Best Exercises for Quadriceps

Quadriceps Femoris is responsible for knee extension.

Leg Extension

Quadriceps along with the glutes are engaged in all squatting movements. Squats are a good movement for training the quads but once trained with a heavy weight, proper form is increasingly difficult to maintain, raising the risk of injury. Leg extension machine isolates the quads, allowing you to train them with greater resistance without putting the spine at risk.

Steps

1. Sit on the leg extension machine
2. Position your legs under the pad and grasp the side bars with your hands
3. Extend the legs
4. Return to starting position with control

Split Squat

Single leg squat movements allow us to load the quadriceps with greater resistance without overloading the spine. They are challenging enough without any added weight but can also be performed with a dumbbell in each hand.

Steps

1. Stand with a box behind you
2. Place one foot on the box with the top of the foot resting on the edge of the box
3. Step forward into a lunge
4. The knee of the back leg should be as close to the box as possible
5. The knee of the front leg should be over the heel
6. Bend at the knee of the front leg, until the thigh is parallel with the floor
7. Push through the heel of the front leg to stand up on it

Lunge

Lunges are a good addition to lower body workouts. Inner thigh muscles and glute medius have to work harder to keep the body stable. Each leg has to bear the weight on its own, helping to correct muscle imbalances. When deciding which variation to perform, a back lunge may be a safer alternative for the joints as the weight remains on the same leg throughout the movement.

Steps

1. Stand with your feet shoulder’s width apart.
2. Step back with one foot, while keeping the other foot planted
3. Bend at the knees until the front thigh is parallel with the floor
4. Return to starting position
5. Repeat for the other side