The 6 Best Quad Exercises for Strong Legs

<script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context":"http://schema.org", "@type":"BlogPosting", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Kissam, BS" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Warrior Made", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.warriormade.com", "image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2020/04/quad-exercises-thumbnail.jpg" } }, "headline":"The 6 Best Quad Exercises for Strong Legs", "datePublished":"2019-08-24", "dateModified": "2020-04-29", "description":"Build up your legs with these 6 quad exercises! Strong quadriceps protect your knees and hips, and make it easier to exercise pain-free.", "image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2020/04/quad-exercises-thumbnail.jpg" } </script> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "How can I strengthen my quads with bad knees?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In short, avoid exercises and movements that isolate the quadriceps. Instead, pick full-body exercises that incorporate balance and symmetry across the body. Choosing full-body exercises to train the quads over isolation movements helps you train your quads safely, as it distributes your bodyweight across multiple joints and muscles. This puts less pressure on your knees." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the best exercise for quads?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Two exercises are best for quads: bear holds and curtsey lunges. Both train your quads and build strong legs without putting too much pressure on your muscles, tendons, and joints. Both are contralateral exercises, meaning they work muscles on the opposite side of the body simultaneously. This helps work the core (particularly the obliques) in a unique way that's both safe and effective." } }] } </script> <article> <div> <ul> <li><a href="#section1">Anatomy Of The Quads</a></li> <li><a href="#section2">How Can I Strengthen My Quads With Bad Knees?</a></li> <li><a href="#section3">What Is The Best Exercise For Quads? (6 Movements)</a></li> </ul> </div> <section> <p>The 'quads' are one of the biggest muscles in your legs.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513334/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">1</a>} Strong quads make it possible to perform everyday activities without knee pain or movement restrictions. </p> <p>Strong quads also play a role in keeping your hip joint healthy, as well as maintaining good posture. </p> <p>But you need to be careful, because there's a common type of training (and one exercise in particular) that actually <i>isn't</i> good for your quads or knees.</p> <p>Conversely, the 6 quad exercises we'll show you below can all be done at home, and will help you <i>safely</i> build strong legs.</p> <p>First, here's a quick anatomy lesson on the front of your thighs, which will help you understand how to better train your lower body.</p> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section> <img style="max-width:100%;" class="img-fluid" src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/quad-muscles-diagram-0225.jpg" alt="quad muscles diagram"> <h2 id="section1">Anatomy of the quads</h2> <p>The quads, or <i>quadriceps femoris</i>, are a group of 4 muscle heads on the front of your legs.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513334/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">2</a>} They attach at the pelvis and at the bottom of your kneecap.</p> <p>The quadriceps are one of the largest muscles in your body, and the biggest on the front side. If you want strong legs, exercising these muscles should be a top priority.</p> <p>They're active during almost all functional movements, including walking, running, climbing stairs, and even getting up from a chair. They also:</p> <ul> <li>Affect the function of your knee and hip joint function</li> <li>Affect the relationship between your spine and pelvis (weak quads increases your risk of developing arthritis in the hips) ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29764409" rel="nofollow noreferrer">3</a>}</li> <li>Help you <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/spine-alignment-exercises/" rel="noreferrer">maintain proper posture</a></li> </ul> Due to the amount of stress constantly placed on these muscles, quad and quad-related injuries are (unfortunately) very common. ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2941577/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">4</a>}</p> <h3>Quadriceps and patellar tendonitis</h3> <p>In particular, <i>patellar tendonitis</i> (PT) (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/the-best-supplements-to-fight-inflammation/" rel="noreferrer">inflammation</a> of the tendon on the bottom of your knee cap) is one of the most common quad-related knee injuries. ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532969/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">5</a>}</p> <p>Also known as "jumper's knee", this tendon attaches your quadriceps to your kneecap. </p> <p>When overuse or injuries caused by improper movement occur, (PT) can lead to: ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3088395/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">6</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/patellar-tendonitis-jumpers-knee" rel="nofollow noreferrer">7</a>}</p> <ul> <li>Knee pain, tightness, and swelling</li> <li>Pain when walking or exercising</li> <li>Pain when bending or straightening the knee</li> <li>Tenderness behind the kneecap</li> </ul> <p>If these symptoms are familiar to you, or you're worried about developing knee pain in the future, there's still a way to effectively train your quads.</p> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section2"> <h2>How can I strengthen my quads with bad knees?</h2> <p>In short, avoid exercises and movements that <i>isolate</i> the quadriceps. Instead, pick full-body exercises that incorporate balance and symmetry across the body. </p> <p>Here's a staggering statistic: <i>46 percent of Americans deal with knee pain in their adult life.</i> ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3172649/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">8</a>}</p> <p>While many things can cause knee pain, weak quadriceps muscles are one of the main reasons this joint can become damaged or painful. ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3774035/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">9</a>}</p> <p>Choosing full-body exercises to train the quads over isolation movements helps you train your quads safely, as it distributes your bodyweight across multiple joints and muscles. </p> <p>This puts less pressure on your knees.</p> <p>You absolutely can still build strong legs if you have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/low-impact-exercises-for-bad-knees/" rel="noreferrer">bad knees</a>. Simply select full-body exercises, like the low chair bear hold or the alternating curtsey lunge (#1 and #5 below).</p> <p>And bonus: other parts of your legs (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/hamstring-workouts/" rel="noreferrer">hamstrings</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/gluteus-maximus-exercises/" rel="noreferrer">glutes</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/exercises-for-hip-pain/" rel="noreferrer">hips</a>) will also get a workout at the same time.</p> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section3"> <h2>What is the best exercise for quads? (6 movements)</h2> <p>There are two movement patterns listed in this section: <i>bear holds</i> and <i>curtsey lunges</i>. Both help you train your quads and build strong legs without putting too much pressure on your muscles, tendons, and joints.</p> <p>They're also both <i>contralateral exercises</i>, meaning they work muscles on the opposite side of the body simultaneously. This helps work the core (particularly the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/best-oblique-exercises-for-core-strength/" rel="noreferrer">obliques</a>) in a unique way that's both safe and effective.</p> <ul> <li>Exercises 1 through 3 offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced variations of the <i>bear hold</i>.</li> <li>Exercises 4 through 6 offer beginner, intermediate and advanced variations of the <i>curtsey lunge</i>.</li> </ul> <p>Start with the beginner exercises and work your way up (particularly if you have any knee pain). There's a workout suggestion you can try right now if you'd like, at the bottom of each movement. </p> <img style="max-width:100%;" class="img-fluid" src="https://wm-blog-content.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MOVEMENTS/LOW-CHAIR-BEAR-HOLD.gif" alt="Low chair bear hold"> <h3>1. Low chair bear hold</h3> <p><strong>Level</strong>: beginner</p> <ul> <li>Start in a modified quadruped position (see above)—hands on a low chair in front of you, knees under your hips.</li> <li>Lift the knees an inch or two off the ground; squeeze your glutes and abs.</li> <li>Hold.</li> </ul> <p><i>*You can make these easier or harder depending on the height of the chair. The higher the chair, the easier they will be.</i></p> <p><strong>Put it in a workout</strong>: Do 3 sets of 60 second low chair bear holds. Break up the 60 seconds into shorter sets if you need to. Once you've completed one set of 60 seconds, rest for 2 minutes. Each time you do this, try to take 1 or 2 breaks!</p> <img style="max-width:100%;" class="img-fluid" src="https://wm-blog-content.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MOVEMENTS/LOW-BEAR-HOLD.gif" alt="Low bear hold"> <h3>2. Low bear hold</h3> <p><strong>Level</strong>: intermediate</p> <ul> <li>Start in a quadruped position—arms stacked under your shoulders, knees under your hips.</li> <li>Lift the knees an inch or two off the ground as you roll onto the balls of your feet; squeeze your glutes and abs.</li> <li>Hold.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Put it in a workout</strong>: Again, do 3 sets of 60 second low bear holds. Break them into shorter sets if you need to. Once you've completed one set of 60 seconds, take a 2 minute break.</p> <img style="max-width:100%;" class="img-fluid" src="https://wm-blog-content.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MOVEMENTS/LOW-BEAR-CRAWL-WITH-HAND-MOVEMENT.gif" alt="Low bear crawl with hand movement"> <h3>3. Low bear crawl with hand movement</h3> <p><strong>Level</strong>: advanced</p> <ul> <li>Start in a low bair hold—in a quadruped position at first, then lift the knees an inch or two off the ground as you move weight onto your feet. Hold.</li> <li>With straight arms, crawl the arms forward. </li> <ul><li>Move contralaterally: when the left hand goes forward, the right leg takes the next step.</li></ul> </ul> <p><strong>Put it in a workout</strong>: Accumulate 3 minutes moving in a low bear crawl position; take as few breaks as needed. Your "score" is the number of sets it takes for you to reach the 3-minute mark.</p> <img style="max-width:100%;" class="img-fluid" src="https://wm-blog-content.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MOVEMENTS/ALTERNATING-HALF-CURTSY-LUNGES.gif" alt="Alternating half curtsey lunges"> <h3>4. Alternating half curtsey lunges</h3> <p><strong>Level</strong>: beginner</p> <ul> <li>Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart; place the hands on your hips for balance.</li> <li>Step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg.</li> <li>Bend the knee so that you lower a few inches. (Stop if it's uncomfortable.)</li> <li>Bring the right leg back to a standing position, then repeat on the other side.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Put it in a workout</strong>: Perform as many half curtsey lunges as you can in one minute (alternating each rep). Rest 1 minute, then repeat. Do 3 rounds. <img style="max-width:100%;" class="img-fluid" src="https://wm-blog-content.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MOVEMENTS/ALTERNATING-CURTSY-LUNGES.gif" alt="Alternating curtsey lunges"> <h3>5. Alternating curtsey lunges</h3> <p><strong>Level</strong>: intermediate</p> <ul> <li>Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart; place the hands on hips for balance.</li> <li>Step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg.</li> <li>Bend the knee so that you lower to (or towards) the ground.</li> <li>Carefully, bring the right leg back up to a standing position.</li> <li>Repeat on the other side.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Put it in a workout</strong>: Perform as many alternating curtsey lunges as you can in one minute. Rest 1 minute, then repeat. Do 3 rounds.</p> <img style="max-width:100%;" class="img-fluid" src="https://wm-blog-content.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MOVEMENTS/CURTSY-TWISTS.gif" alt="Curtsey twists"> <h3>6. Curtsey twists</h3> <p><strong>Level</strong>: advanced</p> <ul> <li>Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart; place the hands on hips for balance.</li> <li>Step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg.</li> <li>Bend the knee so that you lower to (or towards) the ground.</li> <ul><li>At the bottom, twist your torso outward, so you're facing to the left—bring your right elbow over your right knee (this engages the obliques.)</li></ul> <li>Bring the right leg back to a standing position.</li> <li>Repeat on the other side.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Put it in a workout</strong>: Perform as many curtsey twists as you can in 60 seconds (alternating each rep). Go as low as you comfortably can. Rest 60 seconds, then repeat. Do 3 rounds.</p> <p>Keeping the quadricep muscles strong will go a long way towards overall health and mobility. Your knees and hips will be more protected, and you'll be able to perform exercises that keep you strong and fit with less chance of any pain or limitations.</p> <p>Just remember, the best quad exercises <i>evenly distribute</i> bodyweight. Avoid isolating the quadriceps as it puts unnecessary stress on the patellar tendon. </p> <p>Regardless of which exercise variation you're starting with, bear holds and curtsey lunges are both fantastic movements for building strong legs safely. </p> <p>Add one or more of the quad exercises above to your workout routine today. Do this workout once or twice a week for the next 4 to 6 weeks, and you’ll be on your way to building a stronger, healthier lower body.</p> </section> </article>