5 Innovative Exercises For Stronger Quadriceps

This week I’m sharing 5 innovative exercises for strengthening the quadriceps.

#1) Landmine Step-Ups + Band Resistance

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, the muscles in the lower leg and foot, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.

I am using a lot of resistance (the band makes these VERY challenging), so I am using more assistance from my back leg than I usually would. That being said, my front/working leg is still doing the majority of the work.

Coaching Tips:

Set up a barbell so it is lengthwise, and is in line with the center of your body. You may use a landmine attachment, but this isn’t necessary. ⁣⁣⁣

Attach a band around the barbell, and rest the band under the mid/back portion of your foot.

Keep your arms tight to your body, crush them into your armpits, and keep the bar tight to your body.

Stand on one foot on a stable elevated surface, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

As for the non-working leg, keep it extended, and contract your quadriceps 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. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the surface for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the surface.

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 step-up and press your body away from the surface and to the top position. Aim to do most of the step-up with the leg that is on the elevated surface.

Gain a moment of control in the top position, then perform the reverse movements and slowly lower to the floor. Touch the floor as softly as possible. Imagine a raw shelled egg is on the floor directly below your foot. Touch the floor softly enough that the egg won’t break.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the surface and are approaching the top position.

When you are performing the lowering, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. 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).

#2) 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 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 tight to your body, crush them into your armpits, and keep the weight tight to your body.

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.

#3) Single Leg Spanish Squats (very advanced)

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, and the muscles in the lower leg and foot. While this is more of a pistol squat/Spanish squat hybrid, my shin remains quite vertical like during regular Spanish squats.

Coaching Tips:

Attach a band around a very secure surface, and loop the band just behind your knee. The band should be providing you with enough support that you can keep your shin vertical/lean backwards a bit, but the band shouldn’t be pulling your leg forward.

Extend your other leg.

Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

On the planted 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 squat and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Unlike regular squats, aim to keep your shin more vertical.

When you are performing the squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. 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 knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

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, excessively 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.

If this exercise is too advanced, try regular Spanish squats. I recommend doing these BEFORE you progress to the more advanced single leg variation.

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#4) Step-Ups With Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Hold

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, the muscles in the lower leg and foot, improves shoulder and scapular stability, and grip.

Coaching Tips:

Hold a kettlebell in a bottoms-up position. Keep your arm tight to your body, and crush it into your armpit. Your forearm should be in a vertical position.

Stand on one foot on a stable elevated surface, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

As for the non-working leg, keep it extended, and contract your quadriceps 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. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the surface for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the surface.

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 step-up and press your body away from the surface and to the top position. Aim to do most of the step-up with the leg that is on the elevated surface.

Gain a moment of control in the top position, then perform the reverse movements and slowly lower to the floor. Touch the floor as softly as possible. Imagine a raw shelled egg is on the floor directly below your foot. Touch the floor softly enough that the egg won’t break.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the surface and are approaching the top position.

When you are performing the lowering, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. 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, do not allow your shoulder to shrug, or shoulder blade to elevate.

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).

#5) Negative 1.5 Rep Landmine Squats + Band Resistance

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.

To note, I was intentionally being more explosive during the lifting/concentric portion.

Coaching Tips:

Set up a barbell so it is lengthwise, and is in line with the center of your body. You may use a landmine attachment, but this isn’t necessary. ⁣⁣⁣

Attach a band around the barbell, and rest the band under the mid/back portion of your feet.

Keep your arms tight to your body, crush them into your armpits, and keep the bar tight to your body.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your feet, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your feet should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your feet 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 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 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, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.