Quadricep Exercises | Leg Workouts and Routines

Weight Training Advice

Leg / Quad Weight Training Exercises and Workouts

Most weight trainers would consider the legs one of their least favorite bodyparts to train. Leg weight training workouts will take a lot out of you and requires hard work. Of course you don't want to be that person with a huge upper body and skinny legs, so leg weight training exercises and workouts must be performed regularly.

The front muscles of the upper thighs, or the quadriceps, make up most of the legs. Heavy quadricep training will not only help you increase leg strength and size, it will also help you gain overall body strength and size.

The best quadriceps weight training exercise is the squat. To perform squats properly during your leg weight training routine you need to follow a few guidelines. Walk up to the squat rack and get under the weight, supporting it with your traps and upper back muscles, not the back of your neck. If the weight is placed on your back properly you shouldn't feel any pain in your upper back, heck, or shoulders. Position your feet a bit wider than shoulder width to put the pressure on the muscles on the outside of the quadriceps and not the knees. Squat down in a controlled manner until your upper thighs are at least parellel to the floor and squat the weight up using quadricep and hip strength. Keep your back arched, not bent, throughout the movement and make sure you have your butt as far behind you as possible at the bottom of the rep so you don't hurt your lower back. If you use proper form while squatting in your quadriceps weight training workout you'll get the leg size and strength gains you want without injuring yourself.

If you have lower back or knee problems you can do hack squats or leg presses in your quadricep weight training routine as an alternative to squats. On both exercises you should make sure to place your feet high up on the platform so you're not putting your knees in a precarious position. You can also do either of these leg weight training exercises after your squat sets.

While following a quadricep weight training routine you'll also want to make sure to train the teardrop shaped muscles on the inside of your thighs just above the knees for overall leg development. You can train this muscle more directly by performing squats, hack squats, or leg presses with your feet close together. Use much lighter weights and make sure you're feeling the muscle work without putting too much stress on your knees.

Lunges are another great leg weight training exercise for the teardrop muscle. You can do lunges with a barbell on your upper back or with dumbbells in your hands (if you're training with heavy dumbells you should use wrist straps or chalk for a better grip). Start your lunges in a straight up standing position, then take a big step forward with one leg and lower your body until your upper thigh is parellel to the floor. At this point of the rep you must use your leg muscles to either return to your starting position for normal lunges or you can bring the rest of your body forward to where you stepped for walking lunges. The walking version of the lunge is more effective but you'll need space to perform them. Alternate which leg you use on every lunge rep.

Leg extensions are a great finisher to a quadriceps weight training workout. Get on the leg extension machine and, using one or both legs, lift the weight until your leg(s) are straight out in front of you. Stop your leg extension reps just short of lock out and hold the weight at the top for a second. Drop sets are easy to do on the leg extension so you can end your leg workout with a set or 2 of them.