Quadriceps leg workout. Quadriceps: training the largest muscle in the body

The quadriceps femoris has the maximum volume in relation to the rest of the muscle mass. It received this name because it contains four large muscle elements. Despite its power, this muscle is more susceptible to damage than others because the fibers are close to the surface. Beginning athletes often suffer from muscle tears. This is why you need to know muscular anatomy, especially for those who decide to get in shape in the gym.

Anatomy of the quadriceps femoris muscle

The quadriceps is a kind of conglomerate of four muscle masses:

direct;
lateral;
medial;
intermediate.

In the patella of the femur, all these heads form a common tendon, its attachment goes to the superficial structures of the tibia and the kneecap.

The anatomy of the powerful quadriceps femoris muscle is based on the structure of its components.

The rectus femoris muscle arises from the acetabulum. Between the bone surface and muscle tissue is the joint capsule. Then the muscle turns down the front side hip joint, protrudes closer to the skin between the sartorius muscular element and the tensor muscle fascia lata. The end of the muscle flows into the tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle, which is attached at the top kneecap. Basically, hip flexion is carried out with its help.

The largest muscle fiber of the quadriceps muscle is the vastus lateralis. Its top is attached by tendon bundles to the head of the femur and to the lateral intermuscular septum. Below it joins the tendon common to the quadriceps mass.

Intermediate vastus muscle starts on the ventral part of the femur bone. It attaches to the top of the knee cup and participates in the creation of a single tendon bundle.

The attachment of the upper part of another muscle mass - the wide medial - occurs in the area between the two trochanters, near medial lip rough line. Then it passes along the medial side of the thigh. At the bottom it also joins into a tendon with the rest of the quadriceps.

The blood supply to the quadriceps muscle is provided by the femoral artery, which is a continuation of the iliac artery. The innervation of muscle tissue is carried out by the femoral nerve, which regulates motor abilities.

To understand exactly where these hip muscles are located, you can look at the tense legs of athletes. In people who are keen on bodybuilding and powerlifting, the muscle mass is very pronounced.

Basic functions of the quadriceps

There are two important functions performed by the quadriceps femoris muscle: static and dynamic. Thanks to the first, a person is able to stay upright and maintain balance. The quadriceps holds the joint of the knee, that is, it does not allow it to move and the limbs to “give way.” Dynamic function refers to the ability of the knee joints to remain stable during intense movements.

The quadriceps muscles take part in flexion and extension of the lower extremities, pulling them towards the body, and tilting the body in the femoral area. Its largest part, the lateral one, performs a damping function and is involved in straightening the knee joint. The development and shape of this massif determines appearance hips outside.

Functional features of the other three muscles, in addition to flexion and extension:

The middle muscle prevents the kneecap from moving.
The intermediate helps to straighten the limb at the knee joint when a person runs, jumps or squats.
The rectus muscle covers the remaining fibers of the quadriceps. In addition to the protective function, it forms the roundness of the top of the leg.

The quadriceps has two types of muscle fibers - fast and slow. The latter help a person maintain balance, and the former prevail in those areas of the muscular elements that are responsible for elasticity.

Quadriceps workouts

The quadriceps bear the main static load while maintaining balance. The quadriceps muscle makes up seventy percent of the muscle mass of the limb, and its development is fundamental when training the legs. Working on the muscles that are part of it allows you to achieve bodily harmony, endurance, and increase physical strength. Active training of the lower extremities improves the functioning of the excretory and genital organs, accelerates blood flow, relieves stagnation and relieve the hip and knee joints from excessive stress.

In gym

The muscle mass is easily injured. Before classes, a warm-up is necessary. The beginning of the workout can be a five-minute jog on a special track, which helps to warm up the muscle mass of the legs. In addition to the treadmill, exercises with a skipping rope and simple squats. Also, as a warm-up, they goose-step around the hall.

Squats. When doing this, there is a risk of achieving this muscle relief that the limbs become like those of an overweight person, rather than an athlete. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to take into account the ratio of the length of the torso and legs. With a long thigh, the lumbar muscles become overloaded.

In athletes who experiment with weights, muscle fibers are usually loaded gluteal region, which is the wrong approach to training. Because of this, squats do not give the required result.

Do squats with a barbell placed on your chest. This method allows you to use the necessary muscle groups, which will make the training effective and protect against possible injury or pumping of the buttocks.

Squats in a hack machine. Here lumbar region There is almost no load, and different positions of the feet make it possible to load the quadriceps. A hack trainer is a device for training the muscles of the lower body. It straightens your back and allows you to simulate squats with a barbell. Lower limbs placed on a supporting platform approximately shoulder-width apart and bent at the knees at a right angle. The back rests firmly against the back of the training unit. They perform a squat and simultaneously move the platform with the load. This works the quadriceps, adductors, buttock muscles and tendons behind the knees.

Leg press. With a small distance between the legs, the load is transferred to the quadriceps muscle. An extremely low position of the platform will not work, but this is not necessary. A significant part of the movements occurs at the top. Relaxation of the quadriceps in the lower position and full extension in the upper position are not allowed. The task is not to lift the weight, but to strive to achieve straightening of the legs.

Leg extensions. The lesson should be carried out alternately on each limb. In the lower position, you cannot sharply lower your legs, and at the top, hold the straightened limb for a long time. The optimal number of repetitions is approximately 10 to 15 times.

Lunges with dumbbells. The workout must be performed eight to twelve times in three sessions. It involves different muscle groups, but the quadriceps muscle is subjected to the greatest load.

At home

Squats with weights can be done not only in the gym, but also at home; you just need to choose the appropriate load and change it. Adjustable weight dumbbells are perfect for this exercise.

What else can be included in the complex of home strength training:

Lunge with stretch. With your feet shoulder-width apart, perform long stride forward. Return to the starting position. Without pausing, take a step with your other foot.
Lunges to the side. The process is similar, only you need to step to the right and left.
Sumo squats. Legs are spread wide, feet pointing outward. The squat is performed slowly, with tension in the quadriceps.
Jumping in place according to the technique: legs together, then apart.

To increase the volume of muscle tissue and strength capabilities, classes are conducted at a slow pace. To burn subcutaneous fat, move faster. The training is carried out with a number of visits of at least twenty-five.

Execution Rules

Strength exercises for the quadriceps femoris muscle require adherence to a certain technique. It is not allowed to fully straighten the leg at the knee joint to avoid injury even when using light weight. You also need to forget about doing the exercise in jerks. If you are overweight, reduce it.

Control your breathing during exercise. Inhale while bending, exhale while extending.

The quadriceps femoris muscle is the largest muscle, and loads on it cause changes in blood pressure. The muscle mass pumps a colossal amount of blood in the body, which is possible reason increase in heart rate. Between approaches, you need to take a two-minute rest to normalize the pressure. If you feel dizzy after the lesson, the break will be extended. During training process drink water in otherwise Possible dehydration and loss of strength.

The thigh muscles are the most large muscles in the human body. Training the quadriceps is difficult and time consuming. The degree of development of the quadriceps affects the strength of the athlete, as well as his endurance. Quadriceps training activates metabolism, which has a positive effect on health.

Anatomical features of the quadriceps femoris muscle

The quadriceps includes 4 heads (rectus, intermediate, lateral and medial), located on the front side of the thigh. When performing loads, the forces are applied in equally equal proportions to all heads at once.

The heads of the quadriceps perform the following functions:

keep the body in an upright position
support the body while standing, preventing the knee joints from bending
straighten and bend the knee
quadriceps allows you to tilt the pelvis to the sides
allows you to press your knees towards your stomach

Exercises for quadriceps femoris. Training program

When newcomers visit the gym, the last thing they think about is their developed legs. But this is a big mistake, because sometimes in gyms there are athletes with well-developed upper legs and legs that look like “matchsticks”. If you are a beginner, it is recommended to immediately prepare yourself for serious footwork. Otherwise, over time, the lower part of the body will be noticeably different from the upper. And to eliminate such a disproportion in the body, you will have to put in a lot of effort and time.

The main exercises for pumping up the quadriceps are squats. But less experienced athletes are recommended to start training with leg presses and leg extensions in the machine. This is necessary to minimize the risk of injury and prepare the basis for subsequent loads. It is recommended to start squats after 6 months from the start of training.

Pumping up your quadriceps with a barbell

The barbell squat is a basic exercise used among athletes. It increases the functionality of the quadriceps muscles and strengthens the gluteal muscles. The effectiveness of training is influenced by well-chosen loads. It is recommended to use light weights at first to avoid injury. Squats with light weight are needed to practice technique. Don't neglect this!

How to pump up your quadriceps with hack squats

The Hackenschmidt machine is used to strengthen the quadriceps muscles of the thigh. By exercising correctly on the machine, you reduce the load on your spine. Perform the exercise smoothly, avoid sudden movements. When the maximum load is reached, it is extremely undesirable to fully extend your knees. During training, only the quadriceps should be stressed.

Leg press for quadriceps on the machine

Quadriceps leg presses on a machine work the leg muscles without putting stress on your back. The feet should be close to each other, then the quadriceps will receive the necessary load. To remove unnecessary stress from the back, the lower back should be pressed against the support as much as possible. If you want to work the inner thighs at the same time, then try to spread your feet as wide as possible.

We pump up the quadriceps with lunges

Lunges are performed using dumbbells or barbells. You will get the result by alternating these two sports equipment. When exercising with a barbell, it is important to follow the correct technique to avoid injury. When performing the exercise, your hands should remain motionless.

Quadriceps training frequency

Regardless of the initial condition of the quadriceps, it is not recommended to train them more than once a week. The reason is simple: the muscles do not have time to recover. If after training, after a couple of days, you feel that your legs have already rested, then simply increase the intensity of your training.

How to pump up your quadriceps at home

Perform both basic and isolation quadriceps exercises at home. A popular exercise for the quadriceps femoris is the squat. own weight, that is, without the use of weights (barbell, weights, etc.). The squat is a classic basic leg training exercise. When performing squats, place your feet parallel to each other and slightly wider than your shoulders. At the same time, we hold our hands behind our heads, clasped in a “lock”; our knees should not go beyond our toes. We perform the exercise at a smooth pace for 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

After mastering classic squats, we move on to squats with dumbbells. When performing squats, place the apparatus along the body, or on bent arms near the shoulders.

How to pump up your quadriceps thighs quickly?

To achieve the goal, you must adhere to 2 simple rules: follow the step-by-step approach, as well as the correct execution of the exercises.

Exercises for the quadriceps femoris muscle. Training plan

A set of exercises for the quadriceps femoris in the gym includes:

squats with a barbell - 2-3 sets of 7-8 reps
lunges with a barbell - 3 sets of 9-10 reps
Quadriceps leg press - 2 sets of 10 reps
leg straightening on the machine - 2 sets of 10 reps

The following exercises are suitable for the outer thighs:

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
straightening the legs on a special simulator - 2 sets, 8 times
leg press - 2-3 sets, 8 times
lunges with a barbell - 2 sets of 10 times

When performing exercises for the quadriceps femoris muscle, take short breaks so as not to overload or injure the muscles.

Extending the legs on the machine is a painful, excruciating exercise, but it causes an amazing burning sensation in the thighs. When exerting yourself, the pain must be endured, otherwise there will be no result.

Seated leg extension - the exercise fatigues the front quadriceps, so that later, when doing bench presses, squats, you would not be able to lift heavy weight physically and did not injure their knee joints.

Another exercise to increase the volume of the quadriceps is leg extension while sitting with additional weights.

When performing leg extension exercises, adhere to the following rule: the smaller the weight of the weight, the more repetitions should be performed at a time, and vice versa. The higher the weight of the weight, the fewer times you should do it. this exercise. In the first case, we focus on the maximum number of repetitions at a time. In the second case, we perform fewer times, but at least 3 approaches.

Master class on pumping quadriceps thighs from Denis Gusev

Any workout should begin with a warm-up. It is necessary for warming up 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 go to basic exercises for the quadriceps femoris muscle. They allow you to use the maximum number of muscle groups in the work.

When performing squats with a barbell in a Smith machine, it is important that the center of gravity falls through the area of support of the foot. When setting your feet wider than your shoulders, it activates outer part hips When placing your legs, your shoulders are narrower than your inner thighs. In order for the quadriceps to experience maximum load when performing squats, the body should be moved back slightly. 3 warm-up approaches, 3 working sets with maximum weight, finishing the squats with a “giant” approach, that is, 7 approaches 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 pump blood into the quadriceps. You should squat until parallel to the floor (but not below an angle of 90 degrees at the knee joint), this will avoid serious injuries. The gaze should be directed straight forward, or slightly upward.
leg press in the simulator - 4 sets of 30 repetitions. Depending on the placement of your feet, you can change the load on one or another part of the quadriceps. When placing your 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 machine, 3 sets, 20-25 repetitions. When performing this exercise, you should change the position of the foot (inward and outward) between approaches.

Denis Gusev recommends performing squats with a barbell in the rhythm indicated above, provided that you are not new to this matter. For beginners, the training program for pumping up the quadriceps of the thighs will look like this:

leg press 4 sets of 15-20 reps
seated calf extension 4 sets of 15-20 reps
lying calf curl 4 sets of 15-20 reps
hyperextension 4 sets of 20 reps

Using the correct technique will help avoid injury
use of uniform load for proportional development of leg muscles
using high repetitions of exercises
using maximum range of motion, it is important to contract and stretch muscles
maintaining a gradual and consistent increase in loads
using both basic and isolation exercises

When a beginner starts going to the gym, the last thing he dreams of is good developed legs. After all, he doesn’t think about the fact that the disproportion between the top and bottom of the body looks very stupid. You can often observe a situation where an athlete with a well-developed upper body has legs that look like toothpicks, which looks very funny and absurd. Therefore, we recommend setting yourself up for serious leg training from the very beginning, because if you don’t do this now, in a few years, when your lower body begins to noticeably lag behind your upper body, it will be very difficult for you to include leg training in your routine. training plan.

Quadriceps occupy 70% muscle mass legs, so their development is fundamental in leg training. The main exercise for developing quadriceps is squats. But, for beginners, at the beginning of training, it is better to start with leg extensions while sitting in a machine, leg presses and hyperextensions to strengthen lower section back, to avoid injury, to prepare the basis for future heavy squats. You should include squats in your training plan about six months after you start training.

The quadriceps consists of fast and slow muscle fibers, so for harmonious development muscles need to perform not only strength, but also aerobic exercise. Train your quadriceps strength exercises no more than once a week. Perform 2-3 exercises in 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions each. In addition to strength training We recommend running or cycling.

My respect, dear comrades!

Today we are waiting for the final article from our epic series called basic exercises for gaining mass, and we will increase muscle volume in such a group as the legs. After reading, you will find out what exercises (from a scientific point of view) are the most effective for working them out, and what it should look like training program called “making thighs like Masha’s” :).

Put all your affairs aside for a while and get ready to absorb interesting information, let's go!

Basic exercises for gaining leg muscle mass, what are they?

If you know at least a little about anatomy, then you know that the legs are the largest muscular layer of the human body; in theory, it should account for about 45% total body weight. In practice, it is this muscle group that is the leanest. And the point here is that it most often gets hammered (at least from the male population gym) due to its inconsistency. The latter means that most often when removing clothes they look at the shoulders, arms, abs, etc. the legs are at the bottom, sometimes it just doesn’t reach them. In addition, you can always hide your legs behind wide pants, which in most cases is done by guys, due to the reluctance to pump them up, because you must admit, it’s convenient when you can hide the hardest pumping leg behind a piece of material (and therefore lagging behind) muscle layer It’s much easier to take a dumbbell and pull it on your biceps - the work isn’t hard, and the dividends in the form of a big “can” are good.

For women, legs are, perhaps, their business card, it’s no secret that the main mission of the fair sex is to please others (men). And our brother most often evaluates the young lady from the bottom up, i.e. first the gaze falls on the legs, then the hips, waist and then higher and higher. In connection with this fact, legs become important in the primary assessment of the attractiveness of a female subject.

Note:

The man has enough 8 seconds to assess the attractiveness of a woman, but she, in turn, needs much more time (about 45 seconds) to determine if a partner is suitable for her.

Since we have such a “legged” article today, I can’t help but say that our rocking chair has always had legs (and remain to this day) not in honor. They swing sluggishly, reluctantly and very rarely, so the vast majority of guys go to the gym in pants, due to the incompetence of their lower body (meaning legs :)). I will also say that at one time I also gave them a hard time, but then I realized that I couldn’t do that and, having revised my schedule, I began to devote a full day to them.

Yes, legs grow slowly, yes, this is not the most representative muscle group (if you are not a performing athlete), but downloading them is vital. Actually, we’ll talk about this, namely, what basic exercises exist for gaining weight.

Well, we will start, as usual, with a little theory - a consideration of the muscle atlas of the legs. The main muscle groups include:

quadriceps (quadriceps femoris)- powerful extensors of the knee joint; important when walking, running, jumping and squatting; the strongest and thinnest in the human body;
adductor muscles - located on inside legs;
abductor muscles (abductors) – located on outside legs;
gluteals - three muscles that make up the buttocks: gluteus maximus/medius/minimus;
biceps femoris - hamstring, includes semitendinosus, semimembranosus, brevis and long head biceps femoris;
calf;
soleus.

Now let's look at the most effective exercises (based on electromyography results) for all significant muscle groups of the legs, and we will start with...

No. 1. The best exercises for the quadriceps.

I think you are familiar with the concept of isolation - this is when any part of a muscle (For example, external head) takes on the largest part of the load and exercise. Therefore, when further referring to the best exercises for the internal, external or any other part, this indicates a relative increase in the intensity of EMG activity in this part of the muscle over the rest.

So, here's what the list of the most looks like: effective exercises for quadriceps with standard equipment:

hack squats, knee angle 50 gr;
hack squats, knee angle 90 gr;
70 gr;
barbell squats, knee angle 90 gr;
barbell squats, knee angle 40 gr.
angled leg press 45 gr, knee angle 90 gr;

Note:
Hack squats are the most effective and safest (at a knee angle of 50 degrees, unlike the standard one, 90 ) exercise for quadriceps.

EMG activity of all four quadriceps heads during hack squats, leg presses, squats, and leg extensions (variations) compared with barbell squats to parallel (angle at the knee joint 75 gr).

As can be seen from the data presented, the differences between the most effective (hack squats, knee angle 50 gr) and the least effective (leg extension) exercise are huge. During the study it was recorded interesting fact– performing the classic “butt to the floor”, the EMG activity of the quadriceps decreased by 10,34% . It turns out that the smaller the angle hip joint (this is, in most cases, equivalent to more vertical position sitting or lying in the car), the less EMG activity of the quadriceps femoris muscle.

Training the inner and outer quadriceps.

Almost every bodybuilder dreams of building powerful legs in the form of breeches (or, as they are called in foreign literature, teardrops). To realize this, it is necessary to develop the internal (vastus medialis), medial (intermedius and rectus femoris) and the outer (vastus lateralis) part of the thigh.

The internal part is maximally activated by performing various options horizontal presses legs and in hack squats with less weight, when the angle at the knee joints is less 70 degrees and with heavy weight, when the angle at the knee is more than 70 degrees.

Relative EMG activity of the outer quadriceps during barbell squats and single squat variations compared to knee angle squats 90 degrees, looks like this.

As you can see from the data presented, when it comes to the outer quadriceps, things are completely different. Standard squats high loads provide maximum muscle stimulation outer part (vastus lateralis), even if you do not go down to parallel to the floor (knee angle 70 degrees). Performing a full squat (butt to the floor, corner 40 gr) with light weight reduces muscle stimulation by 18% .

Similar results can be observed when performing single-leg isolation squats, where maximum stimulation is also achieved with heavy weights and large knee angles. (without passing parallel to the floor). Besides heavy weights and a smaller angle of inclination will avoid various injuries.

Training the medial part of the quadriceps.

We have already said above that hack squats and leg presses are among the most effective exercises for the medial part of the quadriceps, i.e. they are good for the intermedius and rectus femoris muscles.

(vastus intermedius & rectus femoris) quadriceps during selected exercises compared to hack squats (angle at knee 50 gr), as follows.

The data obtained indicate that there is special exercise (from the arsenal of football players), which surpasses even hack squats in terms of activation of muscle fibers, and it is called a kick (when you kick the ball). EMG activity when performed on 19% higher compared to hack squats.

So, we gradually came to the most favorite part of the female legs, this...

No. 2. The best exercises for gluteal muscle.

The following data should be a little surprising, because a simple exercise on a simulator is a pendulum (hip abduction back and up) activates the gluteal muscle in 2,3 times more than deadlift.

Relative gluteal EMG activity during selected exercises compared to deadlifts (using your own body weight), as follows.

No. 3. The best exercises for the hamstrings.

For the hamstring best exercise There has always been and remains leg curls on a lying machine. Use in it various methods intensity, such as: partial stretch position or peak contractions raised to 134% And 112% (compared to the standard version) EMG activity values.

The relative EMG activity of the hamstring muscles during the selected exercises, compared to the standard prone leg curl, is as follows.

Based on the data obtained, we can draw the following conclusion: to develop the hamstring muscles, it is not enough to perform standard leg extensions in the simulator; their muscle activity is quite low. Therefore, it is necessary to perform various variations of extensions, coupled with exercises with your own weight. (such as kicking your leg back on a bench).

So we've looked at heavy artillery– i.e. the most massive muscle groups of the legs, of course, this is not the end, but the article has already exceeded the indecent number of characters and therefore, by a strong-willed decision :), it was decided to split it into two parts. Therefore, don’t get upset, but subscribe to updates and wait for the continuation.

Afterword

Today we were engaged in scientific pumping of legs, or rather, we looked at basic exercises for gaining mass of this big muscle group. Not everything that was planned was implemented in this note, but it’s for the better, because 2 always better than 1 .

That's all, thank you for investing this time in yourself, see you again!

PS. Don't hesitate and ask questions through the comment form, let's go!

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it as your status social network- plus 100 points for karma, guaranteed :) .

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Strength training of the lower body is a mandatory component of a bodybuilder's program. The fact is that they can handle serious weights. In response to heavy loads the body responds with increased production of testosterone and somatotropin - hormones that affect muscle growth throughout the body. Therefore, in order to progress in bodybuilding, athletes diligently train their leg muscles and, in particular, their quadriceps.

Anatomy of the quadriceps femoris muscles

The quadriceps are made up of four “heads”:

Rectus femoris muscle. The longest of the four. Located on the front of the thigh. The upper edge is attached to the ilium, the lower edge passes into the common quadriceps tendon. Purpose: hip flexion, shin extension;
Vastus medialis muscle. Located in the anteromedial part of the thigh. One edge is attached to the upper part of the femur, the other goes into the common tendon of the thigh. Purpose: leg extension;
Vastus lateralis muscle. Located on the anterolateral surface of the thigh. The upper edge is attached to the trochanter of the femur, the lower edge passes into the common tendon of the thigh. Purpose: leg extension;
Vastus intermedius muscle. Located directly under the rectus femoris muscle. One edge is attached to the upper part of the femur, the other goes into the common tendon of the thigh. Purpose: shin extension.

The structure of the quadriceps femoris muscle

Features of quadriceps muscle training

To maximally load the muscles of the anterior thighs, we recommend using the following tips:

Add variety. Classic squats use everything bottom part bodies. To prevent your muscles from having time to adapt to them, change the program every 10-12 weeks. Include unusual exercises in your plan, for example.
Increase the number of repetitions. Many periodically use the technique of performing 20-30 repetitions per set. This also adds variety to the training and allows for a different load. muscle fibers hips;
Squat “within” the amplitude. At the bottom point, do not sit below the parallel of your thighs with the floor; at the top point, do not straighten your legs to the end. This method of performing squats creates a powerful, long-lasting load on the quadriceps femoris muscles;
Try training with supersets(working in one approach). For example, do 12 barbell squats. Then immediately, without rest, lie down on the hamstring machine and do 12 calf curls;
Use the regression method. For example, do a set with the maximum weight you can handle for 5-6 reps. With each subsequent approach, increase the number of repetitions and gradually reduce the weight of the projectile;
Don't forget about pumping. At the end strength training For the anterior thigh muscles, perform 1-2 exercises with light weights for a high number of repetitions. For example, do 3 sets of 25-30 reps on a leg extension machine.

The best exercises for quadriceps

Note that it is not possible to pump up voluminous quadriceps at home. This requires serious weight loads. Therefore, all the exercises discussed below are only suitable for the gym. Girls can also perform such techniques, but the loads should be moderate: 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions without failure.

Squats

The exercise fully engages the quadriceps muscles, but the main load falls on the medial and lateral heads.

Raise the racks on the power frame to chest level and place the barbell on them;
We grab the bar tightly, “dive” under it and, rising, press top part back to the projectile;
Take the weight off the racks and take a couple of short steps back;
While inhaling, we squat until our thighs are parallel to the floor;
As you exhale, we rise with a powerful effort.

When performing, make sure that the knees do not converge inward.
We also keep our back slightly arched until the end of the set.

Leg press in the simulator

With standard foot position on the platform (at shoulder level), the load falls evenly on all four heads of the quadriceps.
If bring your feet close(15-20 cm), then the emphasis will shift to the lateral beams.
If, on the contrary, spread your feet wide(closer to the edges of the platform), then the medial muscles will do the main work.

1. Classic (red) for evenly working the quadriceps.
2. Narrow (green) for the lateral head.
3. Wide (blue) for the medial head.

We sit in the leg press machine;
Press your lower back tightly against the back;
We place our feet on the platform and remove it from the supports;
As you inhale, bend your knees and lower the load;
As you exhale, press the carriage up.

When performing, make sure that the lumbar region remains on the seat.
In the upper position of the carriage, do not straighten the knee joints completely, so as not to damage them.

The exercise uses the entire anterior thigh muscle group, but the main emphasis falls on the medial heads.

Please note that due to the fact that the center of gravity in the exercise is shifted forward, The weight of the bar should be less than with classic squats.

Raise the racks on the power frame to chest level and place the barbell on them;
We sit slightly under the bar, then, rising, we press the upper chest and front delts to the bar;
Cross our arms and place our palms on the bar;
We remove the weight from the racks, take a step back;
As you inhale, we squat, as you exhale, we rise.

When doing this, keep your back straight and avoid bending forward.
We move slowly, without jerking. Otherwise, the risk of losing balance, falling and injury increases.

Lunges with weights

The exercise evenly loads all four quadriceps muscles. The option with a barbell is recommended only for experienced athletes. Beginners should do lunges with dumbbells (kettlebells), girls - with. Let's consider the technique with a barbell on the shoulders.

Raise the bar to the stops power frame and assemble the barbell;
We grab the bar, sit up slightly and take the projectile onto our shoulders;
We move back 1.5-2 meters;
We inhale, step widely forward with one leg and lower ourselves into a lunge;
With exhalation we return to a vertical position;
We repeat the movement, starting with the other leg.

We move slowly so as not to lose balance.
In the lower position, the exposed knee should not go beyond the line of the toe.
We do not tilt the body forward too much; we avoid rounding the spine.

Leg extension

The exercise evenly engages the quadriceps muscles. It is performed in a special “seated” simulator.

We sit down in the machine, press our lower back tightly to the seat;
Select the required height of the leg bolsters;
Press your shins against the bolsters;
We take hold of the handles located on the sides of the seat;
We exhale and raise the emphasis up, while inhaling we lower it.

When performing, we try to move evenly, without jerking. Avoid throwing up the support with your feet.

Sample workout program for quadriceps

Warm-up part: , or (5-7 minutes);
(3/20-25);
Barbell squats (4/6-8);
Leg press in the simulator (3/10-12);
Lunges with weights (3/10-12);
Leg extension in the simulator (3/10-12);
Lying leg curls in the simulator (3/10-12).

Conclusion

The quadriceps exercises discussed in the article are strength exercises, which means that you need to strictly follow correct technique. There is no need to rush with loads. It is better to take less weight and gradually progress than to get injured while trying to “jump in over your head.” Also, to avoid unpleasant sprains, be sure to use elastic bandages For knee joints and a weightlifting belt to protect the lower back.