Kassandra Gillis’ Lower Body Workout — 2 Weeks Out from the 2026 Wellness International Contest
Two weeks out from stepping on the Arnold stage in Columbus, Ohio, Kassandra Gillis isn’t chasing volume. She’s chasing precision.
2023 Wellness International champion Kassandra Gillis returns in 2026 looking to capture her second title. The muscle is built. The density is there. Now, the focus is refinement: tightening details, reinforcing strengths, and executing every rep with intent.
I joined Kass for a mic’d up lower body session as she moved through her “Lower Body” workout. A high-intensity, low-volume training day that reflects a notable shift in philosophy under the guidance of her coach, Braeden Miller.
This is what lower body training looks like for a Wellness contender two weeks out.
The Shift: From Volume to Precision
Earlier in her career, Gillis followed a more traditional hypertrophy model — two to three working sets per exercise. This prep is different.
“Before it was like two to three working sets,” she explained mid-session. “Now it’s one working set.”
One.
But that single set is taken seriously — controlled tempo, intentional positioning, and pushing close to failure within the prescribed rep range.
At two weeks out, this approach makes strategic sense:
- Stimulus retention without excessive fatigue
- Reduced systemic inflammation
- Preservation of recovery capacity
- Maximum contraction quality
This isn’t about accumulating junk volume. It’s about reinforcing muscle density while protecting the condition she’s bringing to the Arnold Wellness stage.
The Focus for 2026: Adductors and Hamstrings
Wellness is built from the waist down. And while Gillis has long been known for her quad development, she’s been deliberate this year about improving two key areas:
- Adductors
- Hamstrings
“I’ve always had size in my quads,” she said. “But I had a hard time connecting with my adductors.”
That connection has become a priority this prep, and you see it immediately in how her lower body sessions are structured.
The Workout: Lower Body — Two Weeks Out
Below is the exact session we ran through.
1. Adductor Machine
- 1 warmup set: 6–10 reps
- 1 working set: 10–15 reps (to failure)
The session opens with direct adductor work; a clear signal of intent. Starting here ensures maximal neural focus before fatigue sets in.
The working set is taken hard. Full squeeze, controlled eccentric, and no rushing.
For Wellness competitors, inner thigh density can dramatically impact stage presentation from the front and quarter turns. This isn’t accessory work. It’s strategic development.
2. Seated Hamstring Curl
- 1 set: 6–10 reps
- 1 set: 10–15 reps
Hamstring curls follow, targeting the posterior chain before compound hinging movements.
Tempo is deliberate. Earlier in her career, Gillis trained more explosively. Under Miller’s guidance, she has slowed both the concentric and eccentric phases.
“I used to be more explosive,” she explained. “Now it’s slowed down.”
Slower tempo increases time under tension, improves control, and sharpens mind–muscle connection — especially critical when conditioning is high and joints are under stress.
3. Plate Loaded Machine Romanian Deadlift
- 1 working set: 10–15 reps
RDLs come early, while the lower back and posterior chain are still fresh.
The focus is hamstring lengthening under control. No jerking the weight and no ego lifting. Controlled hinge, stretch, and drive.
At this stage of prep, loading matters, but execution matters more.
4. Pendulum Squat
- 1 working set: 10–15 reps
- Feet positioned low on platform
- Descend hamstrings to calves
- Avoid full lockout to maintain tension
This was arguably the most punishing movement of the session.
The foot placement, lower on the platform, shifts emphasis further toward the quads while still maintaining tension through the glutes and adductors.
Constant tension is the theme. No resting at the top. No locking out.
One set and fifteen controlled reps. That’s it.
But it’s enough.
5. Cable Step-Ups
- 1 set: 6–10 reps
- 1 set: 10–15 reps
Unilateral work reinforces symmetry and glute activation. The assisted pull-up variation we performed, maintains tension throughout the entire range.
By this point, lactic acid is high, her heart rate is elevated, but conditioning is visible.
Two weeks out, these sets aren’t just muscular, they’re metabolic.
6. Glute Medius Kickbacks (Step-Over Variation)
- 1 set: 10–15 reps
- 1 set: 15–20 reps
Gillis’ focus is on a high-rep burn work to finish.
The glute medius plays a critical role in shaping the outer hip line, a defining feature in the Wellness division. This movement emphasizes controlled abduction and glute engagement under fatigue.
When the reps get uncomfortable, that’s when it counts.
The Mental Side of Two Weeks Out
Physically, Gillis looks composed. Mentally, she’s honest about the process.
“It’s always mindset for me,” she admitted.
Two weeks out can be psychologically demanding: low energy, high expectations, and constant scrutiny of detail. Gillis credits visualization and belief as tools she’s still refining.
That mindset becomes especially important when returning to a stage where you’ve already stood on top.
Refinement, Not Reinvention
This isn’t a prep built on chaos. It’s built on structure.
She’s practiced peak weeks for the first time this season. Food has been manipulated strategically. Training volume has been reduced with purpose.
Confidence shows.
“My main focus just needs to be posing right now,” she said.
That’s what two weeks out should look like. The work is largely done. Now it’s about tightening, rehearsing, and executing.
Train Like a MUTANT
Gillis continues to represent the MUTANT mindset — intense, disciplined, and unapologetically focused. But what stands out most in this prep isn’t aggression.
It’s about control. One working set with slower tempo, targeted development, and strategic fatigue management.
As she heads to Columbus in pursuit of a second Wellness International title, this lower body session reflects exactly where she is in prep:
Dialed in. Intentional. Ready.
Watch the Full Workout
We mic’d up the entire session so you can experience the pacing, intensity, and real-time conversation two weeks out from the Arnold Wellness stage.
Watch the full workout below.
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