Your quadriceps, or “quads,” are some of the largest and strongest muscles in your body. Quads are the crown jewel of your legs, filling out the entire front of your thigh. And, if you’ve been training your quads diligently, you’ll notice them bulging out from under your pants or shorts.

But strong quads can give you more than a set of shredded-looking legs. They’re also important for optimum performance in most sports — plus a muscle you must train for greater overall athleticism. In addition, quads are essential for many everyday functions like walking, running, getting up from a chair, climbing the stairs, and lifting something off the floor.

In this blog, you’ll learn the anatomy of your quads, reasons why you should train them, and the most efficient exercises for building bigger and more powerful quad muscles at our gym in Thornton, Colorado.

What Are Quads?

We talk about quads as if they’re one solid muscle, but they’re actually a group of four muscles located on the front of your thigh.

The full name of quads is “quadriceps femoris.” This is Latin for “four-headed muscle of the femur.” That’s because the four separate muscles of the quadriceps cover the front and sides of the femur (thigh bone.)

The four separate quadriceps muscles are the:

Vastus intermedius — This is the deepest of the four quadriceps muscles. It’s located in between the other two vastus muscles described below. This muscle is also covered by the rectus femoris. Its primary function is knee extension.
Vastus medialis oblique (VMO) — This muscle is shaped like a teardrop and is the smallest quad muscle. It runs along the inner part of your thigh. It connects your femur to your kneecap. It helps move the knee joint and stabilize the kneecap.
Vastus lateralis — This muscle runs down the outside of your thigh. It also connects your femur to your kneecap. It’s the largest and most powerful of the four quadriceps muscles. This muscle extends the lower leg and allows the body to rise up from a squatting position.
Rectus femoris — This muscle is in the middle of your thigh, starting at your hip bone and attaching to your kneecap. It partially covers the three vastus muscles listed above and is closest to the surface of your skin. This muscle acts in two ways — it extends the leg at the knee joint and also flexes the thigh at the hip joint.

All four quad muscles come together just above the kneecap. They’re attached to the top of the kneecap by the quadriceps tendon. If you sit in a chair and straighten your knee a few times, you’ll see and feel your quads in action along the front part of your thigh.

The quads work together to keep your kneecap stable and help you with many movements you might take for granted like:

Walking
Running
Standing
Climbing stairs
Extending your lower leg from your knee
Flexing your thigh at the hip

Like all the other muscles in your body, the quadriceps are built with tightly bound muscle fibers that are made of protein. All muscle fibers can be divided into two types:

Slow-twitch muscle fibers — These muscle fibers burn energy slowly. They allow you to do low-intensity activities like standing, walking, and jogging for a long period of time.
Fast-twitch muscle fibers — These muscle fibers power intense movements, like sprinting and jumping, that require big bursts of energy. Fast-twitch muscle fibers also tire more quickly.

Everyone has a mix of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers in their quads. Some people naturally might have a higher amount of one type over another. A person who is naturally good at sprinting might have more fast-twitch muscle fibers in their quads, for example. With targeted training, it’s possible to build more of a particular fiber type.

The vastus lateralis — the largest and most powerful quad muscle — is made up of about two-thirds fast-twitch muscle fibers. Therefore, if you want to grow your vastus lateralis, it could be beneficial to do more explosive training exercises like jump squats and sprints.

The vastus medialis oblique (VMO) is important for stabilizing your knee joint and controlling how your kneecap moves. If your VMO is weak or not functioning properly, this can damage your knee cartilage and cause the knee joint’s lining to become inflamed.

What Are the Benefits of Training Quads at the Gym?

Your quads play a vital role in nearly all your leg movements, so it’s important to keep them strong and flexible by training them at the gym. Here are a few of the benefits you can gain from regular quad training:

For most people, the primary benefit of training quads is that they make your everyday movements like walking, bending, and sitting easier.
Quads are known as your body’s “natural knee brace.” Having strong quads can improve your knees’ function and can also prevent knee cartilage loss, the hallmark trait of osteoarthritis in the knee. A study published by The Journal of Rheumatology found that quad exercises can lower the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis and can also help you prevent degenerative wear and tear on the knee.
Having stronger quads can improve your balance and reduce your risk of falls.
Training quads helps to maximize and improve athletic performance in many different sports.
Strong quads provide a strong, stable foundation for you to train your upper body. By building your lower-body strength, you’ll support many upper-body movements like reaching overhead, throwing, and swinging.
Quad workouts can stimulate the release of hormones like human growth hormone (HGH), cortisol, and testosterone. HGH promotes muscle growth and fat metabolism. Cortisol also increases fat metabolism and helps your body respond to stress. Testosterone helps your body build skeletal muscle and repair damaged muscle proteins.
Building quads also helps to tone and sculpt legs, strengthen core muscles, strengthen bones, and improve posture.
Quad training can boost cognitive function, stress management, mobility, range of motion, and stability.

What Gym Workouts Can Help Me Train My Quads?

Now that you know why you should be training your quads, which exercises are the best? There’s not one specific answer to this question, since it can depend on your goals and which exercises feel comfortable for your body.

In general, squats and lunges are among the best quad-strengthening exercises available because they emphasize knee extension and hip flexion.

But those aren’t the only exercises you should do to build your quads. Here are some top quad exercises to get you started.

Heel-Elevated Back Squat

You’ve probably heard the back squat is a foundational quad exercise. The back squat allows for more loading compared to other free-weight leg workouts. And, by training with heel elevation, you’re able to drive the knee forward which places more muscular tension on the quads.

Here’s how to do a heel-elevated back squat:

Place two 25-pound weight plates side-by-side, or a heel wedge, on the ground behind you, close to where you’ll be performing the exercise.
Unrack a barbell from a power rack. You can load the barbell with your desired weight, or you can use an unloaded barbell for practice while you get used to the exercise.
With the barbell fixed securely on your trapezoid muscles, walk backward a step or two and place your heels on the weight plates behind you.
Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
With your chest up and spine neutral, squat down until the bottoms of your thighs are parallel with the floor or deeper depending on your mobility. Allow your knees to travel forward freely.
Drive back up by pushing your feet through the floor. That’s one rep. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
You can also use a Smith machine for this exercise by placing your heels on the weight plates before you unrack the bar from the machine and perform your squats.

Seated Leg Press

The leg press is a beginner-friendly exercise and it’s also good for veteran gym rats who want to lift heavy. You can play around with foot position to target specific quad muscles and find a position that’s comfortable for you.

Here’s how to do the leg press:

Load the leg press machine with your desired amount of weight. Beginners might want to start without any weights while they get accustomed to the machine.
Sit on the seat and place your feet on the sled of the leg press.
If you want to work the outside of your quads, place your feet closer together. If you want to work the front or inside of your quads, move your feet out wider.
Always point your toes out slightly to take pressure off your knees.
When you’re ready to begin, unlock the safety latches, press up, and maintain all the pressure on the heels of your feet. Do not lock out your knees.
Lower the weights until your legs are at about a 90-degree angle, with your legs meeting your arm/shoulder/chest area. Don’t go any deeper than that, as that can cause injury. Another mistake is putting too much weight on the machine and going too shallow, which won’t provide you with the strength gains you’re hoping for.
Press the sled back up but don’t lock out your knees at the top of the movement. That’s one rep. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Leg Extension

When performed with proper form and control, the leg extension is an excellent exercise to target your quads. It’s easy to learn and doesn’t put any stress on your spine, making it a perfect exercise for beginners, anyone recovering from an injury, and those who don’t have access to a barbell.

Here’s how to do leg extensions:

The first step is adjusting the leg extension machine. Adjust the back pad so the back of your knee fits snugly against the edge of the seat. Adjust the leg pad so it’s in contact with the lower part of your shins. Finally, select the amount of weight you want to lift.
Grip the handles by your hips and initiate the move by contracting your quadriceps and fully extending both legs.
Contract hard at the top part of the range of motion.
Then, slowly lower the weight under control by bending your knees and keeping the tension on your quadriceps the entire time. That’s one rep.

Bulgarian Split Squat

There are two keys to this exercise — choosing a step or bench that’s the right height for your frame, and placing your front and back feet properly.

This exercise can be performed without weights, or you can hold a dumbbell in each hand. Beginners should start without weights and concentrate on getting their form correct, and then add weights later.

Here’s how to do Bulgarian split squats:

Find an implement for your back leg. You can use a bench, step, or box; just make sure to use a height that’s comfortable for you. A taller person will need a higher base, and a shorter person will need a lower one.
Stand with your back facing your bench or step. With your left foot on the floor a few feet in front of the bench, place the top of your right foot on the bench, shoelaces down.
With your chest up and shoulders back, bend your knees to lower down into the split squat. Ideally your left knee should form a 90-degree angle so that your thigh is parallel to the ground and your left foot stays flat the entire time. It’s okay for your left knee to go over your left foot (forming a sharper angle with your knee, which will actually engage your quads more) as long as your foot remains flat on the ground. If it doesn’t, move closer to the bench. Your right knee should be hovering above the floor.
Squeeze your core and hamstrings to help with balance. Driving through your left heel, stand back up to your starting position. This is one rep.
Perform your preferred number of reps, and then switch sides to repeat.

Walking Lunge

Lunges are one of the best moves you can do to target your quads. Forward lunges and walking lunges, in particular, tend to deliver good quad gains compared to reverse lunges.

Here’s how to do the walking lunge:

Stand with both feet together and your hands clasped at your chest. To make the exercise harder, you can hold one dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand at your sides.
Step forward about two feet with your right foot into a lunge, and plant your foot firmly on the floor.
Bend both knees to create two 90-degree angles with your legs. Keep your chest upright and your torso slightly forward so that your back is flat and not arched or rounded. Keep your right quad parallel to the floor and your right knee above your right foot.
Push through your right foot as you lift your left leg, and then step forward into a lunge with your left foot in front.
Continue the exercise for the set number of reps on each side.

Concentrate on Your Quads at AFAC Gym

In addition to the exercises listed above, there are many other workouts you can do to target your quads with tons of variations for each one. That means a few things. First, if you want to, you can vary your quad workouts so that you’re not doing the same exercises every single time. Second, if you have bad knees, you can choose the quad moves that are easier on your knee joints and still provide you with results. And third, even though having strong quads is incredibly important, you don’t want to neglect your hamstrings, glutes, or calves. Your strength training routine should be well-rounded so that you can get the gains you’re going for and avoid injuries and imbalances.

Thankfully, the personal trainers at AFAC gym can assist you with developing a quad program that will help you achieve all of the above. If you’re searching for a gym that will support your strength training and cardio goals, then we hope you’ll consider joining us at AFAC gym. The staff at AFAC will be happy to give you a tour and show you why we’re the best gym in Thornton, Colorado.

If you’re not a member of AFAC gym but would like more information, please stop by and speak to our team. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.