Dana Linn Bailey, the former Women’s Physique Olympia champion, continues to maintain her popularity even after stepping down from the title in 2013. In a recent YouTube video posted on October 11, 2023, Bailey shared her latest leg day workout routine, targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. She emphasized the importance of focusing on each exercise and maintaining intensity, despite slowing down the pace. Bailey, known for her unique combination of feminine features and muscular physique, has amassed over 583,000 subscribers on YouTube, where she regularly shares fitness, health, and nutrition advice with her followers.
Bailey’s leg day training session began with a warm-up exercise called banded reverse hyperextension on a slightly elevated bench, followed by banded hyperextension on a bench for hip bridge abductions. She then moved on to paused squats, leg extensions, pendulum squats, lying hamstring curls, stiff-legged deadlifts with a trap bar, and Bulgarian split squats with a dumbbell. Bailey provided detailed instructions for each exercise, emphasizing the importance of proper form and control.
During the banded reverse hyperextension on a bench, Bailey explained that she used a slight elevation to provide extra room for her knees. She described it as one of her favorite movements for glutes. The next exercise, hip bridge abductions, required slow and controlled reps, focusing on squeezing the glutes for two seconds before returning to the starting position.
Bailey then introduced paused squats, emphasizing the need to perform them with a slow descent and a complete dead stop at the bottom. She advised against bouncing out of the bottom position to avoid relying on the stretch reflex in the knees. Bailey also mentioned wearing knee sleeves for added support. The target rep range for paused squats was 8-10 reps.
Moving on to leg extensions, Bailey encouraged completing 15-20 reps for four sets. She then preferred pendulum squats for quad activation, recommending any squat variation that focuses more on the quads, such as hack squats or front-facing leg presses. The target rep range for pendulum squats was 12 reps.
For lying hamstring curls, Bailey aimed for 15-20 reps, repeating the same number of reps for each set. She then demonstrated stiff-legged deadlifts, explaining the difference between stiff-legged deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts. Bailey mentioned that stiff-legged deadlifts involve less bending at the knees and more focus on stretching the calves and hamstrings. The target rep range for stiff-legged deadlifts was 12 reps.
Bailey concluded her leg day workout with Bulgarian split squats, a unilateral exercise that works one leg at a time. She recommended performing 10 reps with weight, followed by 10 reps without weight, and finishing with five jumping Bulgarian split squats without weight. Bailey planned to do three sets of this exercise, totaling 25 reps. She highlighted the importance of incorporating unilateral exercises into leg workouts.
At 40 years old, Bailey continues to prioritize her fitness journey and shares informative and educational content on her YouTube channel. In addition to showcasing her physique updates, she also discusses her favorite meal options and shares her post-workout smoothie recipe. Despite her busy travel schedule, Bailey remains committed to her fitness routine and enjoys challenging herself with intense workouts.
It is evident that Dana Linn Bailey’s influence in the fitness community extends far beyond her time as the Women’s Physique Olympia champion. Her dedication, knowledge, and ability to connect with her audience make her a prominent figure in the industry. As she continues to inspire and motivate others, Bailey proves that age is just a number when it comes to pursuing one’s fitness goals.
