Best Tips to Build Strong Quads Plus Sample Workout

Quads are among the most powerful muscles in the body. They are important aesthetic muscles for bodybuilders and essential for most athletes. For the rest of us, the quads help us get up off the couch and walk to the kitchen. 

Whatever your lifestyle or fitness goals, having strong quads should be a goal. Help your clients work toward bigger, stronger quads in a way that meets their goals. 

What Are the Quadriceps? 

What we tend to refer to as one muscle is actually a group of four that make up the front and side of the thighs. Together, these four individual muscles make up one of the biggest muscle groups in the body, and one of the strongest: 

1. Vastus lateralis. The vastus lateralis is the muscle that runs along the outside of the thigh, from the femur to the kneecap. It is the largest of the four.

2. Vastus medialis. This one runs along the inside of the thigh, also connecting at the femur and kneecap. 

3. Vastus intermedius. Running between the other two vastus muscles, this is the deepest of the quad muscles. 

4. Rectus femoris. The rectus femoris connects to the hip bone and the kneecap and runs across the top of the thigh and over the other three muscles. 

You use the quad muscles for all kinds of daily movements as well as athletic movements. Because they get so much use and are large, these are powerful muscles. They can do a lot for you when strong and really hold you back if you let them weaken. 

The Importance of Strong Quads

Beyond aesthetics, there are several good reasons to focus on building muscle size and strength in the quadriceps: 

The Quads Power All Kinds of Daily Movements

From a purely functional standpoint, you need strong quads simply to move about your day. They work together to allow you to move the lower leg at the knee and the upper leg at the hip joint. You use the quads to stand, walk, run, jump, sit, and stand, basically for everything. 

Strong Quads Improve Athletic Performance

While the quads power day-to-day movements, they are even more important in athletic movements. Strong quads support speed in running and in sports that require sprinting, like soccer. They power jumps in games like basketball and make you a faster cyclist. In all sports, they stabilize the knees so you can move with greater agility. 

Build Stronger Quads to Prevent Injury 

Because the quads play such a big role in so many movements, weakness can lead to injuries and especially to problems in the knees. You need strong quad muscles to support movements every day, from getting up from a chair to sprinting to your car in the rain. Weak, imbalanced muscles can lead to falls, twists, and joint damage. 

The knees are particularly vulnerable to weakness in the legs. They are the primary muscles that support this crucial joint, so if they aren’t up to the job, the knees suffer. Studies have even shown that having weak quads increases your risk of losing cartilage and developing osteoarthritis in the knees. 

Top Tips to Build Stronger Quads

Building stronger quad muscle involves using specific exercises that target those muscles. You also need to consider other strategies and workouts. Here are the best tips for getting bigger, stronger quads, fast. 

Here’s a guide to using bodyweight only to build powerful, strong legs. 

Start with a Leg Press

Lifting using barbells is generally more effective for overall strength gains than using machines. Machine exercises have a place, though, so don’t count them out. A leg press is a great way to target the quads in a safe way. 

This is especially helpful for newbies in the gym. The risk of injury is high when doing squats or lunges with poor form. The leg press allows you to stabilize movements and really focus in on the quads. Your newer clients can build strength this way while working on safe squat form. 

Do Plenty of Squats and Lunges

Squats and lunges are basic but also ideal for building quad strength. As compound movements, they hit the quads but also hamstrings, glutes, and other muscles. You get more done with one movement, but both of these make a big impact on the quads. 

Another great thing about a squat or lunge is that you can do so many different variations and even add weights to progress. Start with the basics to get good form, and then try these: 

• Barbell front squat

• Barbell back squat

• Split squat

• Single-leg squat (pistol squat)

• Weighted squat

• Squat jump

• Weighted lunges

• Jumping lunges

• Curtsy lunges

• Side lunges

• Walking lunges

Add in Some Partial Squats

A partial squat is simply a squat to a lesser degree. Go down just a few inches and come back up again. A standard deep squat recruits the hamstrings and glutes, which is great, but a partial squat really focuses in on the quads. Combine these with full squats and heavy weights for a quad-blasting workout. 

Go Heavy

When building muscle strength and size, fewer reps with heavier weights is always more effective and efficient. You’ll add strength doing lighter weights and more reps, but you will also hit a wall. Focus on loading up squats and other exercises while doing fewer reps to really see results. 

Challenge Yourself with Dropsets and Supersets

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

To do a superset, plan a series of sets of quad 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. 

Take Your Workout to the Track

If you ever do spring workouts, you know how important the quads are to running fast. If you rarely spring, you’ll be feeling it the next day along the tops of your thighs. The quads are heavily involved in sprinting, especially the rectus femoris. 

A weekly track workout can provide both a HIIT session for cardio and a quad strengthening exercise. Start slowly if you or your client is new to sprinting: a few 100-meter sprints with recovery time in between. Progress by adding more sprints or take it up to 200 meters. 

Don’t Forget to Strengthen the Glutes Too

The glutes are another huge muscle group that power all kinds of functional and athletic movements. They often work in concert with the quads, so an imbalance here can cause problems. As you focus on quads, don’t neglect the glutes. Good glute exercises include glute bridges, hip thrusts, single leg deadlifts, split squats, step ups, and clamshells. 

Amp up your training expertise on all things glutes with ISSA’s Certified Glute Specialist course!

What to Do About a Quad Imbalance

What if your left leg is weaker than your right leg because you are right-handed and favor that side? Imbalances can cause injury and pain, so they are important to address. Test the strength of each leg individually to determine if there are significant differences. 

If one leg, the left for instance, is a lot weaker, start training at the level of that leg. Don’t do extra on the left side to catch up, as this can cause other kinds of imbalances. It can also lead to overuse or over training injuries. 

Check out this post for comprehensive information about the dangers of muscle imbalances and how to correct them. 

Sample Workout for Strong Quads 

Building muscle and strength in the quads is essential. The quads or quadriceps femoris are a group of muscles in the front of your thigh. The primary function of the quads is extension of the leg at the knee joint. It also flexes the thigh at the hip joint. 

To build strength and muscle it’s important to focus on compound and accessory exercises. Compound exercises will target more than one muscle group at once and allow you to lift heavier to develop true size and strength. Accessory exercises will isolate the quads. This keeps the tension mainly on the quads. Here is a leg workout with a focus on the quads.

Warm-up

Tip: Start with a warm-up to stimulate muscle groups that will be used during the workout. It also increases your heart rate to prepare the body for exercise.

Leg Swings: Stand on one leg and swing the other leg forward and back.

2 sets x 10-15 reps each leg

Lateral Lunge: Start with feet hip-width apart. Step to the side with your right leg and bend your right knee. Push your hips back and lower into the lateral lunge. Push back up to the starting position.

2 sets x 10 reps each leg

High Knees: Bring one knee up to your chest and quickly lower that leg. Bring the opposite knee up and rotate. Begin to travel forward for distance. Use your arms throughout.

3 sets x 15 yards

Butt Kicks: Start kicking your feet up behind your body. Allow your heels to touch the glutes. Use your arms throughout.

3 sets x 15 yards

Strength Workout for Quadriceps

Tip: Choose 5-8 exercises per leg workout. Aim for 3-6 sets per exercise. Complete 6-10 reps each set. Use pyramid training by starting with a light or moderate weight and increase your load as you decrease your reps each set.

Barbell Front Squat (Compound)

Tip: The front squat allows you to target the quads directly. This is due to the bar in front of the body. It allows more flexion in the knee and shifts more load onto the quadriceps.

Load the barbell onto your shoulders. Hook your fingers underneath the bar and keep your elbows high. Squat by bending at the knees and hips. Lower down to the floor until your thighs reach parallel to the ground. Stand back up and drive your hips forward.

Set 1 x 65% of 1RM x 10 reps

Set 2 x 70% of 1RM x 8 reps

Set 3 x 75% of 1RM x 8 reps

Set 4 x 80% of 1RM x 6 reps

Set 5 x 85% of 1RM x 6 reps

Rest for a minimum 2 minutes between sets.

Bulgarian Split Squat (Compound)

Tip: To target quads, keep your stance narrow and hips under your shoulders. Avoid placing your front foot too far forward and don’t squat down too low. Avoiding this will keep the load and stress on the quads.

Place your back leg on the bench. Press your toes lightly into the bench for balance. Bring your other leg in front of the body. Lower the back knee towards the ground. Once the front leg reaches parallel to the ground, stand up. Keep your chest up and back straight.

Set 1 x moderate intensity x 10 reps

Set 2 x moderate intensity x 8 reps

Set 3 x moderate intensity x 8 reps

Set 4 x high intensity x 6 reps

Set 5 x high intensity x 6 reps

Rest for 1-2 minutes between sets.

Leg Press (Compound)

Tip: The more narrow your feet and the lower they are placed on the platform the better. This helps emphasize quadriceps muscle.

Sit in the leg press and grab the handles at your side. Keep your core braced and lift the platform off the safety hooks. Lower the platform down and bring your knees to your chest. Press the weight back up to the starting position. Do not lock your knees out.

Set 1 x 60% of 1RM x 10 reps

Set 2 x 65% of 1RM x 10 reps

Set 3 x 70% of 1RM x 8 reps

Set 4 x 75% of 1RM x 8 reps

Set 5 x 80% of 1RM x 6 reps

Rest for 2 minutes between sets.

Goblet Squat (Compound)

Tip: Keeping the load or weight in front of the body puts the stress on the quads. It also increases vertical load.

Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in the goblet position. The weight should be at chest level. Once the weight is secure, begin squatting. Bend your knees and push your hips back. Squat as low as you can, maintain a straight back and braced core. Stand up tall to the starting position.

Set 1 x moderate intensity x 10 reps

Set 2 x moderate intensity x 8 reps

Set 3 x moderate intensity x 6 reps

Rest for 1 minute between sets.

Leg Extension (Accessory)

Tip: The leg extension is an effective accessory exercise. It allows you to isolate the quads only.

While seated, grip the handles on the side. Place the leg pad on top of the lower legs. It should sit close to the top of the ankle and foot. Raise or extend your legs straight up. Allow the machine to guide the movement. Once you reach the top, squeeze the quads and control the weight back to the starting position.

Set 1 x moderate intensity x 12 reps

Set 2 x moderate intensity x 10 reps

Set 3 x moderate intensity x 8 reps

Rest for 1 minute between sets.

Cooldown Stretch

Tip: Finish off the workout with a cooldown or stretch to prevent injury and promote recovery.

Standing Quad Stretch: Balance on one leg. Bring the opposite leg up toward your glute. Grab onto your ankle and pull your foot closer to your butt. 

2 sets x 20 seconds each side

Standing Lunge Stretch: Stand in a split stance with one foot forward. Bring your opposite foot straight back into a lunge. Lower to the ground and shift your hips forward. Sit up tall and keep your chest upright. Feel the stretch in the hip flexor and quad on the side with the leg behind the body.

2 sets x 20 seconds each side

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