Powerful, developed, sculpted quads can help you win a bodybuilding competition by making you stand out from the crowd. Build the quads you've always dreamed of with the following exercises!
Turn your frail quads into powerful poles!
Powerful, developed, sculpted quads can help you win a bodybuilding competition by making you stand out from the crowd. They distinguish a harmonious, proportional, aesthetically beautiful body from an apple-shaped body with a heavy top and thin legs.
Of course, we can't all have quads like professional bodybuilders, but we can build big, powerful, well-proportioned and defined muscles that will impress in any case.
Do not waste time now so that you do not regret in the future that you did not train enough quadriceps or devoted little time to them. You can’t even imagine how many athletes sweat in their pants in the gym in the summer, only to hide the results of insufficient perseverance and discipline when pumping up the quadriceps femoris.
Do not waste time now so that you do not regret in the future that you did not train quadriceps enough.
The quadriceps account for a very large amount of muscle mass in our body. Their training is very difficult and requires a lot of time and effort to build even a few grams of muscle. Intensive pumping of the quadriceps femoris will allow you to develop the entire body through a natural surge of growth hormones and testosterone.
When doing, say, a squat, the body uses a huge number of muscles to lift the weight up—quads, hamstrings, back, trapezius, shoulders, and all involved in moving and/or balancing the weight during the lift. This means the overall development of the muscles of the whole body, which contributes to the formation of an overall powerful appearance.
You have to ask yourself the question: Do I need this?
A bit of anatomy
The quadriceps are a large muscle group that consists of four heads on the front of the thigh. Let's take a quick look at these heads and their functions.
Rectus femoris
It starts from the ilium, occupies the middle part of the thigh, covering most of the three remaining heads.
External (lateral) wide muscle of the thigh
It starts from the femur, runs along the lateral side (outer part) of the thigh and is attached to the patella.
vastus medialis muscle of thigh
It also starts from the femur, runs along the medial side (inner part) of the thigh and is attached to the patella. This muscle is responsible for the teardrop shape of the thigh.
Intermediate vastus femoris
This muscle is located between the lateral and medial in front of the femur and is attached to the patella.
All four heads of the quadriceps are responsible for knee extension. In addition, the rectus femoris, due to its location, also flexes the thigh.
Pumping up powerful quadriceps!
Now that you know about the anatomy and mechanics of movement, let's figure out how to get sculpted, powerful quads. The presented movements and exercises are designed to get the maximum result every time you visit the gym. Remember that it is always necessary to use the correct technique and not to lift too much weight so as not to risk your safety.
Barbell Squats
The back squat (the so-called ancestor of all leg exercises) is the main exercise for developing impressive quadriceps.
Stand under the bar in a squat rack and place the bar in a comfortable position at upper back level on the trapezius muscle. Grab the bar with both hands at your sides for stability. Now come out of the stance and place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
Very important: before starting the exercise, bend your knees. Do not bend your hips or back, otherwise you will lean forward too much. Lower the weight until your hamstrings touch your calf muscles or until you reach a comfortable range of motion (MA). Lift the weight up using your hips first and then your knees. Do not straighten your legs completely at the top.
The range of motion is very individual. Using a full range of motion is an almost ideal way to perform any exercise, but squats can be problematic with knee pain and back strain.
Following a proven rule, squat down to a comfortable limit, then return to the starting position. Don't skimp and take the task seriously. Squats are very difficult exercises, but the result is worth it.
To engage the inner parts (vasus medial femoris) a little more, try doing squats with your feet slightly wider apart with your toes pointing outward.
Squats with a barbell on the chest
To perform the barbell front squat, stand with the barbell in front of you and place it in the crook of your shoulder girdle at . Cross your forearms and secure the bar to your sides. Keep your head straight and your shoulders parallel to the floor. Remove the barbell, step out of the rack and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Perform this exercise as if you were doing a squat with a barbell on your shoulders. You will find that you can keep your back a little more straight. The front squat develops the quads a little better than the traditional back squat, which requires stronger hips.
If you're new to the front squat and need some extra stability, do it on a Smith machine for a while until you get comfortable with the weight.
If you're tall and either lean forward a lot or your heels are off the ground at the bottom, try placing two to four and a half kilograms of pancakes under each heel for extra stability. This technique can be used for both variations of squats.
Hack machine squats
For working out the outer (lateral) quadriceps, nothing beats the hack machine squat. With a moderate weight, stand comfortably under the pads of the machine, place your feet shoulder-width apart in the center of the foot plate. Lower yourself until you reach full range of motion, then return to the starting position.
Make sure you don't accelerate too much on the downward movement because this will put a lot of stress on your knees. Do the exercise at a constant pace. And again, as with all leg exercises, do not fully straighten your knees at the top.
Some gyms do not have this machine, but you should not despair, because there is always a way out. Just take a weighted barbell and hold it behind your calves (similar to a deadlift, only with weights behind your glutes).
Straighten your back, keep your head straight and begin to lift yourself with the muscles of your legs until you are completely upright. Without straightening your legs to the end, lower the load down to its original position, but do not touch the floor.
This exercise requires strict technique and can only be performed with a moderate amount of weight that you can easily lift.
leg press
Another great leg workout is the traditional 45-degree leg press. The advantage of this simulator is that it practically does not load the lumbar region and focuses more on the hips.
Sit on the machine and make sure the seat is pushed back enough to allow full range of motion. Place your feet in the center of the plate shoulder-width apart. Lift the load up without fully extending your knees and pull out the safety latches.
Lower the plate as much as possible, constantly controlling your movements, and raise it back to its original position. Try not to do half or partial reps - that's how you fool yourself and do not develop muscles.
If the leg press machine in your gym is constantly busy or simply not there, you can choose another option. Many gyms have additional machines for this muscle group, including models with a choice of weights and multifunction machines from Hammer Strength.
leg extension
For perfect isolation of the quadriceps femoris, the extension machine is best suited. Sit on the simulator, put your legs over its working shoulder and lean back against the support cushion. Adjust the shin pad so that it fits exactly into the 90-degree angle of the foot and ankle.
At an average pace, lift the weight and immediately squeeze the muscles at the top point, then return to the starting position. Try not to hold the weight on top as this will put more stress on your knees, especially the patellar tendon.
To pump up the upper parts of the quadriceps a little, try the following extension variation. Perform the exercise as above, but this time lean your upper body forward so that the angle between your torso and legs is 90 degrees or less at the top. You will need to take a little less weight, but the result will exceed your expectations!
Lunges
Lunges are a great exercise for shaping your quads. Thanks to them, the muscles look pleasantly rounded and toned. While many say that lunges work all the muscles in the thigh and develop the hamstrings and glutes equally, in this article we will focus on how lunges can be used to train the quads.
Place a relatively light barbell over your shoulders, as if you were doing a squat with a barbell over your shoulders. Come out of the squat rack and put one foot forward in front of you. Bend the other leg so that the knee is a few inches off the floor.
Don't touch the floor with your knee. Make sure your knee doesn't go past your toes, otherwise take a wider step. The second leg will remain behind all the time. After you crouched, return to your original vertical position and put the leg with which you did the lunge to the second. Repeat the exercise by switching legs - this will be counted as one rep.
A good alternative to the barbell lunge is the Smith machine lunge. Just lunge with one leg and do all reps in that position. You don't need to step in after each rep, do all reps on one leg first, then switch positions and repeat.
Walking lunges are the favorite exercise of most athletes. They are performed in the spacious part of the hall; make sure you have about 10 meters of free walking space.
The essence of lunges in walking is very simple - you make a lunge, then substitute the second leg forward and make the next lunge with this foot. That is, in this exercise you are constantly moving forward.
thigh muscles It is one of the largest muscles in the human body. The more developed these muscles, the more enduring the person and the higher the degree of physical readiness in general. By exercising with the legs, a person directly affects the hip joints, having a positive effect on the general condition of the genitourinary system, unloading the knee joints. This happens if the classes are carried out in the gym. Classes in the gym are attractive because you can load only certain muscle groups by choosing one or another sports equipment.
The basis of the thigh muscles is the quadriceps muscle, which consists of 4 muscles evenly distributed. During physical exertion, all efforts are evenly distributed to all muscle bundles, that is, to the entire quadriceps. This muscle group performs the following main functions:
- This group of muscles is able to hold the human body in a vertical position. It supports the human body while standing, preventing the knee joints from giving way.
- During movement (running or walking), the quadriceps tends to be responsible for the correct flexion and extension of the knee joint, distributing the entire load correctly. At the same time, it makes it possible to tilt the pelvis in different directions, as well as pull the knees to the stomach.
The structure of the quadriceps
- The femoral part of the muscle is its lateral surface and takes part in all forms of movement in which the legs are involved. It is the most circular component of this muscle bundle. It is also called the lateral muscle.
- The inner part of the thigh is formed by the wide medial muscle. In shape, it resembles a certain roundness on the inside of the knee. The medial muscle is also designed to allow normal flexion and extension of the knee.
- Between the medial and lateral muscles is a wide intermediate muscle, which partially extends beyond the edges of these two muscles at their junctions with the knee. It is mainly used when jumping and running, as well as while squatting.
- On the front of the thigh is the rectus muscle, which is part of the quadriceps complex. It is longer and forms the front semicircular part of the thigh. It is interesting in that it is not attached to the femur, while it takes an active part in flexion and extension of the legs.
The quadriceps consists of different muscle groups, which are characterized by the speed of performing various exercises: slow and fast muscle fibers. As a result, exercises should have both power loads and aerobic ones.
Basic quadriceps exercise
The development of this muscle group is based on the use of basic exercises that contribute to the development of strength and endurance of an athlete associated with an increase in the volume of muscle fibers.
Refers to one of the basic exercises widely used by athletes. This exercise increases the functionality of the quadriceps, and also helps to strengthen the muscles of the buttocks. At the same time, the muscles of the back, abs and the back of the thigh are involved in the process. The effectiveness of the exercise depends on the optimality of the loads, otherwise the exercises can lead to serious injuries if you do not start exercising with low weight, practicing the squat technique. The technique is as follows:
- The bar of the bar should not be located in the neck, but be located on the back of the deltas and trapeziums.
- The back should be kept straight, and the shoulder blades pulled together so that the weight of the bar is evenly distributed. The chin is directed upwards so as not to provoke forward bends, which overload the lower back and can lead to injuries.
- To maintain balance, the feet are wider than the shoulders, and the socks look to the sides.
- The exercise begins with the movement of the pelvis back, as if you need to sit down.
- The knees of the legs should be fixed when the back of the thigh is parallel to the floor, but can be lower. It all depends on the degree of preparation of the athlete and the task. The lower the sitting, the more efficiently the muscles are trained.
- Rise from a sitting should be without sudden movements, while maintaining balance. When the top point is reached, the legs do not fully straighten, but remain slightly bent, in order to avoid injuries to the knee joint.
Doing these exercises, you should not get carried away with maximum loads. For proper quad formation, it may be better to replace the barbell squat with a regular front squat, but also with a barbell.
This exercise is similar to the previous one, but the bar has a slightly different location, which strengthens the quadriceps more. The technique for doing this exercise is as follows:
- The grip is performed on straight arms, located slightly wider than the shoulder.
- The neck is located on the front of the shoulders.
- The arms are bent, and their upper parts are parallel to the floor.
- After fixing the bar in this position, a squat is performed, the technique of which is similar to the previous one.
Gakk - the simulator is designed to strengthen quadriceps, while exercises on it reduce the load on the spine. The lower back is located on a movable base, the hands are held on the handrails, and the legs are on an inclined plane. By changing the width of the feet, you can shift the load relative to the side of the thighs.
- When performing the exercise, do not rush and do not make sudden movements.
- Reaching the maximum load, it is not recommended to fully extend the knees.
- The entire load should fall on the quadriceps.
- You should not push your knees beyond the line of the socks.
The main exercise that actively works out the legs, but at the same time takes all the effort off the back. If the feet are placed as close to each other as possible, then the quadriceps also take part in the work.
- To avoid the appearance of stress in the back area, the lower back should be firmly pressed against the seat.
- In this case, it should be controlled that the knees do not fully unbend, and also touch the chest at the final stage of the exercise.
- If the feet are spread a little wider, then the inner rays of the thigh muscles will work more.
Lunges can be performed with various sports items, such as a barbell or dumbbells. This exercise is also done in the Smith machine. If the options are constantly alternated, then you can achieve the maximum effect. The effect will increase even more if this exercise is alternated with other exercises, such as squats.
- The feet should be parallel, but slightly wider than the hips.
- At the same time, wide steps are taken, and the leg, bent at the knee joint, should form, in relation to the floor, a right angle.
- The location of the knee must be controlled: it must be motionless and not “walk” from side to side.
- The knee of the back leg is located as close to the floor as possible, but does not touch it.
- When exiting a lunge, the quadriceps work as much as possible.
When using a barbell, you should strictly follow the technique of working with a barbell, described above in the text, in the subheadings of “barbell squats”. If dumbbells are used, then the arms are parallel to the body and are motionless.
Isolation exercises for the quadriceps of the thigh
This type of exercise is applied to a single muscle to make it look more attractive, but they are not able to increase muscle mass and develop strength and endurance.
Leg extension exercises on the simulator
If it makes sense to work the front of the quadriceps, then this is exactly the exercise. Since most of the load is on the knees, you should not set a lot of weight.
- The legs are unbent until they take a parallel position relative to the floor.
- The loin is held directly on the seat.
- Movements should be carried out at a slow pace, without the appearance of inertia, which will minimize all efforts.
- You should make the maximum number of repetitions.
- After the exercise, there should be a burning sensation within the muscle.
To carry out an isolated load on the quadriceps, you can perform a bench press with one leg. When performing this exercise on the simulator, one leg is removed.
Downloading Quadriceps - Video
The thigh muscles are the largest muscles in the human body. Training quadriceps is difficult and takes a lot of time. The degree of development of quadriceps affects the strength of the athlete, as well as his endurance. Training quadriceps activates the metabolism, which has a positive effect on health.
Anatomical features of the quadriceps femoris
The quadriceps includes 4 heads (straight, intermediate, lateral and medial) located on the front side of the thigh. When making loads, efforts fall in equally equal proportions on all heads at once.
The heads of the quadriceps perform the following functions:
- keep the body upright
- support the body when standing, preventing the knee joints from bending
- flex and flex the knee
- quadriceps allows you to tilt the pelvis to the sides
- allows you to pull your knees up to your stomach
Exercises for the quadriceps of the thigh. Workout program
Beginners, visiting the gym, the last thing they think about is developed legs. But this is a big mistake, because sometimes in the gyms there are athletes with well-developed tops and legs that look like “matches”. If you are a beginner, it is recommended that you immediately set yourself up for some serious footwork. Otherwise, over time, the lower part of the body will be noticeably different from the upper. And to eliminate such a disproportion of the body, you will have to make a lot of effort and time.
The main exercises for pumping quadriceps are squats. But less experienced athletes are advised to start training with leg presses, leg extensions in the simulator. This is necessary to minimize the risk of injury and prepare the base for subsequent loads. Squats are recommended to start after 6 months from the start of training.
We swing quadriceps with a barbell
The barbell squat is a basic exercise used among athletes. It increases the functionality of the quadriceps muscles of the thighs and strengthens the gluteal muscles. Properly selected loads affect the effectiveness of training. First, it is recommended to take on a small weight, in order to avoid injury. Squats with light weights are needed to work out the technique. Don't neglect it!
How to pump up the quadriceps thighs with hack squats
The Hackenschmidt simulator is used to strengthen the quadriceps muscles of the thigh. By properly exercising on the simulator, you reduce the load on the spine. Perform the exercise smoothly, avoid sudden movements. When the maximum load is reached, it is highly undesirable to unbend the knees completely. During training, only the quadriceps should experience the load.
Leg press for quadriceps on the simulator
Leg presses on the quadriceps on the simulator work out the muscles of the legs without loading the back. The feet should be close to each other, then the quadriceps will receive the necessary load. To remove unnecessary loads from the back, the lower back should be pressed as strongly as possible to the support. If you want to work out the inner thighs at the same time, then try to spread your feet as wide as possible.
Pumping quadriceps with lunges
Lunges are performed using dumbbells, barbells. You will get the result by alternating these two sports equipment. When exercising with a barbell, it is important to follow the technique correctly so as not to get injured. When performing the exercise, the hands should be in a stationary state.
Quadriceps training frequency
Regardless of the initial state of the quadriceps, it is not recommended to train them more than 1 time per week. The reason is simple: the muscles do not have time to recover. If after a workout, after a couple of days, you feel that your legs have already rested, then just increase the intensity of your workouts.
How to build quadriceps at home
Do both compound and isolation exercises for the quads at home. A popular exercise for the quadriceps of the thigh is the squat with its own weight, that is, without the use of weights (barbell, weights, etc.). The squat is a classic basic leg workout exercise. Performing squats, we put the feet parallel to each other and slightly wider than the shoulders. At the same time, we hold our hands behind the head, clasped in a “lock”, the knees should not go beyond the socks. The exercise is performed at a smooth pace for 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
After mastering the classic squats, we move on to squats with dumbbells. When doing squats, we place the projectile along the body, or on bent arms near the shoulders.
How to pump the quadriceps of the hips quickly?
To achieve the goal, you should follow 2 simple rules: follow the step by step, as well as the correct execution of the exercises.
Exercises for the quadriceps femoris. Training plan
A set of exercises for the quadriceps of the thigh in the gym includes:
- barbell squats - 2-3 sets of 7-8 reps
- lunges with a barbell - 3 sets of 9-10 reps
- quad leg press - 2 sets of 10 reps
- straightening the legs on the simulator - 2 sets of 10 reps
For the outer thighs, the following exercises are suitable:
- hack squats - 2 sets of 10 reps
- lunges with dumbbells - 2-3 sets of 8 reps
- squats with a barbell mounted on the chest - 2 sets of 7-8 reps
- leg press - 3 sets of 2 reps
The inner thigh can be pumped in the following ways:
- squats with a barbell, with a large distance between the feet - 2 sets, 10 times
- leg straightening on a special simulator - 2 sets, 8 times
- leg press - 2-3 sets, 8 reps
- barbell lunges - 2 sets of 10 reps
When doing exercises for the quadriceps femoris, take short breaks so as not to overload and injure the muscles.
Leg extension on the simulator is a painful, excruciating exercise, but it causes an amazing burning sensation in the thighs. Under load, the pain must be endured, otherwise there will be no result.
Sitting leg extension - the exercise gives fatigue to the anterior quadriceps, so that later, when doing bench presses, squats, you would not be able to physically take a lot of weight and not injure your knee joints.
Another exercise to increase quadriceps in volume is leg extension while sitting with additional weights.
When performing leg extension exercises, adhere to the following rule: the smaller the mass of the weighting agent, the more repetitions should be performed at a time, and vice versa. The higher the mass of the weighting agent, the fewer times you should do this exercise. In the first case, we put the emphasis on the maximum number of repetitions at a time. In the second case, we perform fewer times, but at least 3 sets.
Master class on pumping quadriceps hips from Denis Gusev
Any workout should start with a warm-up. It is necessary for warming up the joints and ligaments, starting the cardiovascular, respiratory and respiratory systems. Warm-up part - walking on a treadmill for 7 minutes, at a speed of 6 km / h, with an inclination angle of 5 degrees. Next, we move on to basic exercises for the quadriceps femoris. They allow you to use the maximum number of muscle groups in the work.
- When performing squats with a barbell in the Smith machine, it is important that the center of gravity falls through the area of \u200b\u200bsupport of the foot. When setting the legs wider than the shoulders, the outer part of the thighs is involved. When setting the legs, the shoulders are already - the inner side of the thighs. In order for the quadriceps to experience the maximum load when doing squats, the body should be pulled back a little. 3 warm-up sets, 3 workers with maximum weight, we complete the squats with a “giant” approach, that is, 7 sets with a rest interval of 30 seconds for 20-30 repetitions. Such a large number of repetitions is due to the fact that it is more difficult to drive blood into the quadriceps. Squat should be parallel to the floor (but not below an angle of 90 degrees at the knee joint), this will avoid serious injury. The gaze should be directed straight ahead, or slightly up.
- leg press in the simulator - 4 sets of 30 repetitions. Depending on the setting of the feet, you can change the load on one or another part of the quadriceps. When placing feet on the middle part of the platform, bringing them slightly inward, the outer side of the quadriceps works, and vice versa.
Isolated exercise - leg extension in a sitting simulator 3 sets, 20-25 repetitions. When performing this exercise, you should change the position of the foot (reduce inward and spread apart) between approaches.
Denis Gusev recommends performing barbell squats in the rhythm above, provided that you are not new to this business. For beginners, a training program for pumping quadriceps thighs will look like this:
- leg press 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- leg extension sitting 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- leg curl 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- hyperextension 4 sets of 20 reps
- using the right technique will help avoid injury
- use of uniform load for proportional development of leg muscles
- the use of a large number of repetitions of exercises
- using the maximum range of motion, it is important to contract and stretch the muscles
- observance of gradualness and sequence of increasing loads
- using both basic and isolation exercises
Quadriceps(quadriceps femoris) - is a large and strong muscle that plays the role of the main extensor of the knee joint. Since the main load of body weight is on the knee joint, the quadriceps is the main muscle of the lower extremities. If the development of this muscle was weak, the person simply would not have had upright posture.
By itself, the quadriceps muscle consists of the following parts: straight, internal, external and middle. Despite this, the load during the exercise falls entirely on the entire muscle.
Biomechanics of the quadriceps
The quadriceps femoris muscle is attached to the tibia through the patellar ligament. The muscle performs 2 functions: static and dynamic.
static function is to prevent the knee joint from bending while standing.
Dynamic - in maintaining the stability of the knee joint during running and jumping.
The peculiarity of the quadriceps is that it consists of two types of muscle fibers: slow and fast. At the same time, slow fibers predominate in those parts of the muscle that are aimed at providing a static load, fast fibers - in those that are responsible for elasticity. Naturally, the ratio is determined individually for each person, therefore, in order to achieve good results in quadriceps pumping, you need to know which one prevails for you.
So, for example, people who are mainly involved in athletics and team sports have mostly slow fibers.
Let's analyze the exercises that will help you pump up the quadriceps.
Squats
There is an opinion that they are the main basic exercise for pumping huge legs. It is difficult to argue with this, however, often with prolonged performance of this exercise, the gluteus maximus and minimus muscles, and sometimes the long head of the biceps femoris, undergo hypertrophy. As a result, you get huge muscle pillars that look more like the legs of a fat person than the legs of an athlete.
The reason for this is that the effectiveness of squats also depends on the ratio of the body length and limbs of the athlete. If the thigh is long, then you will involuntarily tilt the body forward, overloading the muscles of the lower back. Many athletes often use too much working weight, including not the thigh muscles, but. This mistake is the most common and renders squats useless. To solve this problem and ensure a balanced development of the leg muscles, practice periodically. This execution technique will save you from using excessive working weights and force the load to lie down in the right places.
Squats in the hack simulator
This type of squat is a great alternative to classic squats. Here, the load on the lower back is minimal, and when changing the position of the feet, you can load the quadriceps in different ways. The quadriceps muscle will get the maximum load if you do not put your legs forward, but place your feet close to each other. Tighten your abdominal muscles statically to avoid shifting your pelvis and keep your spine in a stable position.
Squats with dumbbells
This exercise should be used by those athletes for whom the gym is not their main place of training. When performing squats with dumbbells, weights can be held both along the torso and on raised arms near the shoulders (as when doing a shoulder press).
leg press
This exercise specifically loads the quadriceps only when the feet are close to each other (no more than 10 cm) and shifted to the lower edge of the platform. In this case, it will not work to lower the platform deeply, but this is not required. The main phase of the movement is in the upper part. Try not to relax the quadriceps at the bottom and not fully extend it at the top. Firstly, it is harmful to the knee joint, and secondly, it causes the muscle to relax. It must be remembered that your main task is not to squeeze the weight at any cost, but to try to unbend your knees, as it were.
leg extension
It would seem that we know everything about this exercise. However, we will perform it in a manner not entirely characteristic of this exercise. We will perform the approach with each foot in turn. At the same time, do not drop the weight at the bottom point, and do not fully extend the leg at the top. As for the rep range, as mentioned above, most athletes are dominated by slow fibers, so the optimal number of repetitions will be from 10 to 15.
Lunges with dumbbells
This exercise also pumps the quadriceps femoris perfectly. You can perform it not for repetitions, but for the distance traveled.
Frequency and intensity of quadriceps training
In general, the number of approaches and repetitions depends on what kind of muscle fibers prevail in the muscle. If you have an overwhelming amount of slow fibers, then pump the quads every fourth day, periodically changing exercises: for example, leg presses and lunges, squats with dumbbells and seated leg extensions. This technique is justified not only from a physiological point of view, but also allows you to fully implement the principle of specialization.
By the way, the result of such training will be visible in a month. Your legs will begin to gain muscle volume in the places where you need it, and not just anywhere.
Natalya Erofeevskaya May 14, 2019, 21:12The quadriceps femoris muscle, called the quadriceps, is rarely on the list of muscles worked out in training. And completely in vain. Being the basic extensor of the knee joint, the basis of the muscles of the legs, the quadriceps makes the proportions of the body ideal - it visually balances the massive body and does not allow the legs to look ridiculously thin.
The quadriceps is located on the front of the thigh and is one of the largest muscles in the body.
A powerful quadriceps is not only beautiful. This muscle supports the knee in the desired position, provides upright posture and is responsible for the process of walking and running. It is not difficult to work out quadriceps, it is enough just to give the necessary loads in training and make classes regular.
Quadriceps exercise
Nuances when working with quadriceps
First of all, the correct technique for performing the exercises below is important. Otherwise, the load will fall not on the front of the thigh, but on the buttocks - women may even be delighted with this turn of events, but men hardly need a priest growing by leaps and bounds.
The next important point is the setting of the legs: in a narrow stance, both squats with a barbell on the chest, and leg presses, and hack squats are performed. A passing direction of work will be the load on the adductor muscles and the biceps of the thigh with the buttocks.
Important: the quadriceps pumped by intensive training can lead to lumbar lordosis, so it is necessary to observe the recovery period for this muscle. After regular workouts for quadriceps, pause for 3-4 days, after intensive work, let the muscle rest for a week.
There must be pauses between workouts for quadriceps
Basic complex for quadriceps
In order to use this muscle during training, you don’t have to come up with something like that: it actively works in many basic exercises. Most of these exercises are included in standard strength training, and we will dwell on some specific ones separately.
Squats
The basis of the basics of almost any strength training. The effectiveness and safety of the exercise directly depends on the optimal load: too much weight can lead to injuries, too little will not give the desired result. Consider the following points:
- The bar of the bar should be located on the back of the deltoid and trapezius muscles.
- To evenly distribute the weight of the projectile during the exercise, the back should be straight, the shoulder blades are brought together, the chin is pointing up - this will help to avoid tilting the body forward and overloading the lumbar region.
- Start moving down by pulling your pelvis back. The toes of the feet look to the sides - this will help to maintain balance.
- The deeper the squat, the more efficient the muscles work. Depending on the degree of preparation of the athlete, the back of the thigh at the bottom of the squat is either parallel to the floor or below.
- Return from the squat smoothly, without sudden movements, while maintaining balance.
- At the top of the movement, in order to avoid injuries to the knee joint, the legs cannot be fully extended - they should remain slightly bent.
In some cases, for the correct formation of quadriceps, squats with a barbell can be replaced with regular front squats.
leg press
It is performed on the simulator and is an independent exercise of strength training. Despite the fact that the work of the muscles in the bench press and in the squat is very similar, these exercises cannot be considered interchangeable.
leg extension
It is performed on a simulator and, since it is aimed at the main functionality of the muscle, it is considered insulating. This exercise also cannot replace squats and leg presses, but it will perfectly complement them in the overall complex.
Lunges with weights
Variation exercise. Can be performed with dumbbells or kettlebells, forward or backward. Weight can be held both in straight lowered arms and at the shoulders.
Isolated quadriceps exercises
If the result when performing the exercises of the basic complex for some reason does not suit you, you can try isolated ones, designed to work only quadriceps:
- Zercher squats performed with a neck held on the elbow bends at the chest. The load during this exercise falls primarily on the hips;
- "pistol"- familiar from school days squats on one leg. A straight leg can be carried not only forward, but also backward. The exercise is already not easy, but if you want to complicate it even more, take dumbbells or weights in your hands;
- side squats performed with one leg out to the side. The body is straight, the bar is on the shoulders, but its weight should be lower than usual.
When performing isolating exercises, it is important not to overdo it either with the number of repetitions and approaches, or with the working weight of the projectile. Injury is very easy to get, and recovery will be long and painful.
Before each quadriceps workout, warm up thoroughly, increase working weights gradually and do not return to the previous ones - progress is important
Happy training!
