Best Quad Exercises
Legs are one of the most overlooked, under-trained and difficult to grow group of muscles. So, are you facing difficulty building hefty legs? Here are the “8 INCREDIBLE QUAD EXERCISES” which will help you to build stronger and muscular legs. Must try!
[NOTE:- There is no such thing called “BEST QUAD EXERCISE” because what is best for one may not be best for another due to various reasons like injury history, flexibility, experience, etc. The only thing is that these exercises are shown in studies and EMG activities to activate the quad muscle comparatively better, provided if you are doing the exercise with proper form.
So remember, the exercises which are not listed here do not make them bad. The only thing is that they are a bit less effective. But at the end of the day, it is your way of performing an exercise which decides its effectiveness.]
Top 8 Quad Exercises For Mass And Strength
1. Squat
Squat is one of the most classic, conventional and highly-effective quad exercises. It massively helps you to develop strong and muscular legs. All you have to do is:
STEP-1:- Keep the barbell on your upper back/lower traps and stand near a squat rack.
STEP-2:- Keep your chest wide and open, feet placed a bit wider than shoulder-width distance apart and core engaged.
STEP-3:- Now lower down your body by slowly bending your knees and driving your hips backwards and gradually bring your body in a sitting position where your hips are parallel to the ground, while keeping your chest raised up.
STEP-4:- Once you sit parallel to the ground, lift yourself back up.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Easy to progressively overload.
(2) Puts immense load on the quads.
NOTE- Front squat is shown to be as effective as the back squat. So you can do that as well if you are facing difficulty in doing a back squat.
2. Hack Squat
EMG Studies have shown hack squats to be one of the most effective leg exercises to induce quad muscle growth. Here are the steps you need to follow:
STEP-1:- Get yourself on a hack squat machine with your feet placed a bit wider than shoulder-width distance.
STEP-2:- Grab the handles of the hack squat machine and start lowering down your body by bending your knees.
STEP-3:- Once your hip reaches parallel to the ground or a bit below that, push yourself back up.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Easy to progressively overload.
(2) Puts extreme load on the quad muscle.
(3) The body’s momentum is eliminated.
3. Bulgarian Split Squat
Bulgarian split squat is a tremendous unilateral exercise which will help you to reap massive quad gains while rendering you some extra benefits as well. First, let’s find out how it is done:
STEP-1:- Grab two dumbbells with both your hands and put the toe of one of your legs on an elevated surface which is shorter than your hip-level height.
STEP-2:- Keep the other foot out and in front of you to create adequate room to be able to squat properly.
STEP-3:- Now slowly lower down your body by bending your working leg’s knee and keep your body straight. Your knee should be perpendicular (at 90°) which means your knee should be exactly above your foot, once you sit parallel to the ground.
STEP-4:- Push back up yourself by straightening the knee.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Quite easy to progressively overload.
(2) Puts massive load on your quad.
(3) Helps to improve your sense of balance.
(4) Prevents leg muscle imbalances due to unilateral movement.
(5) Increases grip strength as you are holding dumbbells.
4. Lunges
STEP-1:- Grab a barbell and keep it on your back or hold a set of dumbbells, kettle bell, etc., and stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart.
STEP-2:- Keep your chest braced up and straight torso. Now put one leg straight in front of you by taking a step forward so that your knee is bent at 90° and it is placed exactly above your foot.
STEP-3:- From there either you can walk forward by taking another foot forward or you can push yourself back in the same position and bring the other leg in the same way.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Easy to progressively overload.
(2) Unilateral movement prevents muscle imbalances.
(3) Increases your grip strength, if you are using dumbbells or kettle bells.
(4) Minimal risk of injury.
5. Step-ups
This is an amazing exercise to build stronger knees and hypertrophy in your quads. Moreover, it is a body-weight exercise so you do not need any equipment, unless you are an experienced athlete. Here’s how to do it:
STEP-1:- Put your one foot on an elevated surface which is higher than your knee level.
STEP-2:- Keep your body straight, hip aligned, hands straight and in front of you and tilt your body a bit forward.
STEP-3:- Now lift your body up by and slowly bring yourself down again in the same position.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Easy to progressively overload. You can hold weights to challenge yourself more.
(2) Puts immense load on the quads.
(3) Minimal risk of injury.
(4) Prevents leg muscle imbalances.
(5) No equipment needed if you are using bodyweight.
NOTE- (1) Do not lock out your knee completely at the top of the exercise. Always keep a slight bend to maintain tension in the quads.
(2) Do not shift your body backwards once you reach down. Keep your body tilted forward to keep the focus on the quads.
(3) Control the negative portion of the exercise. 14 Most Effective Chest Exercises To Grow Massive Pecs
6. Leg press
This is one of the most effective leg exercises you can do to grow your quads. Here are the steps you need to follow:
STEP-1:- Get on a leg press machine and place your legs in the middle of the footplate at a bit wider than shoulder-width distance apart.
STEP-2:- Keep your back neutral and grab the handles of the machine with both your hands.
STEP-3:- Now slowly bring the weights down by gradually bending your knees. When your quads touch your rib cage, push back up.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Easy to progressively overload.
(2) Puts enormous load on the quads.
(3) Reduced body’s momentum.
(4) Beginner-friendly exercise.
NOTE- (1) Always keep a slight bend in the knees and do not completely straighten out your legs. This will keep the focus on the quads.
(2) Do not bring your legs too much down. The moment your legs touch your rib cage, you should push back up. This ROM (Range Of Motion) is adequate and safe. 15 Best Abs Exercises To Develop Stronger Abs
7. Dumbbell Goblet Squat
This is one of the most effective but less renowned quad exercises. First, let’s find out how it is done:
STEP-1:- Grab a dumbbell with both your hands and keep it close to your chest, with your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width distance and chest wide and open.
STEP-2:- Now slowly squat down parallel to the ground and push yourself back up.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Quite easy to progressively overload.
(2) Puts immense load on the quads.
(3) Beginner-friendly exercise.
(4) Minimal risk of injury.
NOTE- If using a dumbbell is inconvenient for you and you cannot properly hold it. You can do this exercise with a cable machine with a V-handle attachment. You can easily hold it and even increase the weight easily and conveniently. Best Back Exercises To Grow A Wider And Thicker Back
8. Leg extension
This is a great exercise which you can do to specifically target your ‘Rectus Femoris’ of the quad muscle. Here’s what you need to do:
STEP-1:- Sit on a leg extension machine and put your feet under the roller pad and lock them by bending your ankle.
STEP-2:- Now grab the handles of the machine with both your hands and lift the weights up by lifting your legs up by straightening your knees.
STEP-3:- Once your legs get parallel to the ground, release the weight slowly.
Why is it one of the best quad exercises?
(1) Easy to progressively overload.
(2) Targets the ‘Rectus Femoris’ part of your quad.
(3) Reduced body’s momentum.
(4) Minimal risk of injury.
(5) Beginner-friendly exercise.
Takeaway
Incorporating these “8 BEST QUAD EXERCISES” will help you to reap massive quad gains. These exercises are easy to progressively overload, highly effective and puts immense load on the quad.
