Exercises for Quadriceps for Larger Stronger Quads

Here’s the first of our exercises for quadriceps using the Leg Extensions Machine: Sit on the machine and slide your legs under the padded bar, adjusting the bar so that it rests on the lowest part of your shins. With your knees hanging off the end of the seat and holding onto the handles on either side, extend your legs slowly until they’re straight out in front of you. Lock your knees and hold for a second before slowly lowering your legs back to the start position without resting the weights, and repeat.

Leg Press Machine

Sit on the machine with your feet pressed against the footholds, knees bent. Holding the handles on either side, extend your legs and push the weight away, keeping your feet flat on the footholds. Don’t lock your knees out. Slowly let your legs relax and be pushed back towards you, bending your knees back to start position. And without resting the weights, repeat more of these exercises for quadriceps.

Dumbbell Squat Exercises for Quadriceps

Standing with feet shoulder width apart, grasp two dumbbells with arms at your side. With your feet and knees pointing slightly outwards, keeping your back straight and head up, bend at the knees into a squat only until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push back up to start position, keeping your back straight, and repeat.

Barbell Hack Squat

Grasping a barbell at arms length behind you, hands shoulder width apart, palms facing back, stand straight with your feet flat on the floor. Keeping the bar tucked up against the back of your legs below your butt, bend your knees and squat down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor. Push slowly back up to start position and repeat these exercises for quadriceps, keeping your head up and feet flat on the floor.

Barbell Lunge Quad Exercises

With a barbell across your upper back/shoulders and behind your head (not resting on your neck), keeping your torso vertical, move your right leg forward into a long stride. Bend your knees slowly until your left (rear) shin is parallel to the floor and your right knee is at about 45 degree bend. Slowly push up, straightening your legs back into the long stride position again, and repeat. Perform the same repetitions with your left leg forward.

Dumbbell Lunge

Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, keeping your torso vertical, move your right leg forward into a long stride. Bend your knees slowly until your left (rear) shin is parallel to the floor and your right knee is at about 45 degree bend. Slowly push up, straightening your legs back into the long stride position again, and repeat. Perform the same repetitions with your left leg forward.

Barbell Squat Exercises for Quadriceps

Standing with feet shoulder width apart, hold a barbell across your upper back/shoulders and behind your head (not resting on your neck), grasp the bar with a wide grip, hands twice shoulder width apart. With your feet and knees pointing slightly outwards, keeping your back straight and head up, bend at the knees into a squat only until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push back up to start position, keeping your back straight and again repeat these exercises for quadriceps. Work the inner thighs more by positioning your feet about 30 inches apart.

Dumbbell Rear Lunge

For the last of our exercises for quadriceps, stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your torso vertical throughout, slide your left foot back so that only the top of the foot is on the floor. At the same time, lower your body by bending your right knee until your left knee almost touches the floor. Extend your right leg and push yourself back up, sliding your left foot forward back to start position. Now lunge with the opposite leg and repeat with alternating lunges.