If you never skip leg day, you’re already one step ahead of the crowd in the quest to build big, strong legs. But you can broaden the scope of your goals: Putting together the perfect set of exercises to perfect the quad “tear” can become a next-level training goal.
So what are the most ideal exercises to maximize lower body training to target these anterior (located in the front of your body) muscles of the legs? Squats or lunges? Isolation moves or unilateral work? To lay a solid foundation for your quad-focused workouts, men’s health Advisory Board Member and Celebrity Trainer Don Saladin Y men’s health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, CSCS, give you five exercises that will allow you to train hard and heavy. In fact, most of these exercises were specifically selected so you can pack on weight while working to increase the size of those quads.
There are two things you’ll see in each of these moves, according to Samuel. The first is that you’ll be able to use heavy loads, which is key to building strength and muscle. Second, they will put you in a position where you will push your knees forward. “That’s what challenges our quads, so you’ll see that in a lot of these exercises: They’ll create an opportunity for you to safely bring your knees into a position that will challenge you so you can really work those quads.” Samuel says.
Benefits of training your quads
●Stronger legs
●Move heavy loads
● building mass
●Perfect tear-shaped muscle
●Burn fat
5 Must-Have Exercises to Increase Quadriceps Strength and Size
What makes the step up such an effective lower-body exercise (as well as a deceptively great core and cardio movement) is that it can be done anywhere with little to no equipment. All you really need is a step or raised surface and you can increase or decrease the intensity level by performing these with just your bodyweight or by adding a heavier load with dumbbells or kettlebells.
Be careful not to lean too far forward; instead, focus on maintaining an upright posture, which will still allow you to drive forward. Additionally, depending on the height of the step, you can also increase the range of motion and intensity for a sneaky cardio workout.
“I’ve worked with some people who are just starting to train who are really out of shape, and it’s a safe and effective way to be able to go and not only hit the quads, but you’re also hitting some hamstrings and glutes. Saladin says.
For a while, this old-school move got a bad rap for not fitting in as a fully “functional” move, but it recently regained its popularity. The reason for the revival: This isolation move can help add size and strength to your quads. When done correctly, leg extensions are one of the few leg exercises that can provide a final pump for your lower body workout.
“Think of this like bicep curls for your quads,” says Samuel. “Because we’re isolating ourselves, we’re doing it in a safe way, you can increase the volume of this… I like to think of even higher reps than normal.”
There’s no getting around the fact that lunges can be brutal. What makes this one-sided exercise so amazing, though, is that you’re not only squeezing your quads, you’re working your hamstrings and glutes as well. Walking lunges will force you to focus on your balance, an underrated element that many people neglect in their training. And no matter how you perform them, from bodyweight to heavy loads, walking lunges will also challenge your cardiovascular system.
“I’m not going to say they’re fun because they’re difficult, but sometimes they’re interesting when you’re hooked up to a machine or you’re doing something out of the ordinary and you can come out of nowhere. and start moving,” Saladin says. “Allow your hips to open up. It allows you to feel more athletic.”
Why front squats over back squats? One of the main reasons is the location of the bar – because you’re holding it in front of you, it creates a postural challenge that’s safer than a back squat. With front squats, no matter how you hold the bar (bodybuilding style, powerlifting style, even Frankenstein style), if the bar moves forward, it’s a sign your form may be breaking and a signal to shut down and restart.
“Only use a weight that you can handle,” says Samuel. “Don’t be too aggressive with your jump weights, but don’t be afraid to go heavy. Make sure your court stays nice and tight and your torso stays upright.”
There’s a lot to love about one of the most challenging leg exercises out there. Because this exercise doesn’t require you to be in a fully upright position, a slight forward lean of your spine allows you to place a little more load on your front leg. It’s a quad front leg dominance exercise, but again, you’re also engaging some hamstrings and working on that balance. And best of all, you can, and should, when possible, go heavy with the Bulgarians, making this an equivalent alternative to back squats. But prepare to be crushed, in a good way.
“There’s a lot left over when it comes to being sport-specific and hypertrophy from a bodybuilding standpoint,” says Saladino. “Here we can really knock down those microscopic fibers in the muscle and it really works.”
Want more essential exercises for your most important muscle groups? Verify all our Muscle Musts.
Jeff Tomko is a freelance fitness writer who has written for Muscle and Fitness, Men’s Fitness, and Men’s Health.
