Quads Exercises: The Quad has another name quadriceps. It has a four group of muscles on your front thighs. All four muscles have different names: Vastus intermedius, Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, Rectus femoris. These muscles can be improved and gained in size by doing some quads exercises. Quad Exercises can help to reduce knee pains, give strength to legs, improve muscles performances, improve abdominal muscles, increase core strength and make back strong.
Here are effective Quads Exercises:
1. Squats
The squat is a compound exercise which trains full body along with your quadriceps. It increases your strength as well as muscle mass. It trains muscles such as thighs, buttocks, hips and quads, hamstrings. The squat gives strength to the bones. Squats increase the size of the legs and core strength. It also trains abdominal, the lower body, the upper body, shoulders, and increases muscle mass if it performs in a proper form.
Form: It begins with standing position. then level your arms in a straight line with shoulders. slowly move your hips back and bend your knees and hip to lower torso posture. then return to the same starting position.
- Exercise Mode: Strength
- Main: Quads
- Other: Calves, Glutes, and Hamstrings
- Equipment: N/A
- Type: Compound
2. Barbell Squats
It begins with standing position and the weight loaded barbell on the trapezius muscle. However, the chest would be up and back straight. the movement starts from moving hips back. slowly bend knees and hips to lower torso. at the time, knees fully flexed and the upper legs touch the lower legs return to starting position.
- Exercise Mode: Strength
- Main: Quads
- Other: Calves, Glutes, and Hamstrings
- Equipment: Barbell
- Type: Compound
3. Dumbbell Squats
It is also a compound exercise that increases the strength of the lower body, mass on quads, tones hips, and glutes. This exercise also impacts on your core muscles and knees mobility.
- Exercise Mode: Strength
- Main: Quads
- Other: Calves, Glutes, and Hamstrings
- Equipment: Dumbbell
- Type: Compound
4. Barbell Front Squats
For safety purpose, this exercise needs to be performed inside a squat rack. Load the weight according to your strength, then keep your elbows high, cross your arms and bring the bar on the front deltoids. At the time you lift the bar, maintain your torso straight. come out of the rack and keep your heads up to maintain the balance of your body with a loaded bar on shoulders. bend your knees slowly and when your upper legs make 90 degrees with your calves, then return to the same starting position.
- Exercise Mode: Strength
- Main: Quads
- Other: Calves, Glutes, and Hamstrings
- Equipment: Barbell
- Type: Compound
5. Barbell Lunges – Quads Exercises
This exercise also should be performed inside a squat rack for safety purpose. lift the loaded barbell on your back shoulder right below the neck. maintain the torso straight and slowly step forward with your left leg and bend your right knee while maintaining the torso straight. make sure knee should not bend below the level of your toe. push up with the heel of your foot and return to the starting position. either you do it alternate legs or first complete one by one.
- Exercise Mode: Strength
- Main: Quads
- Other: Calves, Glutes, and Hamstrings
- Equipment: Barbell
- Type: Compound
6. Leg Extensions
This exercise can only be performed on the leg extension machine. First, sit on the seat and adjust the lever for the execution of this exercise. Make sure, your lower leg makes a 90-degree angle with the upper leg and keep your body stable on the seat and grab the handle on both sides. Lift the lever with your lower legs using quads. extend your legs as far as you can, then hold the position for a second and return to the normal starting position.
- Exercise Mode: Strength
- Main: Quads
- Other Muscle: N/A
- Equipment: Machine
- Type: N/A
7. Leg Press
This exercise also needs a leg press machine to be performed. lay down and place your feet with shoulder width stance on the machine platform. Remove the safety bars and press the weighted platform until your legs fully stretched in front of you. your legs and torso should make a 90-degree angle. do not lock your knees. then slowly bring down the platform and stop where the 90-degree angle makes your upper and lower legs. push back to the same position where you started.
- Exercise Mode: Strength
- Main: Quads
- Other: Calves, Glutes, and Hamstrings
- Equipment: Mchine
- Type: Compound
Caution: Do not jerk while performing all these quads exercises. Because most people make mistakes while execution and get injuries like hip or pelvis bone dislocation, stress on knee joints and back problems. Do lift weight according to your strength.
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