The bodybuilder who does squats for his birthday is back once again, advocating for the exercise.

In a video posted on his Instagram account, Mike O'Hearn was asked about what his top leg workout is.

The 57-year-old bodybuilder quickly answered “Squats,” and he further explained it by saying, “Greatest exercise known to man. In any sport, in anything you do, squats. In life, if you don't do anything else, squats. Squat is the answer.”

Now, O'Hearn is one of the biggest advocates of squats. Outside of his regular workout routine, O'Hearn has turned it into an annual tradition for his birthday. But it's not the only reason why he's encouraging squats.

The exercise works your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, as well as the core and muscles in the lower back. These muscles are needed for most daily activities.

Moreover, as the American Association of Retired Persons explained, "A study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation found that people ages 70 to 79 with stronger quadriceps had a lower chance of dying over six years compared with those who had weaker quadriceps."

So, what is O'Hearn's overall leg workout routine?

Mike O'Hearn’s overall leg workout routine

O'Hearn’s training method is mainly old-school.

He once described his training routine as Bill Pearl-style, the legendary bodybuilder from the 50s who wrote a book on training technique.

The approach is simple but not easy. According to him, the routine includes:

• Leg extension: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Back squats: 7 sets 4 reps
• Leg press: 4 sets 8-15 reps
• Hack squats: 4 sets 10 reps
• Lying leg curls: 5 sets, 8-12 reps.

Through dedicated, consistent training, O'Hearn has developed one of the most conditioned legs in the bodybuilding world.

Follow Bodybuilding Bros for all things fitness!

Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar