Here are 5 exercises that strengthen the quadriceps. All of these exercises require minimal equipment so they can be done at home or in a gym.
#1) Negative 1.5 Rep Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats With Back Foot On Wall
This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the lower leg and foot. Elevating the back foot/supporting leg on the wall makes these significantly tougher as the back leg is just serving as a “kickstand” of support.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a split squat position, and adopt your preferred foot width and positioning. Elevate the forefoot or top of your back foot against a wall.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Hold onto a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells. You may also use a band. Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are trying to crush something in your armpits. This will help keep your arms and the weights from swinging.
- On the front foot, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now perform a split squat and take 3-5 seconds and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Stand halfway up, squat back down, and finally, press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position (all at normal speed). This is one rep.
- When you are performing the split squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your legs. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Feet Elevated Band Resisted Leg Extensions From Bear Crawl
This exercise strengthens the quads, improves shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a bear crawl position, and elevate your feet on a couch or other stable surface.
- Hold a band(s) in your hands, and loop the band behind your knees. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Your hands should be roughly below your shoulders, or just slightly ahead. Figure out what works and feels best for you.
- Spread your hands and fingers, and pretend you are suctioning them to the floor.
- Start with your thighs relatively vertical, and knees bent.
- Use your quads to extend your knees. Pause for several seconds when your knees are fully extended and really contract your quads. Don’t let your knees hyperextend.
- Return to the starting position with complete control. Stop when your knees are just above the floor.
- Do not mindlessly hang out on your shoulders. Press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades (move them away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- For the duration of the exercise keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace).
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Your torso and hips should remain square to the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#3) Shrimp Squats
This exercise strengthens the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg.
Start out doing this with bodyweight before you add any extra resistance.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee.
- As for the non-working leg, keep it bent and close to the midline of your body. Contract your hamstrings and glutes on this side. Hold your foot with your hand that is on the same side of your body, like if you were doing a quad stretch.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning your foot to the floor.
- If you are holding a weight, keep your arm rigid and pretend you are crushing something in your armpit.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Perform a single leg squat. Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form, press away from the floor and return to the starting position.
- When you are performing the lowering/eccentric component, don’t just drop down and catch yourself in the bottom position. Pretend you are pulling your body down to the floor with your leg, and then press back up.
- Make sure you do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.
- Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.
#4) Step-Downs
This exercise strengthens the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg.
Start out doing this exercise with bodyweight only before you add any extra resistance. Use a surface height that allows you to do the exercise using proper form.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on a coffee table, chair, or other stable elevated surface. The surface should be high enough so you can achieve your full depth during the step down.
- Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. As for the non-working leg, keep it straight and close to the midline of your body. Contract your quads and glutes on this side.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning your foot to the surface.
- If you are holding weights, keep your arms rigid and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now perform a single leg step-down and go to a depth that allows you to maintain proper form, then press away from the surface and return to the starting position.
- Ideally, stop before your foot touches the floor, but lightly touch the floor if you need some assistance.
- When you are performing the lowering/eccentric component, don’t just drop down and catch yourself in the bottom position. Pretend you are pulling your body down to the surface with your leg, and then press back up.
- Make sure you do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.
- Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the surface and are approaching the top position.
#5) Band Resisted Reverse Nordic Curls
This exercise strengthens the quads.
Make sure you can do this using bodyweight only before you add any additional resistance. If you can’t do the concentric component, perform the eccentric component only and use assistance on the way up. You can do this by using the sides of a doorframe/squat rack, a TRX, band, etc.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band over your upper traps and around your shins/ankles. Make sure the band is not sitting on your neck.
- There should be resistance in the band for as close to 100% of the exercise as possible.
- Get into a tall kneeling stance. Adopt your preferred knee width. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to knees.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- While keeping your body in a straight line from your head to knees, take 3-5 seconds and use your quads to control the movement as you lower your body down to your full range. Use a range that allows you to maintain proper form.
- Once you’ve hit the bottom position, use your quads to bring your body back to the starting position.
- Make sure you do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.
- The more you lean back, the more challenging the movement will be. Conversely, the more upright your body remains, the easier the movement will be. Start out very conservatively.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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