Light Up Your Legs

Juan Morel’s continued quest for bodybuilding’s top prize begins with his killer leg workout.

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IF YOU’RE LIKE the aver­ age gym rat, you probably don’t really look forward to leg day. But Juan Morel is not your average gymgoer. The winner of last year’s New York Pro, Morel is skipping this year’s contest to focus squarely on September’s Mr. Olympia. He sees leg day as a stepping­ stone for bigger gains, in the weight room and on the stage.

BRING THE PAIN

Morel’s unbridled passion for leg training stemmed from what was once a competitive disadvantage. “My legs used to be a weak point,” he says. “I used to train like a powerlifter when I first started out, so my legs were really strong, but they were very undeveloped. Going through the bodybuild­ ing ranks when I was younger, people constantly told me I had to bring up my legs, so it forced me to train them harder and train them differently. Some people hate training their weak points. Not me. I look forward to it. I love training legs, so for me I go to the gym on leg day, and I’m just excited. I’m getting ready to have fun. It’s one of the hardest workouts you can do, and for me the harder it is, the better.”

SUNDAY FUN DAY