Quads exercises in 3D

The quads: Quadriceps femoris: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, medialis and intermedius

Four muscles on the front of the thigh joining into one tendon over the kneecap. The vastus lateralis on the outside is the largest; the vastus medialis forms the teardrop above the inner knee; the rectus femoris runs down the middle and also crosses the hip.

What the quads do

• Straighten the knee — standing up, climbing, jumping
• Absorb landing and slow down the body when you lower into a squat
• Raise the thigh (rectus femoris)

The 12 best quads exercises

Each one is shown on the 3D figure above, position by position, with the quads lit red. Tap one to watch it.

Bodyweight squat

Beginner · Bodyweight · works quads and glutes, with help from the inner thighs, hamstrings, calves and lower back. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly.
2. Reach your arms forward for balance and brace your stomach.
3. Sit down and back between your heels, knees following the line of your toes.
4. Go as low as you can with your heels down and chest up.
5. Push through the whole foot to stand back up.

Keep in mind: Knees track over the toes; Whole foot on the floor; Chest proud. Avoid: knees caving inward; heels lifting; rounding the back at the bottom.

Box squat

Beginner · Bodyweight, Bench · works quads and glutes, with help from the hamstrings and inner thighs. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand in front of a box, bench or sturdy chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Reach your arms forward and sit back until you lightly touch the box.
3. Without relaxing, stand back up by pushing through your whole foot.

Keep in mind: Touch, do not flop; Shins stay fairly upright; Chest up. Avoid: dropping onto the box; rocking forward to stand; knees caving in.

Goblet squat

Beginner · Dumbbells · works quads and glutes, with help from the inner thighs, abs and upper back. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Hold one dumbbell upright by its top end (or a kettlebell by the horns) against your chest.
2. Stand with your feet a little wider than your shoulders, toes out.
3. Squat down between your heels, keeping your chest tall and elbows inside your knees.
4. Drive back up through your whole foot.

Keep in mind: Weight close to the chest; Elbows push the knees out at the bottom; Tall torso. Avoid: letting the weight drift away from the body; heels lifting; rounding forward.

Barbell back squat

Intermediate · Barbell · works quads and glutes, with help from the inner thighs, hamstrings, lower back, abs and calves. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Set the bar on your upper back, below the bony top of the spine, and grip it just outside your shoulders.
2. Step back and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly.
3. Take a big breath and brace your stomach.
4. Bend your hips and knees together and sit down between your heels.
5. Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, then drive up through the whole foot.

Keep in mind: Knees out, over the toes; Chest up, back tight; Drive the floor away. Avoid: knees caving in on the way up; heels rising; lower back rounding at the bottom.

Front squat

Advanced · Barbell · works quads, with help from the glutes, abs, upper back and inner thighs. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders, close to your throat, fingertips under the bar and elbows pointing forward.
2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
3. Squat straight down, keeping your torso upright and elbows high.
4. Drive up through your whole foot.

Keep in mind: Elbows up the whole time; Upright torso; Knees travel forward freely. Avoid: elbows dropping so the bar rolls forward; gripping the bar tightly with the whole hand; rounding the upper back.

Forward lunge

Beginner · Bodyweight · works quads and glutes, with help from the inner thighs, hamstrings and calves. Typical: 3 × 8–12 each side. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Take a long step forward and lower your back knee toward the floor.
3. Stop when your front thigh is about level and your back knee hovers just above the floor.
4. Push off the front foot to step back to standing. Alternate legs.

Keep in mind: Long enough step that the front heel stays down; Torso upright; Back knee straight down. Avoid: front knee caving in; short step, heel lifting; slamming the back knee.

Bulgarian split squat

Intermediate · Dumbbells, Bench · works quads and glutes, with help from the inner thighs, hamstrings and outer hips. Typical: 3 × 8–12 each side. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand a long stride in front of a bench and rest the top of your back foot on it.
2. Hold dumbbells at your sides and stand tall.
3. Lower straight down until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor.
4. Push through the front foot to stand. Finish the set, then switch legs.

Keep in mind: Most of the weight on the front foot; Lean slightly forward for more glutes; Front knee follows the toes. Avoid: front foot too close to the bench; pushing off the back foot; losing balance — start without weights.

Step-up

Beginner · Dumbbells, Bench · works quads and glutes, with help from the hamstrings, calves and outer hips. Typical: 3 × 8–12 each side. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand facing a sturdy box or bench about knee height, a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Put your whole foot on the box.
3. Drive through that foot to stand up on the box, bringing the other knee up.
4. Step back down slowly with the same leg leading down. Finish the set, then switch.

Keep in mind: Push through the heel on the box; Do not push off the bottom foot; Stand fully tall at the top. Avoid: bouncing off the back foot; front knee caving in; box too high.

Leg extension

Beginner · Machine · works quads. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Sit in the machine with your back against the pad and the roller on the front of your lower shins.
2. Line your knees up with the machine’s pivot and hold the handles.
3. Straighten your legs, squeeze your thighs for a second, then lower slowly.

Keep in mind: Squeeze at the top; Slow lowering; Hips stay on the seat. Avoid: kicking the weight up; lifting the hips; dropping the weight.

Leg press

Beginner · Machine · works quads and glutes, with help from the inner thighs and hamstrings. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Sit in the machine with your back and hips flat on the pad and your feet shoulder-width on the platform.
2. Release the safety and hold the handles.
3. Bend your knees and lower the platform until your knees come toward your chest, without your hips lifting.
4. Press back up, stopping just before your knees lock.

Keep in mind: Lower back stays on the pad; Knees follow the toes; Do not lock the knees hard. Avoid: lowering so far the hips roll up; pushing through the toes; snapping the knees straight.

Wall sit

Beginner · Bodyweight · works quads, with help from the glutes, inner thighs and calves. Typical: 3 × 20 s. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand with your back against a wall and walk your feet about two feet forward.
2. Slide down until your thighs are level with the floor and your knees are over your ankles.
3. Keep your back flat on the wall and hold.

Keep in mind: Knees over the ankles; Weight through the heels; Breathe. Avoid: knees drifting past the toes; hands pushing on the thighs; sitting too high.

Side lunge

Intermediate · Bodyweight · works inner thighs and quads, with help from the glutes and hamstrings. Typical: 3 × 8–12 each side. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand with your feet very wide, toes slightly out.
2. Shift your weight to one side, bending that knee and sitting the hips back, while the other leg stays straight.
3. Feel the stretch along the inside of the straight leg.
4. Push back to the middle and repeat on the other side.

Keep in mind: Bent knee follows the toes; Heel of the bent leg stays down; Chest up. Avoid: knee collapsing inward; heel lifting; rounding the back.

Exercises where the quads help

These train other muscles first, but the quads work alongside them:

• Deadlift (barbell)
• Plank (bodyweight)
• Mountain climber (bodyweight)
• Barbell hip thrust (barbell, bench)
• Kettlebell swing (kettlebell)
• Banded lateral walk (resistance band)
• Sumo squat (dumbbells)

How to train the quads

• Squats, lunges, step-ups and leg presses build them; leg extensions isolate them.
• Letting the knees travel forward over the toes in a squat trains the quads more; it is normal and safe for healthy knees.
• Go deep: training the quads at long lengths builds them best.

Questions

Other muscles: Glutes · Outer hips · Inner thighs · Hamstrings · Hip flexors · Calves · Shins · All muscles

General fitness information for healthy adults, not medical advice.