Pro victory.
On June 27, 2023, “The Butcher” published a video on his YouTube channel wherein he reviewed the top three exercises he uses to develop his hamstrings. Discover them below:
[Related: How Strong Is Phil Heath? Examining the Seven-Time Mr. Olympia’s Training Style]
Brett Wilkin’s 3 Movements for Hamstring Hypertrophy
Wilkin’s secrets to hamstring development lie within three exercises he performs consistently during his off-season. Below are breakdowns of those three exercises, along with reps, sets, and intensity modifiers:
1. Seated Hamstring Curl
Wilkin’s first task on the seated hamstring curl is ensuring the machine is set up correctly. He needs to curl his lower legs to the bottom of the seat to move through a full range of motion and contract his hamstrings to their fully shortened position.
His knees extend beyond the seat for maximum extension, and the pad is right behind his lower calves. This allows him to drive his lower legs all the way through while his quads remain pinned to the top pad.
The load itself can be relatively light as the goal is to achieve full contraction of the hamstrings with each rep, not simply move the weight through a modest range of motion.
When Wilkin reps leg curls, he pushes against the machine with his quads and hands so that everything remains locked in place except for the hamstrings. This loads all the tension on the target muscle group through the concentric portion of each rep.
Wilkin’s first three sets are his warm-up. He performs working sets to failure in the eight-to-12 rep range. He aims for two working sets, but if he reaches the top of his rep range on both, he will perform an additional drop set or stretch-pause set. This is an intensity modifier he utilizes to ensure he fully fatigues his hamstring fatigue.
Wilkin stretches his hamstrings at the top of the movement. His lifting partner raises the pad whenever Wilkin pauses to stretch. For his added finisher set, he performs 12 reps, stretches out the hamstrings, then 10 reps, then stretches, and so on, down to six reps.
2. Lying Dumbbell Leg Curl
Using a dumbbell for a lying leg curl activates Wilkin’s stabilizers, engaging his adductors to maintain balance through each rep. He pushes through the weight bench during the concentric, stabilizing so the legs can move in tandem.
Wilkin suggested lying dumbbell leg curls as a second or third exercise in a session, as he feels controlling the dumbbell when pre-exhausted is more effective. “The Butcher” hits two to three working sets in the 10-12 rep range.
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3. Straight-Leg Deadlift
Wilkin uses straight-leg deadlifts to load his hamstrings in their fully lengthened position, unlike the previous two movements, which bias the hamstrings in their shortened positions. In practice, this means not bending the knees, which would activate the glutes. To help maintain straight legs through the full range of motion, Wilkin elevates via a few boxes to prevent the weight plates from colliding with the floor.
Wilkin maintains the tension for the entire duration of each set. Squeezing the glutes at the locked, the concentric is performed by shortening the hamstrings, which typically becomes easier through better mind-muscle connection development. Wilkin performs two or three working sets for 10-12 reps.
Wilkin is not expected to compete in a pro show until he steps on stage for the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest in Orlando, FL, on Nov. 2-5, 2023, to contend for Hadi Choopan‘s title.
Featured image: @brett_wilkin on Instagram
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Courtesy : https://barbend.com/brett-wilkin-3-exercises-adding-mass-to-hamstrings/