Quadriceps Exercises, Upper Body, Best Workout, Muscle Groups, Strong, bodybuilding.com, workout, workoutup.blogspot.com, Workout Routine
#1. Quadriceps Exercises - Alien Squat
- Position your legs using a very wide stance with the toes slightly pointed out and knees slightly bent. Rest your hands on your hips. Keep your neck neutral and maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.
- Descend into a half squat by pushing your hips and butt back. Then push through your heels and jump straight up while simultaneously kicking each leg outward at a 45 degree angle.
- Land back in the starting position and repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions or time.
#2. Quadriceps Exercises - 90-Degree Jump Squat Twist
- Position your feet into a slightly wider than shoulder width stance with your toes slightly pointed out and knees slightly bent. Bring your arms to your chest, tucking in your elbows at your side. Keep your neck neutral and maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.
- Descend into a squat by pushing your hips and butt backwards. Continue down until the upper legs are at or just below parallel to the floor.
- Once you reach your bottom position, powerfully push through your heels to jump upwards.
- As you ascend into the air, rotate 90-degrees to your right.
- Once you land (land on balls of your feet), immediately transition into a subsequent squat and propel yourself upwards, again rotating 90-degrees. Repeat four times (a complete 360-degrees) for one repetition.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
#3. Quadriceps Exercises - All Fours Quad Stretch
- Start off on your hands and knees, then lift your leg off the floor and hold the foot with your hand.
- Use your hand to hold the foot or ankle, keeping the knee fully flexed, stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors.
- Focus on extending your hips, thrusting them towards the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds and then switch sides.
#4. Quadriceps Exercises - Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound
- Assume a comfortable stance with one foot slightly in front of the other.
- Begin by pushing off with the front leg, driving the opposite knee forward and as high as possible before landing. Attempt to cover as much distance to each side with each bound.
- It may help to use a line on the ground to guage distance from side to side.
- Repeat the sequence with the other leg.
#5. Quadriceps Exercises - Backward Drag
- Load a sled with the desired weight, attaching a rope or straps to the sled that you can hold onto.
- Begin the exercise by moving backwards for a given distance. Leaning back, extend through the legs for short steps to move as quickly as possible.
#6. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Front-To-Back Squat
- Deadlift a barbell off the ground and clean it to a racked position. If you are using a squat rack set it just below shoulder height and rest a barbell on top of your deltoids, pushing into the clavicles, and lightly touching the throat. Your hands should be in a clean grip, touching the bar only with your fingers to help keep it in position.
- Position your feet into a shoulder-width apart stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head and elbows up at all times. Your triceps should remain parallel to the ground. Keep a neutral neck and flat back. This will be your starting position.
- Descend into a squat by pushing your hips and butt backwards. Continue down until the upper legs are at or just below parallel to the floor.
- Drive up through your heels, pushing your feet and knees out. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe, until you have returned to the starting position. Then, push upwards by fully extending your arms overhead and move the bar to a back squat position (lying across your upper traps).
- Then, complete a back squat by pushing your hips and butt backwards. Continue down until the upper legs are at or just below parallel to the floor.
- Drive up through your heels, pushing your feet and knees out. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe, until you have returned to the top position.
- Return the bar to a front squat position by pushing upwards and fully extending your arms and moving the bar back to the top of your deltoids. This is one repetition.
- Repeat for recommended number of repetitions.
#7. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Full Squat
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack just above shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder-width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times and maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.
- Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees and sitting back with your hips as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until your hamstrings are on your calves. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel or middle of your foot as you straighten the legs and extend the hips to go back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- This type of squat allows a greater range of motion, and allows the trunk to maintain a more vertical position than other types of squats, due to foot position and the higher bar position.
#8. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Hack Squat
- Stand up straight while holding a barbell behind you at arms length and your feet at shoulder width. Tip: A shoulder width grip is best with the palms of your hands facing back. You can use wrist wraps for this exercise for a better grip. This will be your starting position.
- While keeping your head and eyes up and back straight, squat until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Breathe in as you slowly go down.
- Pressing mainly with the heel of the foot and squeezing the thighs, go back up as you breathe out.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Variations: This exercise can also be performed with your heels slightly elevated on a small block. This is a good option for beginners who lack the flexibility to perform the exercise without it.
#9. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Lunge
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack just below shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and step forward with your right leg and squat down through your hips, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint.
- Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.
Caution: This is a movement that requires a great deal of balance so if you suffer from balance problems you may wish to either avoid it or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a fixed object. Definitely never perform with a barbell on your back if you suffer from balance issues.
Variations: There are several ways to perform the exercise.
- One way is to alternate each leg. For instance do one repetition with the right, then the left, then the right and so on.
- The other way is to do what I call a static lunge where your starting position is with one of your feet already forward. In this case, you just go up and down from that starting position until you are done with the recommended amount of repetitions. Then you switch legs and do the same.
- A more challenging version is the walking lunges where you walk across the room but in a lunging fashion. For walking lunges the leg being left back has to be brought forward after the lunging action has happened in order to continue moving ahead. This version is reserved for the most advanced athletes.
#10. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Reverse Lunge
- Position a weighted bar across your upper back holding the ends with your hands to keep it stable. Alternately, you can do this in a squat rack to more easily get into the starting position. Stand erect with your chest out and your shoulders back, maintaining the natural curve in your back and knees unlocked. Your feet should be about hip width apart. This is your starting position.
- Staying erect, initiate the movement by stepping back with one foot about 2 feet, keeping your hips facing forward as the toe of your back foot makes contact first. Then allow both knees to bend and descend just short of allowing your trailing knee to touch the floor.
- Your body should continue to be upright. Don't lean forward or allow you back to round. Press back up by pushing through your back foot maintaining balance as you return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the opposite side, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
- Position your legs using a very wide stance with the toes slightly pointed out and knees slightly bent. Rest your hands on your hips. Keep your neck neutral and maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.
- Descend into a half squat by pushing your hips and butt back. Then push through your heels and jump straight up while simultaneously kicking each leg outward at a 45 degree angle.
- Land back in the starting position and repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions or time.
#2. Quadriceps Exercises - 90-Degree Jump Squat Twist
- Position your feet into a slightly wider than shoulder width stance with your toes slightly pointed out and knees slightly bent. Bring your arms to your chest, tucking in your elbows at your side. Keep your neck neutral and maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.
- Descend into a squat by pushing your hips and butt backwards. Continue down until the upper legs are at or just below parallel to the floor.
- Once you reach your bottom position, powerfully push through your heels to jump upwards.
- As you ascend into the air, rotate 90-degrees to your right.
- Once you land (land on balls of your feet), immediately transition into a subsequent squat and propel yourself upwards, again rotating 90-degrees. Repeat four times (a complete 360-degrees) for one repetition.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
#3. Quadriceps Exercises - All Fours Quad Stretch
- Start off on your hands and knees, then lift your leg off the floor and hold the foot with your hand.
- Use your hand to hold the foot or ankle, keeping the knee fully flexed, stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors.
- Focus on extending your hips, thrusting them towards the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds and then switch sides.
#4. Quadriceps Exercises - Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound
- Assume a comfortable stance with one foot slightly in front of the other.
- Begin by pushing off with the front leg, driving the opposite knee forward and as high as possible before landing. Attempt to cover as much distance to each side with each bound.
- It may help to use a line on the ground to guage distance from side to side.
- Repeat the sequence with the other leg.
#5. Quadriceps Exercises - Backward Drag
- Load a sled with the desired weight, attaching a rope or straps to the sled that you can hold onto.
- Begin the exercise by moving backwards for a given distance. Leaning back, extend through the legs for short steps to move as quickly as possible.
#6. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Front-To-Back Squat
- Deadlift a barbell off the ground and clean it to a racked position. If you are using a squat rack set it just below shoulder height and rest a barbell on top of your deltoids, pushing into the clavicles, and lightly touching the throat. Your hands should be in a clean grip, touching the bar only with your fingers to help keep it in position.
- Position your feet into a shoulder-width apart stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head and elbows up at all times. Your triceps should remain parallel to the ground. Keep a neutral neck and flat back. This will be your starting position.
- Descend into a squat by pushing your hips and butt backwards. Continue down until the upper legs are at or just below parallel to the floor.
- Drive up through your heels, pushing your feet and knees out. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe, until you have returned to the starting position. Then, push upwards by fully extending your arms overhead and move the bar to a back squat position (lying across your upper traps).
- Then, complete a back squat by pushing your hips and butt backwards. Continue down until the upper legs are at or just below parallel to the floor.
- Drive up through your heels, pushing your feet and knees out. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe, until you have returned to the top position.
- Return the bar to a front squat position by pushing upwards and fully extending your arms and moving the bar back to the top of your deltoids. This is one repetition.
- Repeat for recommended number of repetitions.
#7. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Full Squat
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack just above shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder-width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times and maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.
- Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees and sitting back with your hips as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until your hamstrings are on your calves. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel or middle of your foot as you straighten the legs and extend the hips to go back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- This type of squat allows a greater range of motion, and allows the trunk to maintain a more vertical position than other types of squats, due to foot position and the higher bar position.
#8. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Hack Squat
- Stand up straight while holding a barbell behind you at arms length and your feet at shoulder width. Tip: A shoulder width grip is best with the palms of your hands facing back. You can use wrist wraps for this exercise for a better grip. This will be your starting position.
- While keeping your head and eyes up and back straight, squat until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Breathe in as you slowly go down.
- Pressing mainly with the heel of the foot and squeezing the thighs, go back up as you breathe out.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Variations: This exercise can also be performed with your heels slightly elevated on a small block. This is a good option for beginners who lack the flexibility to perform the exercise without it.
#9. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Lunge
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack just below shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and step forward with your right leg and squat down through your hips, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint.
- Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.
Caution: This is a movement that requires a great deal of balance so if you suffer from balance problems you may wish to either avoid it or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a fixed object. Definitely never perform with a barbell on your back if you suffer from balance issues.
Variations: There are several ways to perform the exercise.
- One way is to alternate each leg. For instance do one repetition with the right, then the left, then the right and so on.
- The other way is to do what I call a static lunge where your starting position is with one of your feet already forward. In this case, you just go up and down from that starting position until you are done with the recommended amount of repetitions. Then you switch legs and do the same.
- A more challenging version is the walking lunges where you walk across the room but in a lunging fashion. For walking lunges the leg being left back has to be brought forward after the lunging action has happened in order to continue moving ahead. This version is reserved for the most advanced athletes.
#10. Quadriceps Exercises - Barbell Reverse Lunge
- Position a weighted bar across your upper back holding the ends with your hands to keep it stable. Alternately, you can do this in a squat rack to more easily get into the starting position. Stand erect with your chest out and your shoulders back, maintaining the natural curve in your back and knees unlocked. Your feet should be about hip width apart. This is your starting position.
- Staying erect, initiate the movement by stepping back with one foot about 2 feet, keeping your hips facing forward as the toe of your back foot makes contact first. Then allow both knees to bend and descend just short of allowing your trailing knee to touch the floor.
- Your body should continue to be upright. Don't lean forward or allow you back to round. Press back up by pushing through your back foot maintaining balance as you return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the opposite side, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Source: Bodybuilding.com
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