After four years away from the stage, Wellness star Yarishna Ayala is set for a comeback. On April 24, 2026, she joined Hany Rambod for an intense leg day workout ahead of the New York Pro.
The Wellness category kicked off in 2021, and it’s quickly become one of the most popular bodybuilding divisions. Competitors walk a fine line onstage; they have to present enough fullness and conditioning without going overboard.
Ayala has taken this into account ahead of her return, especially after her last few contests. She last competed in 2022, starting with a fifth-place finish at the Arnold Classic. To qualify for the Mr. Olympia, she secured gold at the Boston Pro. However, at the biggest show of the year, she settled for eighth place. Looking ahead, she has big plans and announced that she’ll also compete at the 2026 Pittsburgh Pro.
Yarishna Ayala’s Leg Day Workout With Hany Rambod Ahead of 2026 New York Pro Return
Find her exercises from the video below:
- Hip Abductor Machine
- Leg Extension Machine (Lying Back)
- Leg Press Machine
- Walking Dumbbell Lunges
Hip Abductor Machine
Before getting to compound movements, Rambod had Ayala warm up her glutes with the hip abduction machine.
“We’re going to activate a little glutes first, that way as we get ready to do any other compound movements that we already have blood in through the glutes and focused on glutes, everything is glute-dominant, especially with Wellness. It’s the only asymmetrical class.”
“You want a bigger lower body than upper body.”
Leg Extension Machine (Lying Variation)
Next, Ayala pushed through old-school lying leg extensions. Rambod explained that pointing the toes outward during reps can maximize tension on the upper thigh.
“When you point your toes on any leg extension, you’ll feel a little bit more in the upper thigh, right there in the upper thigh.”
“We’re doing this lying leg extension old-school style. What we’re doing is, normally, you are upright, this old-school style one, you’re actually leaning back,” he said. “Controlling the eccentric is very important.”
Leg Press Machine
Taking a narrow stance, she moved on with the leg press machine.
“We went from abduction, glute, then to quad, now we’re getting a little combination. She really likes to do leg press, great exercise. We’re just using a neutral stance, nothing too crazy high or low. Just trying to continue to put blood in the quads and stimulate.”
Walking Dumbbell Lunges
As a finisher, Ayala burned out her quads and hamstrings with walking lunges.
“We’re grabbing some dumbbells and doing some walking lunges just to really get a really good finisher. Round trip all the way down about 30 yards and back,” Rambod shared. “The key is to make sure you’re not going too fast.”
Ayala hasn’t captured the Olympia title yet, but she has trained in the company of champions. She joined former Women’s Physique Olympia Dana Linn Bailey for a brutal seven-exercise glute workout, where the two practiced slower eccentric reps.
Fans look forward to witnessing Yarishna Ayala’s return. Fitness Volt will have live coverage of the 2026 New York Pro, scheduled for May 8-9 in Teaneck, New Jersey.
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