The best quad exercises are those that not only safely tone and strengthen your upper legs, but also help create a steady foundation for the whole body. Whether your focus is quad building or quad strengthening exercises, inner or outer quad exercises, kettlebell or dumbbell quad exercises, let's level up your leg day.
Remember: quad exercises don't mean you'll automatically get beefed-up thighs — if that's your aim, you'll need to eat sufficient calories and protein to build muscle mass. Otherwise, they'll just tone and strengthen.
What are quad exercises?
Short for quadriceps femoris, the quads refer to four muscles — rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius — which make up the group on the front and sides of the thigh, and enable us to stand, walk, run and basically do anything that involves the legs.
What are the benefits of quad exercises?
'Building strength in the quads is beneficial for a number of reasons,' says David Wiener, Training Specialist at Freeletics.
'It can aid core strength, which is beneficial for balance and stability, making your body better able to function during everyday tasks, as well as for fitness-related activities.'
Quad exercises strengthen the glutes and hips too, which in turn supports the lower body and reduces the risk of injury in the longer term. Especially in the knee as all four quadriceps muscles are powerful extensors of the joint, so they help with knee health, stabilisation and reducing the risk of injury.
'In fact, having weak quads significantly raises the risk of developing knee arthritis in later life,' says Wiener.
VIAVITO Neoprene Hand Weights Dumbbells - Pair of 4kg
VIAVITO Neoprene Hand Weights Dumbbells - Pair of 4kg
Quad exercises can be done with a kettlebell or dumbbells as dumbbell exercises (so you don't need much home gym equipment!), or without weights, but start small if you're a beginner or you have a knee injury.
The best quad exercises for maxing strength and tone
Want quad building or quad strengthening exercises? Whether you're looking for inner or outer quad exercises for at home or the gym — dumbbell quad exercises, kettlebell quad exercises or bodyweight — these 15 can be done in reps to make a whole leg day routine or added into a full-body workout.
Best bodyweight quad exercises
A good option for beginners and those working with injuries, or when travelling without your home gym equipment, bodyweight quad exercises help to develop form, as well as building strength, coordination and balance.
1. Air squat
a) Standing with feet hip-width apart hinge at the knees to come into a squat position – making sure your knees track over your toes and don't extend past.
b) With the weight in your heels push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Muscles worked: Thighs, hamstrings, quads, glutes
2. Sumo squat
a) Place your feet wider than hip-width and lower down into a squat position with your knees tracking over your toes. You can bring your arms overhead as you lower down if it helps keep your upper body upright.
b) Raise back up to standing and repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, gluteus muscles, hips, hamstrings, calves, inner thighs
3. Squat jump
a) Lower down into a squat position with your feet hip-width apart.
b) Powerfully explode upwards by pushing through your heels and using your glutes to jump. Try to extend your legs fully at the top of the jump.
c) Land in a squat position and repeat.
Muscles worked: Glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings
4. In-out squat
a) Standing with your feet together, jump out into a deep lunge making sure to keep your upper body upright and your knees tracking over your toes.
b) Jump back to standing and then immediately jump back into a deep squat.
Muscles worked: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, calves
5. Tempo squat
a) From standing, lower down into a squat position slowly, counting 3-5 seconds on the way down.
b) Powerfully push through your heels to stand upright and repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, adductors, hamstrings, calves
Best dumbbell quad exercises
The addition of dumbbells helps to strengthen and stabilise the lower body and core by increasing the activation in the muscles.
6. Dumbbell pulse goblet squat
a) Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width, with your knees and toes pointing outwards. Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position in both hands.
b) Lower into a squat and, once you’re as far down as you can go, begin pulsing. Raise and lower your body no more than six inches with each pulse.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes
7. Dumbbell goblet squat
a) Holding a dumbbell in front of your chest, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.
d) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second, then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, calves, core, shoulders
Hex Dumbbell 10kg
SONGMICS Hex Dumbbells Set
Anchor's Adjustable 20kg Dumbbells
Umi Neoprene 1kg Dumbbells
8. Dumbbell goblet squat with single pulse
a) Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width, with your knees and toes pointing outwards. Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position in both hands.
b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.
d) Once you’re as far down as you can go, pulse once, raising and lowering your body no more than six inches.
e) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second, then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, calves, core, shoulders
9. Dumbbell suitcase squat
a) Hold a dumbbell in each hand with the palms facing inwards, towards your thighs. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and toes pointed outwards.
b) Push your hips back, hinging to squat down until your thighs are parallel to the flow and your bum slightly lower than your knees. Keep your shoulders back and your hands still by your sides.
c) Push back up through your heels and glutes with your chest proud and open. No slumping!
Muscles worked: Glutes, quads
10. Dumbbell step-up
This is one of the best quad exercises to do 3-6 weeks after ACL surgery or for those with knee injuries — just go easy, starting without weights.
a) Hold your dumbbells in both hands, palms facing in. Step up onto the box with your right foot, pressing through the heel to straighten your leg. Bring your left knee up to meet your right.
b) Step down back onto the floor with your left foot followed by your right foot. Repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
11. Reverse dumbbell lunge
a) Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, feet shoulder width apart. Hinge at the hips until your upper body is parallel with the floor. Keep a slight bend in your knees.
b) Let the weights hang in front of you, palms facing each other. Avoid arching your back or slumping over.
c) Squeezing your shoulder blades, raise each arm out to each side. With control lower the weights back to starting position and repeat.
Muscles worked: Back, chest, arms
12. Dumbbell curtsy lunge
a) Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right. Keeping your body upright, bend your knees until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
b) Return to the start and repeat, alternating legs.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, core
Best kettlebell quad exercises
Adding a kettlebell to your workout helps to build strength and encourage stability.
13. Kettlebell front squat
a) Holding a kettlebell in one hand, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width, toes slightly turned out. You can let the weight rest gently on your shoulder.
b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.
d) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second, then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position. Swap hands and repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, core, glutes
14. Kettlebell goblet squat
a) Holding a kettlebell in front of your chest like a goblet, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width, toes slightly turned out.
b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.
d) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second, then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, calves, core, shoulders
15. Kettlebell split squat
a) Holding a kettlebell in your right hand, place your left foot in front of the right. Make sure the back foot only has the toe touching the floor.
b) Keeping your front knee positioned directly over your ankle and making sure it doesn't bend over your toe, lunge forward and clench your glutes. Lower your back knee to the floor until it touches and then push up through the soles of your feet. Keep your back straight and gaze forward. Swap hands and repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, upper legs
Build a routine for a quad-focused workout for at home or in the gym that gets real results.
Looking for the best resistance band exercises for quads? You can add it to squats, split squats and curtsy lunges.
Should anyone avoid quad exercises?
In short, no. Though, when injured, it's best to go especially carefully.
'Sometimes people think because they have 'bad knees' they should avoid quad exercises, but in fact they can be very useful — as long as they're done properly — for strengthening and stabilising the muscles and therefore the joints', says Anna Parker, PT and founder of AP Fitness.
Are there common mistakes people make when doing quad exercises?
One of the most notable mistakes when training the quads is going too heavy with weights.
'It’s always best to progress to using heavier weights, rather than starting with the weight you aspire to use. Using weights which are too heavy can be the catalyst for injury in the long term', says Weiner.
'Improper form can also be a common mistake when training the quads. This can put additional strain on other joints or muscle groups in the area, resulting in injury and muscular imbalances.'
Make sure you always warm up and cool down with some quad stretches on leg day, which can be done standing or lying down to get deeper into the muscle post-workout.
