Jason Fox's 50-Year-Old Leg Training Formula
Former Special Forces operator Jason Fox, now 50, shares his three-part lower-body workout designed for muscle, strength, and endurance.
Jason Fox's 50-year-old leg training formula is detailed by the former UK Special Forces operator, who recently turned 50 and applies a mission-ready philosophy to his fitness. His lower-body workout, detailed by Men's Health, is structured into three distinct blocks to train strength, conditioning, and endurance in a single punishing session.
Fox's approach avoids simply hammering out squat sets. Instead, he divides the work into focused segments. He previously told Men's Health his training philosophy is to, as he put it, 'absolutely goose myself.' This leg day formula is built to do exactly that.
Block 1: Lower-Body Strength
The session begins with pure strength work. The first exercise is the back squat, with the goal of working up to a heavy set of three repetitions. The source advises a thorough warm-up, gradually adding load over about 15 minutes before attempting the heavy triple.
The aim is not necessarily to hit a true three-rep maximum, but to complete three strong and technically sound reps at a challenging weight. Athletes are instructed to record the load they manage to establish a benchmark for future sessions.
Block 2: Sled Ladder
The second block combines sled pushes with air bike sprints in a descending ladder format. This conditioning block is performed as a circuit with no rest between movements.
The prescribed work is detailed in the following structure:
| Exercise | Distance/Calories |
|---|---|
| Sled Push | 80m |
| Air Bike (legs only) | 10 cals |
| Sled Push | 60m |
| Air Bike (legs only) | 10 cals |
| Sled Push | 40m |
| Air Bike (legs only) | 10 cals |
| Sled Push | 20m |
| Air Bike (legs only) | 10 cals |
Athletes load a sled and start with an 80-meter push. Immediately after, they move to an air bike and must burn 10 calories using only their legs. They then return to the sled for 60 meters, followed by another 10 calories on the bike. The pattern continues through 40-meter and finally 20-meter sled pushes, hitting the bike after each distance. The source notes that while the sled distances get shorter as fatigue builds, the 10-calorie bike efforts remain constant. Total finishing time for the entire ladder should be recorded.
Block 3: Mountain Legs
The final block is named 'Mountain Legs' and is described as where things get unpleasant. It consists of two exercises: goblet squats and split squat jumps.
The task is to complete 100 high-quality goblet squats using a dumbbell or kettlebell. There is no prescribed number of sets; the athlete simply works until all 100 reps are accumulated. The punishing incentive to avoid putting the weight down is a penalty. Every time a break is taken, the athlete must perform 20 explosive split-squat jumps before continuing with the squats.
The source warns that choosing too heavy a weight for the goblet squats will lead to frequent breaks, causing the penalty jumps to pile up quickly. This block tests muscular endurance and mental fortitude, forcing a strategic choice in load management to minimize the costly penalties.
