Dr. Joey trains an upper/lower split, four days per week. On leg day, he prioritizes machines like the hack squat and Smith machine over the barbell back squat, since machines let him push closer to true failure without balance or coordination getting in the way. He also uses lengthened partials and auto-regulates his total set volume based on how he's feeling that day.
Theoretical training concepts are useful, but they can leave you with more questions than answers about how to actually apply them. So instead of another episode on the science, Dr. Joey walks through exactly what he does on leg day, and why.
The Weekly Split
Dr. Joey trains an upper/lower split: two upper body days and two lower body days, spread as evenly as possible across the week, typically Monday and Tuesday, a rest day, then two more sessions later in the week. He never trains the same muscle group on back-to-back days, ensuring adequate recovery between sessions.
Why Machines Over the Barbell Back Squat
Dr. Joey hasn't done a barbell back squat in months, despite it being widely regarded as one of the best overall leg exercises. His main quad movements are the hack squat and Smith machine squat instead.
The barbell back squat has never felt very natural to me. I've always struggled with technique on it compared to other exercises, and it's never effectively targeted my quads the way a hack squat or Smith machine does.
Because machines run on a fixed, stable plane, balance and coordination aren't limiting factors the way they are with a free weight movement. That stability lets him push a set much closer to genuine muscular failure than he could on a lift that still feels somewhat awkward to execute.
Structuring Sets: Heavy First, Then Volume
The lengthened partials on the Smith machine squat aren't a random choice, they're a direct application of the research Dr. Milo Wolf shared on the podcast, showing that partial reps performed in a muscle's stretched position can build more muscle than full range of motion.
Why Isolation Movements Get Taken Closer to Failure
Isolation exercises like hamstring curls get pushed practically to failure on every set, unlike some of the earlier compound-style machine work. Dr. Joey's reasoning: isolation movements produce far less overall fatigue and require much less technical skill, so there's little downside to taking them all the way, since it won't meaningfully compromise recovery or performance on the rest of the session.
Auto-Regulating the Total Volume
The exact number of sets isn't fixed rigidly. If he's feeling strong that day, he'll add an extra set to the quads or hamstrings. If he's feeling more fatigued, he'll do slightly less. This auto-regulated approach lets total training volume flex with actual daily readiness rather than forcing an identical number every single session.
- An upper/lower split spread across four days lets each muscle group train twice weekly with adequate recovery between sessions.
- Machines can allow you to push closer to true failure than a free weight movement that feels technically awkward, due to their stability.
- Structuring sets with one heavier set followed by lighter, higher-rep sets balances strength and volume within an exercise.
- Lengthened partials on the Smith machine squat directly apply research showing stretched-position partial reps can build more muscle.
- Isolation exercises tolerate training closer to true failure than compound lifts, since they produce less overall fatigue.
None of this is presented as the one "correct" way to train legs, it's simply what works for one person's body, technique, and goals. The value is in seeing how research-backed principles, stability, muscle length, auto-regulation, actually translate into a real, executable session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Dr. Joey use machines instead of a barbell back squat?
Machines are on a fixed, stable plane, which removes balance and coordination as limiting factors. This lets him take a set closer to true muscular failure than on a free weight movement that has always felt technically awkward for him personally, like the barbell back squat.
How does an upper/lower split work for training frequency?
An upper/lower split alternates between upper body and lower body training days, spaced out so the same muscle group is never trained on consecutive days. This allows each muscle group to be trained twice per week while getting adequate recovery between sessions.
Should isolation exercises be taken closer to failure than compound lifts?
It can make sense to. Isolation exercises like leg curls typically produce less overall fatigue and require less technical skill than compound lifts, making it more practical to take them close to true failure without significantly impacting recovery from the rest of the session.
What does it mean to auto-regulate the number of sets in a workout?
It means adjusting the total volume for a muscle group based on how you're feeling that day, adding an extra set or two when energy and performance are high, and doing slightly less on days when you're feeling more fatigued.
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