Written by Kirsten Yovino | CPT Brookbush Institute
Fact checked by Tyler DiGiovanni, BSBM
FACT CHECKED
Is there anything more rewarding and aesthetically-pleasing than achieving quadricep separation? It’s the ultimate gym-goer’s goal to look down and see the chiseled lines of each quadriceps muscle. While not an impossible task, it does take some serious work and the right quadricep moves. And that is where we come in! We’ve compiled the 13 best quad exercises to help you make massive gains.
In addition to highlighting the best moves for ultra-defined quads, this article will also cover the following:
- Quadriceps anatomy and function
- Benefits of strength training the quads
- Training variables
- The 13 best quad exercises
- How often to train the quad muscles
Read on: Quad separation may soon be yours.
WHAT ARE THE QUAD MUSCLES?
The quadriceps family contains four muscles in the front of the thigh: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris.
- Vastus Lateralis: Found on the outer thigh, the vastus lateralis is the largest of the four quad muscles. Its primary job is to extend the knee, enabling the lower leg to move forward, and it also helps stabilize the knee joint. The vastus lateralis attaches to the femur, and its insertion site is on the outside of the kneecap. This quad muscle provides power and absorbs the impact of activities such as walking, running, and jumping.
- Vastus Medialis: The "teardrop" quad muscle sits toward the middle of the thigh. It originates from the backside of the femur and inserts into the middle of the patella. The vastus medialis works with the vastus lateralis to keep the kneecap aligned and plays a role in knee extension.
- Vastus Intermedius: This quad muscle runs between the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and is the deepest of the quad muscles. Its origin is the upper femur and the intermuscular septum, a fold of deep fascia, and it inserts into the side of the patella. The vastus intermedius works with the quad group to perform knee extension.
- Rectus Femoris: It is the only quad muscle to cross both the hip joint and knee joint. Crossing at the hip and knee joint means this quadriceps muscle powers both hip flexion and knee extension. The rectus femoris lies over the vastus intermedius, originating at the pelvis and hip bone and inserting at the patella.
BENEFITS OF STRONG QUADRICEPS MUSCLES
Strong quadriceps are essential for:
- Performing everyday activities: Due to their role in hip extension, activities like walking, running, and taking the stairs are made possible by the quadriceps.
- Protecting the knee: The vastus medialis and vastus lateralis work together to ensure the kneecap is stabilized and properly aligned.
- Preventing and treating conditions: Strengthening the anterior thigh muscles can prevent or treat ailments linked to weak quadriceps, including patellofemoral stress syndrome, IT band friction syndrome, and patellar tendonitis.
- Increasing power: Stronger, bigger thighs mean a more powerful gym performance. The stronger the quads, the more you can accelerate during sprinting, squat further and with more weight, balance better, and increase plyometric power.
- Improving aesthetics: No need to spend a lot of time on this point, but let’s not overlook how aesthetically pleasing muscular legs are.
CAN YOU ISOLATE YOUR QUADS?
You can target the quadriceps, but total isolation isn’t possible - or quite frankly, necessary. With lower body movements, the glutes and hamstrings are still somewhat activated. But the exercises in this article place most of the work on the quadriceps, making the front thigh muscles the primary movers. Emphasizing them in this way will make them bigger and stronger.
WHAT ARE THE BEST QUADRICEPS EXERCISES?
The best quadriceps exercises are the ones that enable you to position your body in a way that emphasizes the front thigh muscles, such as squats, lunges, leg press machines, and step-ups. Simply adjusting your foot and leg positioning emphasizes the quads. For example, moving your legs higher up on a leg press machine's footplate emphasizes your glutes. Lower the feet toward the bottom of the plate, and your quads will do the brunt of the work. Apply the same strategy to lunges and squats: Lean forward slightly to keep the work out of the hamstrings and on the quads.
TRAINING VARIABLES:
There are several key variables to keep in mind when targeting the quadriceps, including load position, body position, stability levels, and equipment options.
- Load positioning: Altering the position of your weight loads is an easy way to emphasize the quads, and more specifically, different muscles within the quad group. For example, while a barbell back squat is great for the quads, turning it into a low-bar squat, in which the bar lies lower down, across the shoulder blades, also engages the rectus femoris more so than having the barbell on top of the shoulders. Moving the barbell to the front of the body places even more work into the quads, ensuring muscle hypertrophy. Keep this in mind as you work through your quad exercises, because adjustments to your weight location, such as keeping the kettlebell close to the chest in the goblet squat, help place extra emphasis on the front thigh muscles.
- Body positioning: First and foremost, correct body positioning is a training variable that emphasizes safety. If your hips, knees, and feet aren’t aligned correctly, it’s a recipe for injury. But on top of that, tweaks can change your form enough to better grow your target muscles - in this case, the quads. A simple way to target the quadriceps more is to lean forward slightly, still keeping a neutral spine and upright trunk, so that more of your body weight is toward the front of the body, placing more stress on the quads. Another technique is to elevate the heels during squats and lunges, enabling the torso to stay upright while shifting stress to the quadriceps group. Another example is the leg press. You can target two different quad muscles, the glutes, and the entire lower body by adjusting your feet on the platform.
- Stability levels: Make sure your quadricep routine is a combination of moves that require more and less stability. Machines-based exercises provide more stability, so you can ramp up the weights and wear out the quads. However, fewer stabile exercises also contribute to muscle hypertrophy by forcing the muscles to work harder to maintain balance. That’s great news for fatiguing them.
- Equipment: Bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, and machines can all be incorporated into a quad-focused workout. Dumbbells provide endless options when training the quads. You can use one or two, keep them by the sides or resting on the shoulders, or place one in front of the chest. Machines enable you to use heavier weights, more safely, due to the extra stability they provide. Barbells allow you to perform back and front squats, both of which are crucial for developing the front thigh muscles. And some leg exercises (we’re looking at you, sissy squat) are just plain tough, meaning the weight of your body will be more than enough to ensure hypertrophy.
13 BEST QUAD EXERCISES
Here are the all-time best exercises to build big, strong quads.
1. Barbell Back Squat
This move emphasizes 3 of the four quadriceps muscles, the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius. This how-to explains how to do a high bar back squat, but another option is the low bar back squat. In the low-bar squat, the bar lies across the shoulder blades. While research has found minimal differences between quad activity in the two bar positions, a study did find the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis were activated more in the eccentric part of the low-bar squat1. Switching the bar position up is a great way to get the rectus femoris more involved with this exercise.
How to:
- Take the bar off the rack by resting it on the backside of the top of the shoulders. Taking a few steps back, place the feet shoulder-width apart with toes pointing forward or out slightly. The spine remains straight, the chest upright, and the shoulders blades retracted. Look forward.
- Flex the hips and knees to sit back. Continue lowering until the hip crease is below the knee. Keep the weight in the heels, and the knees in line with the toes.
- Simultaneously straighten the knees and hips as your push upward, back to standing.
- Take a deep breath and repeat.
Rep range: 3-5 sets of 8 to 12 reps per set
2. Front Squat
The front squats form is similar to the back squats but with one main difference. The bar is in front of the chest rather than behind the neck. The bar adjustment further emphasizes the quadricep muscles, of which all four are activated. Research comparing the back and front squats found that the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis are more activated when holding the bar in front2.
How to:
- With hands shoulder-width apart and elbows pointed forward, grab the bar with palms facing up, resting on the fingertips. Lift the bar off the rack, stepping back.
- Position the feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, pointing the toes forward or slightly out. Keep the spine straight and trunk upright. Gaze straight ahead.
- Bend at the hips and knees, sitting back. Lower until the crease of the hips is below the top of the thighs. Keep the knees in line with the toes.
- Straighten the hips and knees, pushing upward to standing.
Rep range: 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps per set
3. Hack Squat
The hack squat is a machine exercise great for beginner lifters, those looking to target the quads, and those with back issues. The machine helps to stabilize the back during movement. While this exercise activates all of the quad muscles, the vastus medialis works particularly hard. Hello, teardrop definition.
How to:
- Load the machine with the desired weight amount.
- With the back toward the machine, place the feet shoulder-width apart, and the shoulders and back against the pads.
- Releasing the safety handles, lower down by bending the hips and knees until the 90s reach a 90-degree angle.
- Straighten the hips and knees, pushing upward to return to the starting position.
Rep range: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per set
If you don't have access to a hack squat machine, here are some good alternatives to the hack squat that work the same muscles.
4. Split Squat
You can use bodyweight, dumbbells, or a barbell for the split squat. And if you frequently work out at home, consider the split squat to be essential to your at home quad workouts.
There are different ways to place your body in this exercise to target different lower body muscles. To emphasize the quadriceps, keep the torso and shin upright in the movement or keep the torso upright and the shin forward.
How to:
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, set up the barbell on the back tops of the shoulder, or place the hands on the hips. Begin by standing with feet underneath the shoulders. Take a wide step forward with one foot. The toes point forward, and both heels remain planted on the ground. Keep the torso upright.
- Bend at the knees, lifting the back heel off the ground as the weight shifts into the front heel. Continue lowering until the back shin and front thigh are parallel with the ground.
- Push through the front heel using the front leg to drive the body upward.
Rep range: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps on each leg
5. Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat uses the same form as the split squat, except you'll elevate the back foot. This change is a great progression from the split squat as it puts your balance and stability to the test. You can use your body weight, one or two dumbbells, or a barbell. The vastus medialis and rectus femoris activity are very high in this movement, with moderate activation from the vastus lateralis3.
How to:
- Stand in front of a bench, chair, or another elevated surface that is stable and approximately knee height. Keeping the feet hip distance apart, move into a forward lunge position by taking a wide step forward. Elevate the back foot on your stable surface. Place the top of the back foot on the bench. Or, flex the ankle, placing the toes on the bench and lifting the heel. Keep your knees slightly bent.
- Bend the knee, keeping it in line with the foot, until the front thigh is parallel to the ground. The hips should hinge forward slightly. The chest stays upright; look straight ahead. Keep the weight on the front leg.
- Straighten the body, returning it to an upward position, by driving through the front leg.
Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps per leg
6. Forward Lunge
The rectus femoris is the primary quadricep mover of the forward lunge; however, research shows that the vastus laterals and vastus medialis also put in significant work4.
How to:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, and hands either on the hips or holding a barbell or dumbbells.
- Step forward with the right foot, bending at the knees, lowering the body until both form 90-degree angles. The chest remains upright. The back heel lifts off the ground, placing the weight on the front leg.
- Push off the right foot, straightening the knees as the right leg returns to the starting position.
Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps per side
Have knee pain? Check out these lunge alternatives for bad knees.
7. Sissy Squat
Warning: This quad-isolating exercise’s name is extremely misleading. The sissy squat does an exceptional job hitting every quad muscle and can target the rectus femoris, something not all lower-body movements can do. Unless you’re an advanced lifter familiar with the sissy squat, you don't need to add weights. Just your body weight will be more than enough.
How to:
- Begin in a standing position with feet hip-width apart, legs straight.
- Keep the hips extended, and raise the toes. If you’re able to maintain balance, extend your arms in front of you or place them on the hips. If new to this movement, consider holding onto something at first.
- Lower into a squat, pushing the knees forward and keeping the upper body in a straight line. Maintain hip extension the entire time. The heels stay elevated as you lower down.
- Continue lowering until you can no longer maintain the proper form.
- To return to standing, extend the knees.
Reps: 3 sets of 6 reps each
8. Close Stance Leg Press
A narrow stance on the leg press will put the outer thighs to work, meaning the vastus lateralis is highly activated. By altering your foot positioning, you can emphasize certain muscles of the lower body. Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart will target the entire lower body, while a wide stance will hit the inner thighs. High foot placement targets the glutes and hamstrings, and lowering the feet will target the entire quad group. And if you're concerned the leg press isn't as effective as other moves, we can assure you it is! Compare the leg press vs. squat, and you'll see it offers plenty of great workout value.
How to:
- Sitting at a leg press machine, plant the feet on the fist plate, keeping the feet less than shoulder-width apart. The feet should be less than 3 inches apart, with the toes pointing slightly out. The back remains on the pad at all times.
- Lowering the safety bars, press the footplate up away from the torso until the legs are straight.
- Lower the footplate to the torso by bending the knees, continuing until the upper and lower legs form a 90-degree angle.
- Push through the heels of the feet as you straighten the knees and return the platform to the starting position.
Reps: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
9. Single-Leg Leg Press
This version of the leg press also does a great job targeting the outer thigh, meaning your vastus lateralis will be strongly activated. Use this quad exercise to observe whether muscle imbalances exist between the two legs.
How to:
- Sitting at a leg press machine, plant one foot on the footplate, keeping the other on the floor or straightened underneath the platform. Press the footplate away from the torso, releasing the leg press from the locked position.
- With your working leg straight, bend at the knee, lowering the footplate/sled toward your torso, continuing until your knee is almost touching the chest.
- Extend the knee, pressing the footplate away to return to the starting position. Keep the knee in line with the toes.
Reps: 2-3 reps of 8-12 sets per leg
10. Leg Extension Machine
Leg extensions can do no wrong. It develops the rectus femoris and the vastus intermedius and manages to hit the other two vastus leg muscles. Now, imagine doing this and then finishing your quad workout with some stair climbing (the benefits of the stair climber are endless). Talk about a killer quad workout!
How to:
- Sit at the leg extension machine. Placing the legs under the pad, adjust the pad so it's on top of the shins and above the feet. Set the machine to your desired amount of weight. Place the hands on the sidebars.
- Lift the weight by straightening the legs. Keep the back on the backrest.
- Lower the weight back to the starting position by bending the knees.
You can also do these unilaterally. Working your left leg first, then your right leg.
Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
No leg extension machine? Here are the best leg extension alternatives.
11. Step Ups
If you need a slightly easier variation of this exercise, ditch the dumbbell and use your body weight. If you want to make it harder, only use one dumbbell, placing it in your hand opposite the leg doing the work. All of the quadriceps muscles are activated in this movement, but research shows this exercise emphasizes the vastus lateralis the most5.
How to:
- Stand by a bench that's just under knee height, holding a pair of dumbbells, with arms extended by your sides. Place the right foot on a bench, with the hip, knee, and ankle bent 90 degrees.
- Keep the chest upright with shoulders rotated back, and begin to extend the right knee as you drive the body up with the right leg. Elevate the left foot as your body moves upward.
- You can tap the left foot on the bench before lowering back down on the right leg, or keep it elevated, maintaining balance on the right as you lower back down by bending the right knee. Tap the left foot to the ground, and then quickly raise the body upward again, using the right leg.
Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps on each leg
12. Goblet Squats
The goblet squat is your go-to if you’re struggling with squat form, bad posture, or inflexibility. Because you hold the weight in front, the hips open more than in other squats to enable you to lower between the legs. No quad muscle will go ignored with this move, but the vastus medialis gets the most attention.
How to:
- Standing with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width and toes pointed forward, hold a kettlebell at chest height with elbows tucked into the sides. The feet are wider than other squat variations, and the toes point outward slightly. It should sit close to the chest. Retract the shoulder blades. You can also use a dumbbell, holding it vertically against the chest.
- Bend the knees and sit back in the hips as you lower into a squat. Keep the chest upright and the back straight. The feet remain flat on the floor. Lower as far as you can.
- Push through the heels as you extend the knees and return to standing.
Reps: 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps
13. Box Jumps or Jump Squats
If the box jump is new to you, start with a shorter box, working your way up to a taller one as you perfect the move. Due to the high energy required for this exercise, place it at the beginning of your routine when your legs are nice and fresh. Every quad muscle must work to make this plyo move possible, with a special emphasis on the rectus femoris.
How to:
- Stand facing a box, with the feet about six inches away from the box and hip distance apart. Bend the knees and hips slightly.
- Bend at the knees, pressing the hips back while swinging the arms behind you.
- Pushing off the balls of the feet, jump into the air, swinging the arms up and forward. Fully extend the knees and hips to get as much height as possible with the jump.
- At the top of the jump, bend the hips and knees, drawing them forward to land on top of the box.
- Land softly on top of the box with both feet simultaneously. Bend the knees and hips when landing, and land with the feet about hip distance apart.
- Step off the box, and repeat the movement.
Reps: 3-4 sets of 5 jumps
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU TRAIN YOUR QUADRICEPS MUSCLES?
Research advocates for most lifters to train each muscle group twice a week for optimal strength and muscle gains6-7. The ideal setup following this format is two upper-body days and two lower-body days. If your goal is quadriceps growth, both lower-body days should incorporate quad exercises. Aim for 10 sets of quadricep exercises weekly, and don’t train them on back-to-back days. Split it up, hitting the quads once earlier in the week and toward the end of the week.
Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...
PARTING TIPS FOR QUAD GAINS:
Following these quad exercises will set you on a path for thick, muscular quads. Here are a few parting tips that will further assist in your strength training goals.
- Don’t skimp on your squats and lunges. Both movements require full ranges of motion, which research shows can produce significant quadricep growth8.
- Eat your protein. Anywhere from 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram, or .73 and 1 grams per pound, is ideal for preserving muscle9.
- Rest and recover. Don’t sabotage your efforts in the gym by now allowing the muscles to rest and let your muscle fibers repair. Ideally, give the quads 48 hours to rest in between lift sessions.
If you need more volume in your quad training, use these dumbbell quad exercises for even greater quad growth.
More Leg Exercise Content:
References:
- Murawa M, Fryzowicz A, Kabacinski J, et al. Muscle activation varies between high-bar and low-bar back squat. PeerJ. 2020;8:e9256. doi:10.7717/peerj.9256
- Yavuz HU, Erdağ D, Amca AM, Aritan S. Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2015;33(10):1058-1066. doi:10.1080/02640414.2014.984240
- Aguilera-Castells J, Buscà B, Morales J, et al. Muscle activity of Bulgarian squat. Effects of additional vibration, suspension and unstable surface. Balsalobre-Fernández C, ed. PLOS ONE. 2019;14(8):e0221710. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221710
- Park S, Chung C, Park J, et al. Comparative Analysis of Lunge Techniques: Forward, Reverse, Walking Lunge. undefined. Published 2016. Accessed May 24, 2022. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Comparative-Analysis-of-Lunge-Techniques%3A-Forward%2C-Park-Chung/d6c485f11e3365e6a577deaea27e489fca837863
- PRIME PubMed | Does the relative muscle activation of the vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and vastus lateralis, during the various activities, change in relation to the quadriceps angle? www.unboundmedicine.com. Accessed May 24, 2022. https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/29706702/Does_the_relative_muscle_activation_of_the_vastus_medialis_rectus_femoris_and_vastus_lateralis_during_the_various_activities_change_in_relation_to_the_quadriceps_angle
- DiFrancisco-Donoghue J, Werner W, Douris PC, McKenna RF. Comparison of once-weekly and twice-weekly strength training in older adults * Commentary. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2006;41(1):19-22. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.029330
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
- Bryanton MA, Kennedy MD, Carey JP, Chiu LZF. Effect of Squat Depth and Barbell Load on Relative Muscular Effort in Squatting. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2012;26(10):2820-2828. doi:10.1519/jsc.0b013e31826791a7
- Stokes T, Hector A, Morton R, McGlory C, Phillips S. Recent Perspectives Regarding the Role of Dietary Protein for the Promotion of Muscle Hypertrophy with Resistance Exercise Training. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):180. doi:10.3390/nu10020180
Kirsten Yovino
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