Knowing the best quadriceps exercises is important, whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just want to stay strong as you age. After all, keeping this group of muscles in the front of each thigh as strong as possible has many benefits. It will reduce stress on your knees, improve stability and balance, and reduce the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.
Regularly performing quad strengthening exercises can also help with flexibility, making it easier to extend the knee and flex the hip. It also has many sporting benefits, as it can help prevent injuries and improve performance.
So how can you perform the best exercises for quads? The good news is that it doesn’t have to involve trips to the gym or hiring a personal trainer. best adjustable dumbbells.
A good variety of exercises will work all four quadriceps muscles. These are the rectus femoris (hip bone to patella), vastus lateralis (thigh bone to patella), vastus medialis (front of thigh), and vastus intermedius (it sits between two other vastus muscles).
Rosaria Barreto, director of a personal training company center of vitality (opens in a new tab)recommends performing these six exercises at least once a week to build quad strength.
Barreto is the director of Vitality Hub. She is a Certified Physical Activity Professional with CIMSPA in the UK and has a Bachelor of Fitness and Exercise Management. Barreto is also a Level 3 Personal Trainer and GP Referral Instructor.
front squat
A study published in Journal of Physical Therapy Science (opens in a new tab) proved that the front squat is an extremely effective way to build bigger, stronger quads.
Squats should be modified depending on the individual. People with longer legs may have a wider stance, for example, while someone with a history of tight lower back may not be able to squat as deeply as a more flexible person, for example. What is important to know is that not all squat techniques look the same.
How to do it:
- Start by standing shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider) with your feet planted firmly and flat on the ground.
- Hold a stacked barbell or dumbbell under your chin, resting on your shoulders, elbows up.
- Begin to lower your hips and bend your knees at the same time.
- Keep your chest proud, and when you feel like you can’t go any lower, start moving up.
Barreto’s best advice when doing a front-support squat would be to brace your stomach muscles to avoid any abdominal flexion or rotation.
lunge forward
The forward lunge is known as an eccentric exercise, which means that it is a movement focused on a “lengthening” muscle contraction. Much research, including an extensive review, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology (opens in a new tab) – suggests that eccentric training is of great help to improve sports performance and avoid injuries.
How to do it:
- Lift one foot off the floor and take a big step forward directly in line with the insertion of the leg (where the leg inserts at the hip).
- Slowly lower your back knee to the floor. To do this, your rear heel will lift off the ground.
- Stop lowering your back knee just before it hits the ground. Keep in mind that rear knee depth may depend on hip mobility and previous injury.
- Gradually lift your knee up.
- You can repeat these 8-10 times on one leg and then switch, or continually switch legs throughout your set.
bulgarian split squat
The Bulgarian split squat is also an eccentric exercise. It’s similar to doing a single-leg squat, but by using a chair, couch, or stool, the exercise removes some of the force exerted by your body weight. It can be a way to progress your exercise program without the need for weights or resistance bands.
How to do it:
- Stand with your back to the chair and take one foot and place it on the surface (laces down) of the chair (find a comfortable position).
- The other foot should be dragged in front of you until your body is evenly distributed between the front and back legs.
- Begin to lower your back knee and, before it hits the ground, explode straight up in one powerful motion.
sit on the wall
The wall sit exercises predominantly the quadriceps and is good for muscular endurance. The quadriceps will remain elongated throughout the exercise, which will fatigue the muscle and favor muscular endurance adaptations.
Wall seats are also great for anyone looking for an exercise that doesn’t require a lot of fast movement or pressure, such as those with arthritis or people suffering from knee injuries.
How to do it:
- Find a sturdy wall and stand with your back to it and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Take a step forward (about three of your shoe sizes away from the wall). May need to be adjusted based on height, the taller you are, the farther your feet will be.
- Rest your back against the wall and slide down until your hips are in line with your knees.
- Hold this position for a specified time or as long as possible.
squat jump
Jump squats are an explosive, power-focused exercise that activates fast-twitch muscle fibers. Research Suggests This increases hypertrophy (an increase and growth of muscle cells) and improves the speed of muscle contraction. This is especially beneficial if you play an agility sport such as rugby, netball or soccer.
How to do it:
- Stand in your squat position, feet shoulder-width apart, chest proud, and shoulders back.
- Begin to bend at the knees and hips, finally lowering your bottom to the ground.
- When you reach your bottom position, explode to full extension (standing up) at the same time you jump off the ground.
- Make sure you land on soft knees or you can go right back into another rep landing in a squat.
pistol squat
One of the most challenging leg-focused bodyweight exercises, the pistol squat is a single-leg squat that challenges you to hold your non-working leg in front of you.
How to do it:
- Keep one foot firm, flat on the ground and the other off the ground (ideally with one leg straight out in front of you).
- Lower your bottom to the ground by bending at the knees and hips. You may need to lean forward for balance, just be sure to hold your stomach.
- When you reach your lowest position, begin to ascend until you are standing.
