Feeling quads work (or not) during an exercise is a concern for both new and advanced lifters. Working in the fitness industry for over nine years and training hundreds of clients with various goals has allowed me to assess and address their concerns. My assessments reveal that people often utilize more of their posterior chain in a "quad" dominant exercise; after a few adjustments, my clients are always surprised at how much they can feel their quads! This article discusses proper execution and limitations, my top favourite quad exercises, and what reps and sets to use. At the end of this article, I provide some insider tips for succeeding in your workouts! We are focused on building muscle in your quads; these exercises may not apply to people interested in improving their squat or deadlift because exercise selection matters a ton. Narrowing down your specific goal and executing it is essential for making progress.
Before I list my top favourite quad exercises, we must review proper execution and limitations.
You must ensure adequate ankle mobility to get the most out of your quad sessions. Now, if you're like most of the population, you've probably strained or sprained your foot leading you to poor ankle mobility, but don't worry, Squat Racks Canada has you covered!
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Squat WedgesSquat wedges are a must when biasing quad development. They allow for greater knee flexion and a vertical torso which are essential for quad growth.
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If you can keep five concepts in mind when programming/executing your quad day, they would be:
#1 - Vertical torso
#2 - Knee flexion
#3 - Feet shoulder-width, either straight forward or slightly turned out (for unilateral exercises)
#4 - Train close to (technical) failure with good technique
#5 - Train them at least 2x per week
You can still train your quads if you don't follow these five concepts, but your training might not be as effective.
My favourite quad growth exercises are listed below, from most taxing to least taxing.
Heel Elevated Trap Bar Deadlift (AKA trap bar squat)
- Allows the load to be placed in the body's midline, over the centre of gravity, compared to a traditional deadlift where the bar is in front of the body, restricting knee/ankle movement. Adding a wedge allows for greater knee flexion while maintaining an upright torso.
Set range: 3-5
Rep range: 6-20 reps
Heel Elevated Back Squat
- A lower squat wedge is good for strength training, versus a higher wedge allows you to bias your quads.
- A lower wedge can allow more weight to be lifted.
- A higher wedge allows for greater knee flexion (more range of motion). This exercise variation should not be done as heavy as a traditional back squat or a low-heeled back squat
Set range: 3-6
Rep ranges:
- Low wedge - 1-20 reps
- High wedge- 8-20 reps
Heel Elevated Front Squat
- A front squat counterbalances you with the load being placed in front. This creates a more upright position which is favourable for quad growth.
- A lower wedge is suitable for both strength & hypertrophy
- A larger wedge is good for hypertrophy (muscle growth)
Set range: 3-6
Rep ranges:
- Low wedge- 1-20 reps
- High wedge- 8-20 reps
Downsides to front squatting:
- Requires coordination
- Shoulder, lat, and wrist mobility
- Other front-loaded options would be zombie squats, bodybuilding-style & safety squat bar, and transformer bar squats.
Heel Elevated Bulgarian Split Squat
- Allows for greater knee flexion & an upright torso angle
- Focuses solely on one quad at a time
- It can be used for both strength and hypertrophy training
- For hypertrophy training, I would suggest holding on to something to control balance
- Another option would be doing a Hatfield Bulgarian split squat
Set range: 3-5
Rep range: 6-20
Heel Elevated Elevator Split Squat
- Allows for greater knee flexion & an upright torso angle
- Focuses solely on one quad at a time
- For hypertrophy training, I would suggest holding on to something to take balancing out.
- Another option would be doing a Hatfield Bulgarian split squat
Set range: 3-5
Rep range: 6-20
Dumbbell Heel Elevated Split Squat
- Allows for greater knee flexion & an upright torso angle
- This exercise also trains the back leg in a shortened position while training the front leg in a lengthened position
Set range: 3-5
Rep range: 6-20
Leg Press - A more obvious choice!
- It requires less stability and does not load the spine. Also, with the spine not being a limiting factor, the quads can be trained harder for more sets and reps.
- Foot position matters to bias more "quads." Although you can bias more quads, you'll still be working adductors and glutes.
- A narrow toe forward position lower on the platform hits more quads and glutes.
- A slightly wider position with toes turned out on the lower end of the platform will hit more quads and adductors.
Set range: 3-6
Rep range: 8-20
Leg Extension
- It requires less stability and does not load the spine
- Adding tempo and isometric holds can increase patellar tendon strength and tolerance, which plays a massive role in your quad training
- It loads the fully shortened position
- This can be done with both legs or single-legged
Set range: 3-6
Rep range: 8-20
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These are not the only exercises that elicit quad growth, but through a lot of trial, error, and continued education, these are my top bang-for-your-buck exercises. If you're looking to hypertrophy a specific muscle group, you need to ensure you are eating at maintenance calories or preferably in a slight surplus. Prioritizing sleep, recovery, and training these muscle groups anywhere between 2-3x per week are also non-negotiables. Train smarter, not harder. Proper periodization and execution will help you reach your goals faster! Do yourself a favour and hire a trained professional! |