Quads Workout Planner

Related

• Workout Plans for Men
• Badminton Calories Burned Calculator
• Boxing Calories Burned Calculator
• Plank Calories Burned Calculator
• Burpee Calories Burned Calculator
• Crunches Calories Burned Calculator
• Sit-Up Calories Burned
• Zumba Calories Burned Calculator
• Pull Up Calories Burned Calculator
• Push-Up Calories Burned Calculator
• Home Activities Calories Burned Calculator
• Exercise Calories Burned Calculator
• Running Calorie Calculator
• Walking Calorie Burned Calculator
  

References

• Jakobsen, T. L., Jakobsen, M. D., Andersen, L. L., Husted, H., Kehlet, H., & Bandholm, T. (2019). Quadriceps muscle activity during commonly used strength training exercises shortly after total knee arthroplasty: Implications for home-based exercise-selection. Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics, 6, 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40634-019-0193-5
• Lee, JH., Kim, S., Heo, J. et al. Differences in the muscle activities of the quadriceps femoris and hamstrings while performing various squat exercises. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 14, 12 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-022-00404-6
• Ahsan, Moahmmad & Alzahrani, Abdullah. (2024). The Effect of the Quadriceps Muscle on Sports Performance and Injury Prevention: Biomechanical Perspective. Tuijin Jishu/Journal of Propulsion Technology. 45. 532-546.
• Imoto, A. M., Peccin, M. S., & Moça Trevisani, V. F. (2012). Quadriceps strengthening exercises are effective in improving pain, function and quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Acta Ortopedica Brasileira, 20(3), 174. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-78522012000300008

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.

fitliferegime.com

The post Quad Workout Plans appeared first on Fit Life Regime.

The truth is that most people waste time on ineffective movements while ignoring the exercises that actually build impressive quads.

In this guide, I share the 20 quad exercises that consistently outperform everything else for strength and hypertrophy.

These aren’t random picks—they’re backed by EMG studies showing maximum quadriceps activation and real-world results from serious lifters.

Here’s what makes these exercises different:

• They target all four quadriceps muscles (vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris)
• They allow progressive overload—the proven key to muscle growth
• They work for beginners and advanced lifters alike

20 Best Exercises To Build Bigger Quads

Let’s explore some excellent exercises to strengthen your quads. We’ll explore a mix of workouts using different kinds of fitness equipment and some great bodyweight exercises you can easily do at home.

1. Bodyweight Squat

Bodyweight squats are among the best quad exercises to build mass and strength in your legs. You can perform it virtually anywhere, with no equipment and limited space.

It is a highly functional movement that works the major muscles of the legs. Beginners need to learn the bodyweight squat before progressing to weighted squats.

If you can’t correctly squat your bodyweight, adding extra weight just worsens things on top of a weak base.

Bodyweight squats can be executed in various ways.

• Jump Squats
• Pistol Squats
• Bulgarian Split Squats
• Wall Squat
• Squat Jumps with Rotation

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. You can point your toes out 5 to 15 degrees. Find the angle that feels best for your hips and knees.
2. Keep your chest up and shoulders back. To balance, you can extend your arms straight in front, cross them over your chest, or place them on your hips.
3. Take a deep breath, engage your core, and push your hips back while bending your knees. Imagine you are sitting back in a chair that’s just behind you.
4. Lower your body down in a controlled manner. Keep your torso relatively upright—don’t let your chest collapse forward.
5. Make sure you keep your back straight and your spine neutral.
6. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or even lower if your mobility allows. Don’t sacrifice form for depth.
7. Exhale as you powerfully drive through your entire foot (don’t lift your heels or roll onto your toes). Push the floor away. Extend your knees and hips simultaneously, returning to the standing position.

2. Bodyweight Sumo Squat

Regular squats are great for building your lower body, but the Sumo variation uses a wider stance and an outward foot angle to focus on the inner thighs (adductor muscles) and can help your quads get stronger.

It’s also a fantastic way to work on hip flexibility, which is key for deeper squats.

This setup reduces stress on the lower back and emphasises the gluteus maximus, adductors, and vastus medialis oblique (VMO) of the quads.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet significantly wider than shoulder width. Turn your toes outwards—experiment to find an angle where your knees can comfortably track outwards in line with your toes.
2. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and core braced. As with regular bodyweight squats, arms can be out front, crossed, or on the hips.
3. Keep your torso upright, push your hips back and down simultaneously, bending your knees outwards.
4. Lower your body down, focusing on driving your knees outwards over your toes. Your torso will remain more vertical than in a regular squat, where you might hinge more at the hips.
5. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower. At the bottom, you should feel a good stretch in your inner thighs.
6. Focus on engaging your inner thighs as you come back to your starting position.

3. Jump Squat

Jump squats are the power-packed HIIT version of squats. Squat jumps help shed body fat, tone your butt and legs, and improve strength and balance.

Research has shown that Jump squats generate more explosive force than traditional squats, making them a valuable addition to any lower-body workout routine.

Including in-home quad workouts is a great exercise since they can be done in a small space without any equipment.

Studies also indicate that jump squats can improve vertical jump height, crucial for various sports and athletic activities.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Quickly drop down by bending at the knees and hips, and let your glutes track backward to lower yourself into a squat.
3. At the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor.
4. Reverse direction, driving up through your heels and the balls of your feet to lift your body off the floor as high as possible.
5. Land with soft knees and immediately lower into the next rep.
6. Don’t perform this exercise with cold muscles. Do a cardio warm-up before it.

4. Sissy Squat

While squats typically involve sitting back and down, the Sissy Squat is the complete opposite. You’re leaning back and letting your knees travel far forward over your toes.

This drastically shifts the leverage and places almost all the tension directly onto the quadriceps, with minimal help from the hamstrings and glutes.

It’s a fantastic accessory movement or finisher for isolating quads for growth, especially Vastus Medialis and the top of the quad (Rectus Femoris).

To add resistance, hold a weight plate on your chest with the arm that is not stabilizing your body.

How To Do

1. Stand upright and hold onto a stable support with one hand (like a squat rack upright, a sturdy pole, or a sissy squat machine if available). Your feet should be about hip-width apart.
2. Keep your chest up and core braced, allow your hips to extend slightly so your body forms a relatively straight line from your knees up through your shoulders. You will feel your quads engage immediately.
3. As you lower yourself, keep your body straight and bend your knees so they go over your toes. Simultaneously, you will lean your torso backwards. 
4. Lower yourself slowly and under control. Go as low as your knee mobility and strength. You should feel an intense stretch and burn in your quads.
5. Powerfully contract your quads to extend your knees and pull yourself back up to the starting upright position. Drive through the balls of your feet.

6. Resistance Band Split Squat

It is a powerful unilateral exercise that targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. The instability introduced by the band also activates the core.

This is my go-to unilateral leg builder for at-home training or training the quads without loading the spine.

How To Do

1. Stand tall, place a resistance band under your front foot, and maintain a posture that allows you to move freely.
2. Your front foot is planted firmly – about 2-3 feet before your back foot.
3. Keep your torso upright and confident. Your chest is up like you’re trying to show off a logo on your shirt.
4. As you go lower, everything moves in harmony. Your front knee tracks over your toes like it’s on rails, and your back knee drops toward the ground.
5. At the bottom position, your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
6. Now drive back up with the front wheel. Push through it like you’re trying to leave a footprint in concrete. The band tension increases as you rise, challenging you most at the top when traditional squats would be easiest.
7. The whole movement should feel smooth, controlled, and strong – like you’re moving through slightly thick honey.

6. Dumbbell Squat

The Dumbbell Squat is one of the most accessible and effective leg exercises for building strength, muscle mass, and joint stability—especially for those training at home, beginners, or even advanced lifters during deloads.

I start almost all my new clients with this before moving on to the more difficult barbell squat. It allows me to correct their depth, posture, and breathing under controlled load.

How To Do

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out (your comfortable squat stance).
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging naturally by your sides, palms facing your body. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and core braced.
3. Take a breath, engage your core, and push your hips back and bend your knees simultaneously, just like the bodyweight squat.
4. Lower under control, keeping your back straight and chest lifted. Allow your knees to track in line with your toes. Descend to at least parallel, or lower if comfortable with good form.
5. Drive powerfully through your entire foot, extending your hips and knees to return to standing.
6. Stand tall, hips and knees locked out.

7. Dumbbell Split Squat

The dumbbell split squat is a fundamental unilateral exercise essential for developing strong, balanced, and aesthetic legs. It should be included in nearly every individual’s workout routine.

It is an excellent exercise to build thigh muscles and glutes. Along with squats, lunges are highly recommended to build mass in your butt and quad muscles.

It calls for good balance, so if you struggle with it at first, try doing it without the weights.

How To Do

1. Start in a split stance with feet approximately hip-width apart, front foot flat and rear foot with heel elevated (ball of foot on ground). The optimal front foot position is typically 2-3 feet ahead of your rear foot.
2. Hold dumbbells at your sides in a neutral grip position. This stance creates immediate stability challenges that enhance neuromuscular recruitment.
3. Keep your torso upright with a very slight forward lean (5-10°)
4. Position the front knee directly above or slightly behind the ankle at the bottom position
5. Descend until the rear knee nearly touches the floor (about 1-2 inches clearance)
6. Drive through your front leg’s midfoot while concentrating on your quadriceps contraction.

8. Dumbbell Sumo Squat

It’s a great variation for individuals who struggle with traditional squats due to hip mobility restrictions or lower back discomfort.

It is performed with a wider-than-shoulder-width stance, usually at a 30°–45° angle.

This position shifts some of the load away from the spine and places greater emphasis on the adductors and glutes, while still heavily engaging the quads.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and turn your feet out, externally rotating your hips.
2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands in front of you (either goblet-style or hanging vertically like a kettlebell).
3. Breathe in deeply, then push your hips back and lower your body into a squat.
4. Pause, then exhale and ensure you’re pushing through your heels and engaging your inner thighs as you return to your starting position.

9. Dumbbell Step Up

It is an effective unilateral compound exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and hip abductors by imitating movements such as hiking or climbing stairs.

I use dumbbell step-ups as a staple in my clients’ programs to correct leg imbalances, enhance functional strength, and improve single-leg stability.

If you don’t have weights or want an easier variation, you can do a bodyweight step-up at home.

You can also try a lateral step-up.

How To Do

1. Place a knee-high box or bench in front of you.
2. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, or use just your body weight.
3. Stand with your feet in a comfortable hip-width stance. Keep your back in a natural arch and your body upright.
4. Step forward with one leg onto the step and drive through that thigh to bring your body upward.
5. Bring the trailing leg to the top of the step and stand on the box. Then, step back with the opposite leg to the floor and lower yourself.
6. Alternate legs with each rep.

10. Barbell Squat

The barbell squat is the king of all exercises, with the only challenger being the barbell deadlift. Nothing comes close to a squat workout for building muscle mass and toning the leg muscles.

Most people love this exercise because it strengthens the legs and core. Many research papers have investigated the effects of squats on testosterone levels.

In general, these studies have found that squats can lead to a significant increase in testosterone levels.

How To Do

1. Adjust the barbell height in the rack so it’s roughly level with your mid-chest. This ensures you don’t have to stand on your toes to unrack or struggle to re-rack.
2. Load the desired weight plates evenly on both sides of the bar. Use collars to secure the plates!
3. Step directly in front of the bar. Place your hands on the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. Grip the bar firmly.
4. Duck under the bar. Position the bar securely on your upper back. For most people, this means creating a “shelf” with your upper traps and rear deltoids, just below the base of your neck (High Bar position).
5. Lift the bar off the hooks by driving through your feet and standing tall.
6. Take 1-2 steps back from the rack to clear the hooks. Adjust your foot stance to your comfortable squat width (shoulder-width or slightly wider, toes pointed slightly out).
7. Take deep, bracing breath into your core. Push your hips back while bending your knees simultaneously. Imagine sitting down and back.
8. Lower yourself down under control. Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Allow your knees to track in line with your toes.
9. Drive up powerfully through your entire foot. Think about pushing the floor away. Extend your hips and knees simultaneously, returning to the standing position.

11. Front Squat

The Back Squat is a fantastic exercise for building overall strength and targeting multiple muscle groups, but if you want to focus on your quads, the Front Squat is the way to go.

By shifting the bar from your back to the front of your shoulders, you change how your body works during the lift.

This position keeps your torso nice and upright, which challenges your quads. Plus, it also gives your core and upper back stabilisers a great workout.

The study also shown that front squats may be advantageous compared with back squats for individuals with knee problems such as meniscus tears, and long-term joint health.

How To Do

1. Adjust the bar height slightly lower than for a back squat, around clavicle height.
2. Step up to the bar, chest up. Cross your arms and place your hands on the bar, gripping it lightly with your fingers (just enough to keep it from rolling).
3. Let the bar rest across the front of your shoulders and clavicles. Elevate your elbows high, pointing them straight forward. Your arms form a shelf.
4. Take 1-2 small steps back to clear the rack. Adjust your foot stance – often shoulder-width or slightly narrower than a back squat, with toes pointed slightly out.
5. Keep your chest up and elbows HIGH. To start lowering, bend your knees and push your hips back a little. Descend to at least parallel, or deeper if your mobility allows.
6. From this position, push yourself back to the starting point.

12. Barbell Split Squat

This exercise is a powerhouse for building serious single-leg strength, correcting imbalances between your legs, and stimulating significant muscle growth in your quads and glutes.

As you descend, the front quad and glute work eccentrically. The degree of quad vs. glute emphasis can be slightly shifted by stance length – a shorter stance places a bit more stress on the quad, while a longer stance can involve the glute more, but both are heavily recruited regardless.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
2. Place a barbell across your back and rest it on your upper traps.
3. Step forward with one leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
4. Make sure your front knee does not extend past your toes.
5. Exhale and drive powerfully up through your entire front foot, extending your front knee and hip to return to the starting position.
6. Complete all desired reps on one leg before carefully returning to the rack to re-rack the bar. Then, switch legs and repeat the entire process.

13. Zercher Squat

The Zercher Squat is a unique and highly effective compound exercise in which the barbell is held in the crooks of your elbows in front of your torso. It’s an excellent squat variation for improving quad strength, core stability, and upper back endurance.

I often recommend the Zercher Squat to intermediate and advanced lifters who want to break through plateaus, develop real-world functional strength, or build mental toughness.

How To Do

1. Stand with a shoulder-width grip. Hold a barbell at chest height in the crook of your crossed arms.
2. Use elbow pads to decrease discomfort in your arms. Another option is placing two barbell pads for each arm on the bar.
3. Step back from the rack and stand in a wide stance with your knees and feet pointed out diagonally in the same direction.
4. Keep your back straight and body upright.
5. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
6. It would be best if you paused when your thighs are parallel to the floor.
7. Reverse direction and drive up through your heels to the standing position.

14. Side Lunge

The side lunge, aka lateral lunge, is fantastic because it targets muscles that don’t get as much direct work in traditional squats and lunges, particularly the inner and outer thighs (adductors and abductors).

It’s the best for improving hip mobility, building strength in unique ranges of motion, and correcting side-to-side imbalances. Plus, it still hits those quads and glutes

Other Variations:

• Bodyweight Lateral Lunge
• Dumbbell Lateral Lunge

How To Do

1. Place a barbell on your traps and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2.  Step out to your right as far as you can with your right foot.
3. The forefoot should be turned out slightly as you plant it on the floor.
4. Squat, shifting your weight to the left until your left leg is parallel with the floor.
5. Do not lean the torso forward as you rise out of the bottom of the lunge.
6. Extend your left leg back up to lift your body up.
7. Repeat with your left leg in the same manner, alternating legs each rep until all reps are completed.

15. Jefferson Squat

This exercise is kind of a hybrid beast, sitting somewhere between a squat and a deadlift, performed with the barbell between your legs, straddled.

Because of the unique bar placement and stance challenges your body’s ability to resist rotation and puts your quads and hips under tension in a way traditional squats don’t.

It’s a favourite among old-school strength athletes—and it’s making a comeback in modern functional training programs.

How To Do

1. Straddle a loaded barbell placed on the floor and run sideways between your feet.
2. Squat down to pick up the bar, grabbing it with one hand facing palm backwards and one hand facing palm forward.
3. Hold the bar as you stand with a wider grip than shoulder-width. Ensure that the weight is evenly distributed between your two legs.
4. Bend at the knees and hips, letting your glutes track backwards to lower yourself.
5. When your thighs are parallel to the floor or the bar touches the floor, reverse direction and drive up through your heels to a standing position.

16. Barbell Box Squat

The box squat is a compound exercise that uses a barbell and a plyometric box to work the muscle groups throughout your body.

Box squats’ posture puts slightly less pressure on the knee joints than front or back squats.

This is a great workout for learning how to squat because it reinforces the sitting-back portion of the squat.

Other variation: Bodyweight Box Squat and Dumbbell Box Squat

How To Do

1. Place a box or bench that is about knee height behind you in the power rack or squat rack.
2. Unrack the bar and move back so you are several inches ahead of the box or bench.
3. Your posture should be tall, with your feet wider than hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
4. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips, with your head and neck in a neutral position.
5. Squat back and down until your glutes make contact with the box, and immediately explode back up by pressing through your heels until you’re back in the standing position. Do not “plop” or fully sit down on the box.
6. Do not sit on the box and rock backwards, as this can compress your spine; pause and immediately raise.

Know More: 15 Best Barbell Leg Workout For Mass and Strength

17. Leg Press

If you have back problems or are concerned about lower back pressure, leg press exercises are the best thigh-building and toning workouts.  

In comparison with the barbell squat, the seated leg press exercises reduce the axial load on your spine and reduce the risk of backache.

It’s an excellent tool for building pure muscle mass (hypertrophy) and strength in the quads and glutes, especially when you want to eliminate your core and lower back or push your legs to fatigue after heavier compound lifts.

How To Do

1. Adjust the seat back if possible to a comfortable angle (usually 45 degrees is standard).
2. Sit in the machine with your back flat against the backrest.
3. Place your feet on the platform in your preferred stance (start with standard/mid-platform, shoulder-width, toes slightly out).
4. Push the platform away from you by extending your knees and hips until your legs are nearly fully extended (do not lock your knees out completely).
5. Slowly lower the platform towards your body by bending your knees and hips. Keep your back flat against the pad – do NOT let your lower back round off the seat.
6. Exhale and powerfully drive through your entire feet, pushing the platform back up by extending your knees and hips.

18. Leg Extension

Leg extension is one of the best quad-dominant exercises and a great way to build and shape your quad muscles.

Research has shown that range of motion (ROM) and leg rotation significantly affect muscle activation during leg extensions. The vastus medialis oblique is best targeted in the final ROM, while the rectus femoris is maximally activated with lateral rotation.

Different positions of the toes work different quad muscles.

• Pointing your toes directly upward hits all sections of the quadriceps equally,
• Toes inward, internally rotates the tibia to target the inner quad.
• Placing your toes outward externally rotates the tibia to hit the outer quad.

How To Do

1. Sit on a Leg extension machine with your legs under the pad and with your back pressed firmly against the back pad.
2. Grab the handles or the seat edges behind your hips and keep your upper body steady.
3. Extend your legs as far as possible in a smooth movement until fully extended to get a maximum thigh contraction.
4. Do not lock your knees when they are fully extended. This can put additional strain on the knee joint.
5. Contract your quads at the top and slowly lower the weight under control to the starting position.

19. Hack Squat

The machine hack squat is a variation of the squat and an exercise used to build the muscles of the legs.

In particular, the hack squat targets Quadriceps, glutes, and hip flexors and also involves calves and hamstrings.

The difference between a barbell squat and a hack squat is that the barbell squat involves the core more.

How To Do

1. Get on a hack squat machine and place your back flat against the back pad of the and get your shoulders under the support.
2. Grip the side handles of the machine and place your legs in a shoulder width stance with your toes pointed out slightly.
3. Straighten your legs, but do not lock your knees. Bend your knees as you slowly lower the weight.
4. Go down as low as possible, parallel to the floor. Hold for a count of one.
5. Return to the start position by pushing down through your heels and extending your legs.

20. Smith Machine Squat

Smith machines are designed to stabilise your core and maintain your posture while you squat.

The Smith machine squat allows you to squat a heavy weight without a spotter safely. Just make sure that you use the safety pins. You must add this exercise to your quad workout to help you build mass and strength.

How To Do

1. Stand in a smith machine so that the barbell is behind your shoulders and slightly below your neck, grasping it just outside your shoulders. Twist the bar to unrack it.
2. Grasp the barbell with palms facing forward and hands wider than shoulder width apart.
3. With your chest high, head forward, and back slightly arched, bend your knees and hips.
4. Inhale as you slowly lower the barbell by getting into a squat position.
5. When your thighs parallel the floor, exhale and push off with your legs to reverse the movement and return to the starting position.

What Are the Quadriceps Muscles

The quads, or quadriceps femoris, located in front of the thigh. They are the largest and strongest muscles in the thigh, and they play an important role in extending the knee and flexing the hip.

The four muscles of the quadriceps are:

1. Rectus femoris: the longest muscle in the quadriceps, and it runs along the front of the thigh.
2. Vastus lateralis: This muscle is located on the outside of the thigh. It is responsible for giving the thigh its shape.
3. Vastus medialis: This muscle is located inside the thigh and helps stabilize the knee joint.
4. Vastus intermedius: This muscle is located in the middle of the thigh and helps extend the knee.

The four heads merge together, attach onto the patella (knee cap), and then insert via a single (patellar) tendon onto the tibia, just below the knee joint.

All four of these muscles help your knee joint extend, and due to the rectus femoris’ attachment to the ilium, it’s also a flexor of the hip. Hence, the muscle group is so important in walking, running, jumping, and squatting.

How To Build Quad Muscle Mass

You also need to consider other strategies and workouts. Here are the best tips for getting bigger and stronger quads fast. 

1. Do Plenty Of Squats And Lunges

Squats and lunges are basic and ideal for building quad strength. As compound movements, they work the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and other muscles.

Another great thing is that you can make many variations and add weight to your progress. Start with the basics to get good form, and then try these: 

• Weighted squat
• Jump Squat
• Weighted lunges
• Jumping lunges

2. Go Heavy

Fewer reps with heavier weights are always more effective and efficient when building muscle strength and size.

You will gain strength by lifting lighter weights and completing more repetitions, but you will eventually hit a wall. To see results, focus on loading up squats and other exercises while doing fewer reps. 

3. Challenge Yourself With Drop Sets And Supersets

Take your leg workout to the next level with more challenging sets. A drop set is when you hit muscle failure, switch to a lighter weight and do more reps. Continue until you get to no weight. 

To do a superset, plan a series of sets of quad strengthening exercises and do them all in a row with no rest until you have completed them all. Then do it again. Start small with just two sets of different moves. Add more as you progress. 

4. Follow Quad Training Weekly Volume, Sets And Reps

The number of reps and sets will vary based on your fitness level, weekly workout frequency, and strength training goals to structure an effective quad workout to increase mass and strength.

Weekly Volumes

Reps

• For strength gains, do 1 to 6 reps each exercise with a weight that is at least 85% of your one-repetition maximum (1rm). The fewer reps you perform, the closer to 100% of your 1rm you should strive for.
• If your goal is hypertrophy (muscle growth), perform 8 to 12 reps, using loads 70 to 85% of your 1RM.
• When training for endurance, it is usually recommended to use higher reps (15 to 20 repetitions) and moderate loads with a weight of at least 50 to 70% of your 1RM.

5. Beginner Quad Workout Plan

If you’re new to lifting weights, don’t worry. This beginner-friendly quad workout routine is a great place to start.

When this gets easy, choose a heavier free weight. After you’ve upped your weight several times and feel strong in the movements below, move on to the intermediate routine.

Until then, you can follow this beginner quad workout plan at home.

References

1. Michal Krzysztofik,^* Michal Wilk, Grzegorz Wojdała, and Artur Gołaś: Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec
2. Thomas Linding Jakobsen, Markus Due Jakobsen, Lars Louis Andersen: Quadriceps muscle activity during commonly used strength training exercises shortly after total knee arthroplasty: implications for home-based exercise-selection. J Exp Orthop. 2019 Dec
3. Donnelly DV, Berg WP, Fiske DM. The effect of the direction of gaze on the kinematics of the squat exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20:145–150.
4. Desiana, Istingadah & Moeliono, Marina & Prabowo, Tertianto. (2017). Effects of Quadriceps Strengthening Exercise on Quadriceps Muscle Strength and Its Relation to Lower Extremity Lean Mass. International Journal of Integrated Health Sciences. 5. 84-88. 10.15850/ijihs.v5n2.1010.
5. Mehls K, Grubbs B, Jin Y, Coons J. Electromyography Comparison of Sex Differences During the Back Squat. J Strength Cond Res. 2022 Feb 1;36(2):310-313. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003469. PMID: 32032232.
6. Wirth K, Hartmann H, Sander A, Mickel C, Szilvas E, Keiner M. The Impact of Back Squat and Leg-Press Exercises on Maximal Strength and Speed-Strength Parameters. J Strength Cond Res. 2016 May;30(5):1205-12. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001228. PMID: 26439782.
7. Muscle Activity in Single- vs. Double-Leg Squats
8. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Thigh Quadriceps Muscle

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.

fitliferegime.com

The post 20 Best Quad Exercises to Build Mass and Strength appeared first on Fit Life Regime.

Now, I’ll be honest – I used to skip leg day more often than I’d like to admit. However, everything changed when I discovered the power of barbell quad exercises.

When you lift a heavy bar and perform a squat, lunge, or deadlift, you are not only working your quadriceps. You’re engaging your entire body, challenging your muscles and nervous system. This means increased muscle growth, better coordination, and strength.

Here, we’ll look at the best barbell exercises for your quads, how to do them safely and effectively, and how to add them to your training plan.

12 Best Quad Dominant Barbell Exercises To Build Mass

Let us explore the world of quad-barbell exercises and provide you with a comprehensive guide to maximizing leg gains.

We’ve got you covered with exercises like squats and lunges, as well as advanced ones like step-ups and hack squats.

Get ready to use your quads to their full potential and become stronger and more athletic.

1. Barbell Squat

The barbell squat is the king of all exercises, the only challenger being the barbell deadlift. Nothing comes close to squat workout to build muscle mass and tone the legs muscles.

The quadriceps femoris muscles are the primary active muscles during back squats. According to the study, the quadriceps muscle EMG activities were the highest during the back squat.

Most people love this exercise because it is great for strengthening the core and legs, shocking the body into releasing testosterone, and promoting the development of muscle mass and strength.

How To Do

1. Step on the rack so that the barbell rests across the back of your shoulders.
2. Raise the barbell and get away from the rack if you are doing with free weights.
3. Bend your knees and lower yourself with your back straight.
4. Now raise yourself up using only the thigh power.
5. Keeping your back straight, in a position with legs nearly locked out.

Tips

• Start light and add weight gradually, allowing your legs and lower back to adapt.
• When lifting heavy weights, it is advised to have a spotter ready or to use a squat rack or power rack.

2. Barbell Front Squat

The barbell squat and the barbell front squat work the same target and synergistic muscles. However, the barbell front squat recruits more stabilizer muscles, including various back muscles, shoulders, and chest.

Front squats are perfect for Olympic weightlifters, athletes, bodybuilders, or anyone serious about their leg workouts. They’re excellent for quad and glute development and maintaining training intensity with less weight.

Plus, they offer great carryover benefits to other quad-dominant exercises like the back squat and leg press.

How To Do

1. Step on a Smith machine and get the bar on your shoulders in front of you.
2. Grasp it with your crossed arms and lift it off the rack.
3. Maintain the natural arch in your lower back and keep your head directed forward.
4. Bend your knees and drive your hips back to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. From this position, push yourself back to the starting point.

3. Barbell Forward Lunge

The barbell lunge is a brilliant exercise to target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It also engages the core muscles and helps improve balance and stability.

It helps to develop balance, coordination, and your legs’ unilateral (one-sided) functional strength.

Advance Variation Of Barbell Lunge

• Jumping Lunges (switching legs mid-air)
• Lateral Lunges (stepping to the side instead of forward)
• Clock Barbell Lunges (stepping in different directions, like 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock)

How To Do

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold a barbell behind the neck and stand upright.
3. Bend your knees and get them close to the floor.
4. Pause briefly in the bottom position and push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat the movement with the other leg.
6. Alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep your chest lifted, shoulders back, and core engaged.
• Bend as far and low as possible without losing form.
• Ensure that your front knee does not extend beyond your toes.
• Keep your torso upright and your head facing forward.

4. Barbell Split Squat

Split squats provide a refreshing change of stimulus for your lower body muscles, which makes them a valuable alternative to regular lunges.

It is a good lower-body exercise that works one leg at a time.

It involves standing with one leg in front of you and the other leg extended behind you. The split squat exercise focuses on an up-and-down motion pattern.

The main difference between split squats and lunges:

• A lunge can be performed either forward or backward, and occasionally in both directions.
• During a split squat, the athlete’s foot stays still while moving up and down.

How To Do

1. Place a barbell across your upper back, resting it on your upper traps.
2. Ensure you have a firm grip on the barbell with your hands.
3. Take a step forward with one leg, creating a split stance.
4. The front foot should be positioned far enough in front to allow a 90-degree bend in both the front and back knees.
5. Stand up straight and lower your body by bending your knees at the same time.
6. Descend until your front thigh is parallel to the ground and your back knee is just above the floor.
7. Pause briefly in the bottom position, then push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
8. Repeat the movement with the opposite leg.

Tips

• Maintain an upright posture by bracing your abdominals and activating your core muscles.
• Don’t let your knee collapse inward or extend too far beyond your toes.
• Aim for a full range of motion by lowering until your front thigh is parallel to the ground

Read More To Know More: Barbell Leg Exercises For Strength And Power: A Complete Program

5. Barbell Step Up

The barbell step-up is a great exercise for building lower-body strength and power. This exercise targets the quadriceps and also involves calves and glutes & hip flexors.

The step-up is a great all-around exercise that is perfect for everyone. It can be modified to create a challenging workout for anyone, whether they have just started exercising or have been training for years.

It has a low risk of injury and, with a few adjustments, offers a good cardio and strength workout.

How To Do

1. Place a knee-high box or bench in front of you and grasp a barbell supported on the back in each hand.
2. Stand with your feet in a comfortable hip-width stance.
3. Step forward with one leg onto the step and drive through that thigh to bring your body upward.
4. Bring the trailing leg to the top of the step and stand on the box.
5. Then step back with the opposite leg to the floor and lower yourself.
6. Alternate legs with each rep. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Control the movement, using your muscles to lift and lower yourself slowly.
• Be sure to keep your lower back in its natural arch and your upper body upright throughout the movement.
• Keep your body upright and your feet and knees pointing in the same direction.

6. Zercher Squat

The Zercher squat, a demanding barbell exercise, is a staple in many advanced strength training programs. It loads highly on the anterior legs (Quads), upper back and traps, and the arms.

While beneficial, the Zercher squat is not suitable for beginners due to its technical difficulty and potential for injury if performed incorrectly.

However, for experienced lifters, it can be a valuable tool to enhance specific movement patterns, such as those seen in Strongman competitions or certain occupational activities.

How To Do

1. Stand with a shoulder-width grip while holding a barbell at chest height in the crook of your crossed arms.
2. Carefully step backward from the rack and stand with a wide stance, with your knees and feet pointing out diagonally in the same direction.
3. Keep your back straight and your body upright, and let your glutes move backwards to lower yourself.
4. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, reverse direction and drive up through your heels into a standing position.

Tips

• Clasp fingers together while holding the barbell.
• Do not round your back. Keep your back straight with a natural arch in your lower back.
• Use elbow pads to decrease discomfort in your arms. Another option is placing two barbell pads for each arm on the bar.

7. Barbell Side Lunge

The side lunges (lateral lunges), are an effective exercise that targets the lower body. Specifically, they work the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. It also incorporates the inner thigh muscle.

If you are familiar with lunges, learning side lunges is a natural progression.

The unilateral movement of side lunges can help you to improve muscular imbalances, increase strength in each leg, and benefit from a functional movement.

Other Variations: Bodyweight Lateral Lunge and Dumbbell Lateral Lunge

How To Do

1. Place a barbell on your traps and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Step out to your right as far as you can with your right foot.
3. The forefoot should be turned out slightly as you plant it on the floor.
4. Squat, shifting your weight to the left until your left leg is parallel with the floor.
5. Extend your left leg back up to lift your body up.
6. Repeat with your left leg in the same manner, alternating legs each rep until all reps are completed.

Tips

• Do not lean the torso forward as you rise out of the bottom of the lunge.
• Keep your bent knee aligned with your ankle to protect your knee joint.

8. Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat is a classic lower-body exercise made popular by its challenging unilateral stance.

Because your rear foot is elevated and not in contact with the floor, you have effectively minimized its use. This means that you are relying heavily on the quadriceps of the forward leg to lift a significant portion of your weight.

If you suffer from balance problems, avoiding them or using your bodyweight variation while holding on to a steady object is best.

How To Do

1. Start by standing in a split stance, with one foot positioned about two feet in front of the other.
2. Your back foot should rest on a bench, box, or any elevated surface.
3. Hold a barbell across your upper back, resting it on your trapezius muscles.
4. Lower your body by bending your front knee and lowering your back knee towards the floor.
5. Continue descending until your front thigh is parallel to the ground or slightly below.
6. Push through your front heel and return to the starting position, extending your front knee and hip.
7. Repeat the exercise with your opposite leg.

9. Barbell Hack Squat

The barbell hack squat is a variation of the traditional squat exercise.

Although the barbell hacks squat primarily focuses on the quadriceps, it also engages the hamstrings and glutes, promoting balanced lower body development.

It involves holding a barbell behind your legs while performing a squatting motion.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell behind your legs.
2. Squat down and grasp the barbell with an overhand grip.
3. Keep your back straight, chest up, and head facing forward.
4. Lift the barbell by extending your hips and knees to a standing position.
5. Slowly lower yourself by bending at the knees and hips, as if sitting back into a chair.
6. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
7. Push through your heels and extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position.

Tips

• Ensure that your knees are in line with your toes.
• Warm up adequately before attempting this exercise
• Keep your core engaged and maintain a neutral spine

Know More: 12 Most Effective Smith Machine Leg Workout & Exercises

10. Barbell Sumo Squat

Barbell Sumo Squats are a compound exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and adductors.

This variation of squats involves using a barbell and adopting a wide stance with the toes pointing outwards, similar to a sumo wrestler’s stance.

Using a wide stance to do this exercise can help you improve hip mobility and flexibility.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed outward at a 45-degree angle.
2. Reach down and grip the barbell overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Take a deep breath and brace your core.
4. Push through your heels and pull your hips forward to start the motion.
5. Extend your knees and hips simultaneously until you’re standing upright.
6. Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your glutes.
7. Then, slowly lower yourself back down by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
8. Continue squatting until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly below.

11. Jefferson Squat

Jefferson squats are an old technique that few people utilize anymore, but they truly are an excellent workout because they test and work your lower body.

It requires a balancing act (Asymmetrical movement), and there’s an element of building up coordination and stabilization to keep the bar centered, which also helps to avoid injuries.

How To Do

1. Straddle a loaded barbell placed on the floor and running sideways between your feet.
2. Squat down to pick up the bar, grabbing it with one and facing palm backward and one hand facing palm forward.
3. Hold the bar as you stand with a wider grip than shoulder-width.
4. Bend at the knees and hips, letting your glutes track backward to lower yourself.
5. When your thighs are parallel to the floor or the bar touches the floor, reverse direction, driving up forcefully through your heels to a standing position.

Tips

• Keep your feet flat, your chest up, your back straight, and your shoulders back.
• Ensure that the weight is evenly distributed between your two legs.
• Hold the barbell with an even, well-balanced grip.

12. Barbell Box Squat

The box squat is a compound exercise that uses a barbell and plyometric box to work for muscle groups throughout your body.

Box squats puts slightly less pressure on your knee joints when compared to front squats or back squats.

This is a great workout for learning how to squat because it reinforces the sitting-back portion of the squat.

Other variation: Bodyweight Box Squat and Dumbbell Box Squat

How To Do

1. Place a box or bench that is about knee height behind you in the power rack or squat rack.
2. Unrack the bar and move back so you are several inches ahead of the box or bench.
3. Your posture should be tall, with your feet wider than hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
4. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips, with your head and neck in a neutral position.
5. Squat back and down until your glutes contact the box, and immediately explode back up by pressing through your heels until you’re back in the standing position. Do not “plop” or fully sit down on the box.

Tips

• As you stand, keep your chest high and squeeze your glutes
• The goal is to squat slowly and softly on the box and immediately explode.
• Do not sit on the box and rock backward, as this can compress the spine; just pause and immediately raise.

Techniques To Build Quad with Barbell

Once you’ve mastered the basics of barbell exercises for quad development, you can incorporate advanced techniques to take your quad-building to the next level.

Here are some techniques to consider:

1. Add Drop Sets

Drop sets involve performing a workout with a heavy load, immediately reducing the load, and performing the same workout with a lighter load.

This technique can help you push past plateaus and increase muscle growth.

2. Supersets

Supersets involve performing two exercises back-to-back with no rest in between. This technique can increase muscle activation and promote muscle growth.

3. Tempo Training

Manipulate the tempo of your reps to increase time under tension. For example, perform slow and controlled eccentric and concentric movement phases, emphasizing the lowering and lifting portions.

By increasing muscle fiber recruitment, this technique can lead to significant quad hypertrophy.

4. Progressive Overload

Progressive overload involves gradually increasing an exercise’s weight or resistance over time. It can help you build strength and muscle mass.

5. Barbell Focused Quad Workout Routine

6. Important Tips

To minimize your risk of injury, make sure to follow these safety precautions:

• Always warm up properly before lifting
• Start with a weight that is manageable for your fitness level
• Use a spotter when lifting heavy weights
• Focus on proper form throughout each exercise
• Listen to your body and stop if you experience any pain or discomfort

Quadriceps Muscle (Anatomy)

The quadriceps, commonly called the quads, are a group of four large muscles located on the front of the thigh. These muscles work together to extend the leg and flex the hip joint.

Understanding the anatomy of the quadriceps can help target and train these muscles effectively.

The four main muscles that make up the quadriceps are:

1. Rectus Femoris

• The rectus femoris is the largest and most superficial muscle of the quadriceps.
• It originates from the anterior inferior iliac spine (part of the hip bone) and the upper part of the acetabulum (hip joint socket).
• It runs down the thigh, inserts into the patella (kneecap), and then continues as the patellar tendon attaches to the tibia (shinbone).

2. Vastus Lateralis

• Largest and most lateral (outer) muscle of the quadriceps.
• It originates from the greater trochanter of the femur (bony prominence on the side of the hip) and the linea aspera (ridge on the back of the femur).
• It runs down the thigh and inserts into the outer part of the patella and the tibial tuberosity (bump on the front of the tibia).

3. Vastus Medialis

• Located on the medial (inner) side of the quadriceps muscle group.
• It originates from the intertrochanteric line (ridge on the hip’s inside) and the femur’s linea aspera.
• It runs down the thigh and inserts into the inner part of the patella and the tibial tuberosity.

4. Vastus Intermedius

• Located deep within the quadriceps muscle group.
• It originates from the anterior and lateral surfaces of the femur.
• It runs down the thigh and merges with the other quadriceps muscles to insert into the patella and tibial tuberosity.

References

• Hagen Hartmann, Klaus Wirth, and Markus Klusemann, ‘Analysis of the Load on the Knee Joint and Vertebral Column with Changes in Squatting Depth and Weight Load’, in Sports Medicine, (2013, Vol.43), pp.993-1008
• Myer GD, Kushner AM, Brent JL, Schoenfeld BJ, Hugentobler J, Lloyd RS, Vermeil A, Chu DA, Harbin J, McGill SM. The back squat: A proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance. Strength Cond J. 2014 Dec 1;36(6):4-27. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000103. PMID: 25506270; PMCID: PMC4262933.

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.

fitliferegime.com

The post 12 Best Barbell Quad Exercises For Mass And Strength appeared first on Fit Life Regime.