Best Quad Exercises – 5 Workouts to Get Results

We all have that one friend with big arms, shredded abs, and skinny legs. You know the type — he works his upper body at least three or four times a week but hates training legs. Or perhaps he’s a hardgainer and has trouble building mass. 

You’d never skip leg day, right? After all, you don’t want to look like your friend. You eat clean and stick to your workout but still have a hard time growing your quads. 

Unfortunately, working your legs once or twice a week may not be enough to make gains. You also need to perform the right quad exercises in the right order. 

For example, finishing your workout with a few sets of TRX pistol squats will get your quads on fire. Other strategies, such as pausing for three seconds or so at the bottom of every squat, are just as effective. 

Volume isn’t everything. Your quads require a lot of time under tension to grow. As you probably know, there’s a difference between hypertrophy and strength.

Nobody understood this better than one of our very own Old School Ambassadors Tom Platz. Widely considered one of the best bodybuilders of his era, he was nicknamed “The Quadfather” for his legendary quadriceps. Even in his 60’s, he is going strong and teaching others the craft that is building massive quads.

So what does it take to build these “massive quads”? Should you prioritize compound movements or isolation work? Most importantly, what exercises are best for quad development? 

That’s what we’ll discuss today. Let’s cut to the chase and see what it takes to maximize quad size and strength! 

Why You Should Be Training Your Quads 

Building strong quads isn’t just about looks. This muscle group plays a key role in almost all activities involving the legs, including squatting, jumping, walking, and more. 

The quads actually consist of four different muscles — the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, and the rectus femoris. They all work together to extend the knee. 

The vastus medialis also helps stabilize the patella, or the kneecap, and the knee joint. It also allows you to rotate your thigh internally and externally. The rectus femoris is particularly important for hip flexion. 

Since these muscles are used for running, walking, and other basic movements, they are prone to injury. Additionally, the quads are antagonists to the glutes and hamstrings. Therefore, if your quads are weak or tight, you may develop muscle imbalances. 

The legs and glutes are the largest muscle groups in your body. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to walk, jump, run, and move around. 

Considering these facts, it’s fair to say that leg training should be the most important part of your workout program. With a few exceptions, most quad exercises also hit your glutes, hamstrings, and calves. If you work your quads properly, you’ll build size and strength in your lower body. 

The Scientific Argument For Great Quads

Need one more reason to train your quads? Your chest, arms, and other muscles will grow at a faster rate. 

After a killer leg workout, there will be a lot of damaged muscle fibers. Your body will release more testosterone and growth hormone to repair them. The satellite cells, which play a vital role in muscle growth and repair, will become active too. 

The release of anabolic hormones combined with the action of satellite cells facilitates hypertrophy and post-workout recovery. All of your muscles, not just your quads, will reap the benefits. But don’t just take our word for it. 

According to a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, performing leg exercises prior to arm exercises may lead to greater increases in muscle strength than training your arms alone. Researchers attribute this effect to the surge in testosterone and growth hormone-induced by leg training. 

Quad Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Legs

From squats and leg extensions to leg presses, there are dozens of quad exercises you can try. Some require little or no equipment and can be done in the comfort of your home. The key is to be consistent and work your quad muscles from all angles. 

We all know that heavy lifting works best for hypertrophy. Ideally, you should try to lift at about 55 to 80% of your one-rep max and take short breaks between sets. 

Think about your joints too. If you’ve had knee pain, you might hesitate to perform exercises that trigger or worsen your pain. Squats, lunges, jumping, running are just a few examples. 

That’s a mistake, though. 

These movements help strengthen your quads and other muscles that support your knee. If you eliminate them from your workouts or skip leg day altogether, your knees will get weaker. Over time, they’ll become more vulnerable to injury. 

Preventing Knee Pain

Build strong quads is actually one of the best ways to prevent knee pain. You just need to do it right. For inspiration, check out the Golden Era bodybuilder and Old School Ambassador Tom Platz and his legendary leg workouts! 

Consider doing minor tweaks to your workouts to shift the tension away from your hamstrings and gluteal muscles and onto your quads. Take the stationary lunge, for example. 

To maximize quad development, keep your torso upright and take a short step forward. Bring your body up by pushing through your whole foot. 

If you’re targeting the glutes, take a longer step forward, lean your torso slightly, and return to the starting position by pushing through the heel of your foot. 

Similarly, you can modify most leg exercises to better activate your quads. If, say, you’re using the leg press, you can change your stance and foot placement to target different muscles. 

Ready to get started? Let’s take a look at some of the best quad exercises for more size and strength. 

1. Back Squats 

The squat is known as the king of all exercises for good reason. This multi-joint movement hits all of the major muscle groups, including your quads, glutes, hamstrings, arms, shoulders, and back muscles. It also builds core strength and improves functional fitness. 

This was the workout Old School Ambassador Tom Platz focused on the most. In fact, he almost thought of the squat rack as “a separate sport altogether.” If you learn one leg exercise, this is the one you learn.

According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine, performing isometric back squats with the knees bent at 90 degrees yields the highest muscle activation, engaging all three quadriceps muscles. 

Hamstring activity, on the other hand, peaks between 30 and 80 degrees of knee flexion during the ascent part of the exercise. 

In addition to changing the knee position, you can use different squat stances to better target your quads. For example, you may use a shoulder-width stance with your toes slightly out, a wide stance with your toes pointing out, or a narrow squat stance. 

Here’s how to do a back squat with perfect form: 

1. Unrack the barbell and place it on your rear delts. 
2. Take a few steps back and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (or use a different stance). Brace your core. 
3. Bring your hips back while flexing your knees. Keep your chest up and look straight ahead. 
4. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. 
5. Pause at the top of the movement and then drive your hips upward. Repeat. 

Place the heels of your foot on an elevated platform (like a weight plate or a book) for maximum quad activation. 

2. Front Squats 

Front squats allow you to better activate your quads despite using a lighter load. This compound movement also puts less stress on your back. It engages the glutes and hamstrings to a lesser degree than the back squat. 

The main difference between the two is where you place the barbell. By positioning it on your front delts, you’ll engage your core and quads to a greater extent. Back squats, on the other hand, emphasize the posterior chain. 

Follow these steps to perform the front squat: 

1. Position the barbell in the squat rack at the middle-chest level. Hold it with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 
2. From a quarter squat position, place the barbell on the front of your shoulders and close to your neck. 
3. Bring your elbows in front of you, keeping them as high as you can throughout the movement. Unrack the barbell. 
4. Take one or two steps backward, with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
5. Squeeze your abs, inhale, and then bring your hips back. 
6. Push your hips back until your knees form a 90-degree angle. 
7. Drive up to the starting position and repeat. 

You can also use a cross grip. If you prefer this option, cross your arms in front of you, placing each hand on top of the bar at the opposite shoulder. 

Those with back or knee issues may use the hack squat machine. Like with traditional squats, you can change toe angle or foot placement to target different muscles. 

3. Seated Leg Press 

The seated leg press targets your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Compared to the squat, it’s a safer option for those with back or knee pain. Both the 45-degree press and the horizontal leg press engage your quads and other major leg muscles. 

As mentioned earlier, changing the foot position will emphasize different muscle groups. 

To target the quads, use a narrow stance and place your feet lower on the platform. A narrow stance allows you to better target the abductors and outer quads, while a wider stance enhances the adductors. 

The higher your position your feet on the footplate, the more you’ll recruit the glutes and hamstrings.

Using the leg press is pretty straightforward. Simply follow these steps: 

1. Choose the appropriate weight and adjust the seat position. 
2. Position your feet lower on the footplate, using a narrow stance. 
3. Push through your heels until your legs are nearly extended. Do not lock your knees. 
4. Pause at the top of the movement. 
5. Bend your knees to slowly lower the weight back. Repeat. 

Keep your back straight and brace your core muscles. Avoid arching your back or jerking your head forward when pushing the weight. Make sure your heels remain flat on the platform at all times. 

4. Leg Press with Resistance Bands

If you’re working out at home, use resistance bands to do the leg presses. It’s not the same as the real thing, but you’ll still feel your quads burning.

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. 
2. Place a resistance band against the soles of your shoes. 
3. Grab each end of the band with your hands. Bring your hands at chest level or slightly higher. 
4. Bring your knees to your chest and push your feet against the band. Squeeze your quads, glutes, and core muscles. 
5. Keep pushing until your legs are fully extended. 
6. Return to the starting position and repeat. 

5. Front-Loaded Walking Lunges 

Unilateral training allows you to isolate specific muscles and avoid overusing your dominant side. Over time, it may help prevent and correct muscle imbalances, points out the American Council on Exercise. 

Walking lunges are an example of unilateral movement. It’s one of the best quad exercises out there — and you can make it even more effective by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest level. 

The problem with standard lunges is that many lifters tend to lean forward. This not only affects their form but also takes some of the pressure off their quads and may lead to back pain. 

Instead, try this lunge variation: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell to chest level (in the goblet position). 
3. Take a big step forward with your right leg. Put the weight into your heel. 
4. Lower your hips toward the floor by bending your right knee to a 90-degree angle. 
5. Bend the other knee and lower it down without touching the ground. 
6. Pause for a second or two. 
7. Push your body up and take another step with the same leg or the opposite leg. Repeat on both sides.

Discover the Best Quad Exercises for Serious Gains 

These are just a few of the best quad exercises you can try. Although the quads are targeted by bending your hips and knees, this doesn’t mean you should only do squats and lunges. 

Leg press variations, leg extensions, barbell or dumbbell step-ups, and Bulgarian split squats are all a great choice. Those who work out at home can add BOSU ball squats, TRX single-leg squats, jump squats, and box jumps to their workouts. 

Always start with a few warm-up sets to pre-exhaust your quads. For example, you can do leg extensions or single-joint movements before back squats. This will give you better pumps and make it easier to reach muscle failure. 

Ideally, train your legs after a rest day when your muscles have the energy needed for a challenging workout. Add forced reps, supersets, and drop sets to the mix to bring on even more burn. 

If you ever need a little help facing leg day, consider Vintage Blast™. This is our very own two-stage pre-workout that we personally swear by to push us harder during the most brutal of exercises.

In the meantime, check out our guide to high-bar vs. low-bar squats to determine which version is best for you. Speaking of squats and insane leg workouts, get some motivation & knowledge from our Tom Platz Master Class recap.

Are there any quad exercises you would recommend? What does your leg workout look like? Share your thoughts below — we’re always looking for fresh ideas!