How to develop thigh muscles. The vastus lateralis muscle: how to strengthen and avoid injury

My respect, dear colleagues!

Today we are waiting for the final article from our epic cycle called basic exercises for gaining mass, and we will increase muscle volume in such a group as the legs. After reading, you will know which exercises (in terms of science) are the most effective for their development, and how the training program called “doing thighs, like Masha’s” should look like :).

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

Basic exercises for gaining muscle mass in the legs, what are they?

If you are at least a little oriented in matters of anatomy, then you are aware that the legs are the largest muscle 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 thinnest. And the point here is that it is most often clogged with (at least from the male gym population) because of her inconsistency. The latter means that most often when removing clothes, they look at the shoulders, arms, abs, and because. the legs are at the bottom, then things sometimes just don’t reach them. In addition, legs can always be hidden behind wide pants, which in most cases is done by guys, due to the reluctance to pump them, because you see, it’s convenient when you can hide the most heavily pumped behind a piece of cloth (and therefore lagging behind) muscle layer. It is much easier to take a dumbbell and sip it on the biceps - and the work is not hard, and the dividends in the form of a large “can” are good.

For women, legs are, perhaps, their calling card, because it's no secret that the main mission of the fair sex is to please others (men). And our brother most often evaluates a young lady precisely from the bottom up, i.e. first, the gaze falls on the legs, then the hips, the 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:

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

Since we have such a “legged” article today, I cannot but say that our rocking chair has always had legs (and remain to this day) not honored. They swing sluggishly, reluctantly and very rarely, so the vast majority of guys go to the gym in pants, due to the failure of their lower body (meaning legs). I’ll also say that at one time I also gave up on them, but then I realized that it was impossible to do this and, having reviewed my own, I began to allocate a full day to them.

Yes, legs grow slowly, yes, this is not the most indicative muscle group (unless you are a competing athlete), but downloading them is vital. Actually about this, namely what basic exercises for gaining their mass exist, we will talk further.

Well, we will start, as usual, with a little theory - 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 (adductors) - located on the inside of the leg;
abductor muscles (abductors) - located on the outside of the leg;
gluteal - the three muscles that make up the buttocks: gluteus maximus/middle/small gluteal muscles;
biceps femoris - hamstring, includes semitendinosus, semimembranosus, short and long head of the biceps femoris;
gastrocnemius;
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 quadriceps.

I think you are familiar with such a concept as isolation - this is when any of the parts of the muscle (ex. external head) takes on the greatest part of the load, exercise. Therefore, when the best exercises for the internal, external, or any other part are taken into account, this indicates a relative increase in the intensity of EMG activity in this part of the muscles over the rest.

So, here is a list of the most effective quadriceps exercises with standard equipment:

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

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

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

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

Training the inner and outer part of the quadriceps.

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

The inner part is maximally activated by doing various variations of horizontal leg presses and in lower weight hack squats when the angle at the knee joints is less 70 degrees and with more 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 part of the quadriceps, things are completely different. Standard squats at high loads provide maximum muscle stimulation of the outer part (vastus lateralis), even if you do not go down to the parallel of the floor (knee angle 70 gr). Performing a full squat (butt on the floor, corner 40 gr) with light weight reduces muscle stimulation by 18% .

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

Training the medial (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 intermediate and rectus femoris muscles.

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

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

So, we gradually approached the most beloved female part of the legs, this ...

No. 2. The best exercises for the gluteal muscle.

The following data should surprise you a little, because a simple exercise on the simulator is a pendulum (retract hips back and up) activates the gluteal muscle 2,3 times more than the deadlift.

Relative EMG activity of the gluteal muscle during the performance of selected exercises, compared with the deadlift (when using your own body weight), as follows.

No. 3. The best exercises for the hamstrings.

For the hamstring, the best exercise has always been and remains the leg curl on the prone machine. The use of various methods of intensity in it, such as: a partial stretched position or peak contractions are raised to 134% And 112% (compared to standard version) values of EMG activity.

The relative EMG activity of the hamstring muscles during the performance of the selected exercises, in comparison with the standard leg curl in the lying simulator, is as follows.

Based on the data obtained, the following conclusion can be drawn: for the development of the muscles of the hamstring, it is not enough to perform standard leg extensions in the simulator, their muscle activity is rather low. Therefore, it is necessary to perform various variations of extensions, coupled with exercises with their own weight. (like, for example, moving the leg back on the bench).

So, we have considered 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 an indecent number of characters and therefore, by a strong-willed decision :), it was decided to break it into two parts. Therefore, we are not upset, but subscribe to updates and look forward to continuing.

Afterword

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

That's all for now, thanks for investing this time in yourself, see you soon!

PS. Let's not hang out and ask questions through the comment form, let's go!

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

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Today, emaciated thinness is not the standard of beauty. Much more attractive toned and elastic body. The dream of any girl is slender legs and a beautiful hip line. To achieve this, you need to work out the muscles of the legs well, and quadriceps training will especially help with this, although they are just most often forgotten.

The legs have the largest and most complex muscles. Someone uses the services of gyms, others choose to workout at home. However, without knowledge of the anatomical features of the quadriceps and the basic exercises for this muscle, it will not be easy to achieve the desired result. But having the right motivation and knowledge, it will be possible for girls to gain the necessary muscle volume of their legs and make them slimmer after a month of training.

Quadriceps of the thigh: its structure and functions

The quadriceps is a quadriceps femoris muscle (or quadriceps femoris) that occupies almost the entire front of the thigh. The name "square muscle of the thigh" quadriceps got because of its structure, namely because it consists of four muscles:

Rectus muscle: located on the middle part of the thigh, originates from the ilium, occupies the middle part of the thigh and covers the main part of the three remaining muscles.
Medial (internal wide) muscle: starts from the femur, goes along the inner (medial) part of the thigh and connects to the patella.
Lateral (external wide) muscle: also starts from the femur, but already passes along the outer side of the thigh and is also attached to the patella.
Medium (intermediate wide): this muscle is located between the lateral and medial on the front of the femur and connects to the patella.

Thanks to this developed muscle, a person has such a sign as upright walking. The quadriceps are the main load of the whole body. The quadriceps performs the following functions:

static: prevents flexion of the knee joint while the person is standing;
dynamic: maintains a stable state of the knee joint during exercise (running, jumping, etc.)

Simply put, the quadriceps is responsible for flexion and extension of the knee and leg, and it is also involved in tilting the pelvis forward.

Interestingly, the quadriceps has two types of muscle fibers in its structure - fast and slow. Moreover, slow muscle fibers provide a static load, and fast ones predominate in those areas of the muscle that are responsible for elasticity.

In order to correctly calculate the load and choose the best exercises for the quadriceps, you should know your own ratio of fast and slow fibers in this muscle, then the result will be much more effective. For example, athletes, football players, basketball players are dominated by slow fibers.

Now that the structure and features of the quadriceps, as well as its main functions, have become clearer, you can safely proceed to training to give it relief.

However, it is worth remembering that only the regularity of sports training and the right technique will help to achieve the desired result, whether it is in the gym or doing exercises at home.

Quadriceps exercises

In fact, the legs of girls are the strongest part of the body, so with proper nutrition and enhanced training, the result will not be long in coming if you know how to pump up the quadriceps. The first and simplest exercise that immediately comes to mind is squats: in this case, no shells are needed, work is underway with your own weight.

But there are other equally effective exercises. We list some of the best exercises to strengthen the quadriceps legs in girls for the gym and for training at home.

In the gym, the best exercises are:

The next problem area of body fat for women is the outer surface of the legs. The so-called spoil the silhouette in tight dresses and skirts, and look out from under the swimsuit with completely unappetizing rollers.

Recall that we have already considered all the features of getting rid of, and also made up the top effective loads for and surfaces of female legs.

Now it's time to rip the outside of the thigh. Deal with this problem area better a complex of power and aerobic loads with a calorie deficit. But remember! The WHOLE body will lose weight, it will not work to remove volumes in one isolated area of \u200b\u200bthe body. Static exercises on the outer thigh with various hangs are perfect for training.

You can complicate the execution of exercises by increasing the number of approaches, using a gymnastic expander tape. The latter should not have too much resistance - working 15-20 times per set should be performed.

So, we present to your attention the most effective exercises for the outer side of the thigh at home.

Leg abduction in a kneeling position

Together with the outer side in this exercise, the inner side of the thigh is also worked out. Difficulty is medium.

Starting position - lay a mat, emphasis on straight arms, legs bent at the knees. If a dumbbell is used, place it at the bend of the thigh and lower leg;
On inspiration, we take the bent leg to the side to the parallel with the floor, fix the point;
We return to the starting position.

How to remove the sides on the hips even faster? Use weights.

At the end of the working number of repetitions, remove the weight, if it was used, and make 10-15 jerky movements in the same direction. Then do the exercise on the other side.

See the video for more details:

Reverse hyperextension

A fun exercise that helps to effectively load the riding breeches area and, as a bonus, the buttocks. Difficulty is medium, aggravated by checking for coordination. To perform, you will need a chair with a soft seat, a bench. Also do not forget that is one of the most effective exercises for the buttocks.

Technique:

Starting position - emphasis on the seat of the chair with your stomach, grab its side with your hands, legs straight, feet together;
While inhaling, we push our feet up, strongly strain the buttocks, hang for a second;
Exhaling, we return to the starting position.

More on video:

Repeat the movement should be 15-20 times, with a break, in several approaches. Watch your lower back, avoid excessive bending and tension in it.

Mahi lying on the side

You can do it either lying just on the floor, or with an emphasis on a chair. The emphasis on the chair in this exercise will allow you to simultaneously use the inner surface on two legs at once - one in static tension, the other in dynamic. Mahi is great. The complexity is high, it is necessary to control the position of each point of the body, not to rush, so as not to hurt yourself.

Technique:

Starting position - lying on your side, emphasis on the forearm, the straight lower leg is located on the chair, and the straightened upper leg is brought forward above the lower one;
Inhaling, we swing the outstretched leg up as high as possible;
As you exhale, return to the starting point.

More on video:

We perform 15-20 repetitions on one leg and turn over. We make 2-3 sets with a break of 30-45 seconds.

Note! In the same position, you can swing your upper leg not up, but closer to the body, bending it 90 degrees.

Forward lunges

Functional dynamic exercise, acting both on the development of muscles and on their stretching. Exercises for the outer and inner thighs, such as this, effectively help to lose weight throughout the lower body and. You can weigh down the performance with dumbbells or weights. You can additionally diversify it by jumping when changing legs or by supporting one side on a hill.

Starting position - legs together, back straight, arms lowered along the body;
While inhaling, step your left foot back until a 90-degree angle forms at the right knee, the left is extended and stretched;
Return to the original position and perform actions on the other leg.

More on video:

You need to perform 15 to 20 times on each side, repeating approaches 2-3 times.

Carefully! The knee of the bent leg in this exercise should in no case go beyond its toe. Otherwise, there will be an incorrect and traumatic load on the joints.

Lunges to the side

Static muscle tension in these actions helps to actively burn fat and activate the growth of muscle fibers. , and the hated rollers of the inner surface of the thigh.

Technique:

Starting position - legs wider than shoulder width, straightened back, gaze directed forward;
With an inhalation, we step with the right foot to the right, making sure that the knee does not go beyond the toe and is perpendicular to the floor, the left leg is straightened, the toe and heel are pressed to the floor surface;
As you exhale, go back and repeat the effort on the opposite side.

See more in the video:

Additional calories can be burned if, after performing a lunge, you additionally swing with a straight leg or cross-squat back. combination better affects the problem area and pulls up faster.

Carefully! Carry out activities with great care and concentration. Ligaments that are just starting to get used to stress are very fragile and any sudden movement can cause stretching or tearing. If the ligament area still hurts after a workout, do a light pinching massage and treat with a warming ointment.

Wide stance squat

An excellent stretch for the outer thigh is obtained during wide squats. The multi-tasking plié covers the battlefields of fat and on the buttocks, inner, front and back thighs, as well as a great . The difficulty is medium, which is easy to increase with dumbbells, weights, or simply, instead of focusing on the heel, rise on your toes.

Technique:

Starting position - a straight back and a wide setting of the legs with toes turned sideways;
Inhaling, slowly lower the pelvis to parallel with the floor. We make sure that the knees do not go beyond the socks, otherwise we make the rack wider. We twist the lower back, strain the buttocks;
Exhaling, we rise to the original position.

More on video:

Do 10-12 reps, rest 45 seconds and repeat the circle 2 more times.

If you are serious about fully developing your body, then from beginning to end, concentrate on your legs. In our opinion, this is the most important muscle group that requires special attention and development. Just think, the legs make up about half of our body—your quads, hamstrings, glutes, adductors, and calves. So on the face of a huge area for study. And of course the sea of information that we will cover in this article. First of all, we will talk about the muscular structure of the legs. Then consider the structure of the skeleton - the bones and ligaments that are involved in the movements.

Quadriceps

Quadriceps include 4 separate muscle groups, these are:

Vascularis lateralis
vastus medialis muscle
Intermediate broad muscle
Rectus femoris

Let's start with the rectus femoris because it's unique. It starts at the very top of the thigh and runs along its entire length to the knee itself, crosses it and connects to the hamstring. This muscle is unique in that it is the only muscle group of the quadriceps that runs through the entire thigh.

Now let's move on to the vastus lateralis muscle of the thigh. Many people know about its depreciation function. It also starts at the top of the thigh and also attaches to the hamstring.

Now let's turn our attention to the vastus medialis muscle of the thigh. Many compare its shape to a tear. It also starts at the top of the thigh, wraps around the entire length of the thigh, and attaches to the tendon at the knee.

And last but not least, the muscle you don't see is the vastus intermedia. It is located under the rectus femoris and is also attached to the tendon under the knee.

So, the quadriceps consists of four muscles and this is the largest group of muscles in front of the thigh. Speaking of legs, you have probably heard about the importance of working out the quadriceps. If you work out in the gym and the result is important to you, then you should use squats, lunges, various types of leg extensions and similar exercises.

Now that we have examined the front of the thigh, we will study its reverse side. See, we know you want powerful quads and that's cool, but make sure you give the proper attention to your hamstrings too.

Biceps femoris

Let's single out three muscles of the back group:

1. Biceps femoris

1a. long head

1b. short head

2. Semimembranosus

3. Semitendinosus

The biceps femoris begins at the ischial tuberosity, runs through the entire thigh, and joins the fibula. The short head, in turn, begins on the back of the thigh and also goes down and is attached to the fibula. So the biceps femoris is one muscle with two separate heads.

You also have two more muscles on the back of the thigh and they are on the inside - this is the semimembranosus muscle, which starts from the ischial tuberosity, runs through the entire thigh and joins the tibia and others adjacent to it. And the semitendinosus muscle, which runs from the ischial tuberosity, through the entire thigh and is attached to the tibia.

Now let's talk about another muscle group that people (especially girls) like to train and shape - the buttocks.

You have three groups of gluteal muscles:

Big
Medium
Malaya

We'll start with the gluteus maximus because it's the most prominent and it's where people focus the most attention in the gym.

The gluteus maximus begins with the sacrum and the lumbar-thoracic fascia, where the tissue connection mainly occurs. It goes down and comes into contact with the thickened part of the wide fascia of the thigh and this is another significant area of tissue connection. From this point of view, the gluteus maximus also protrudes to the outer part of the thigh, and when people talk about the buttocks, most people mean the gluteus maximus.

Now let's take a look at the gluteus medius. Often people do not know anything about the gluteus medius and minimus because they are deeper, you do not see them, and therefore consider them insignificant. But in fact, the gluteus medius is a very important stabilizer of your hip. This muscle runs along the upper part of the buttocks in the region of the iliac crest and, passing down, comes into contact with the outer part of the thigh.

Even deeper than the gluteus medius, there is another muscle, which is located at the very top of the thigh and also touches the outer part below - the gluteus minimus. So don't forget, when you train your legs and hips, you are also pumping three gluteal muscles - large, medium and small.

The next group we'll talk about is the adductor muscles.

Adductor muscles

Most people are either not familiar with this muscle group at all, or they simply do not realize how important this small muscle focus is. In total, we have five muscles from the adductor group, they all start at the bottom of the abdominal region and are attached to the internal muscles of your thigh.

Comb muscle. It is located from top to bottom, crosses the leg and is attached to the upper thigh.
Short adductor muscle of the thigh. It also runs from top to bottom, crossing the thigh and attaching slightly below the pectinus.
Long adductor. Again comes from the groin down and you can see in the picture how these muscles are located.
Big lead. The largest in this muscle group. It also runs from the groin and is attached not only to the inner thigh, but also a little lower, which makes the large adductor a unique muscle.
Long thin muscle of the thigh. It comes from the muscles of the inguinal region, runs along the entire length of the thigh and is attached to the tibia from its inside.

We have studied the five main adductor muscles of the legs. Importantly, we don't want you to confuse them with the quads and hamstrings. They are incredibly important for the connection and interaction of the muscles on the opposite side of the thigh, and you need to make sure that with the help of certain exercises you work them properly.

The last but not least group of muscles that we will consider are the muscles of the lower leg.

Leg muscles

Let's look at two muscles that we are interested in in terms of training.

gastrocnemius
soleus

The calf muscle is unique because it runs the entire length of the popliteal region. Note that it has a lateral and a medial head. They both run the entire length of the lower leg and are attached to the Achilles tendon.

A little deeper than the gastrocnemius is the soleus muscle, which is attached to your tibia and fibula and already from them also passes throughout the lower leg and is attached to the Achilles tendon. Two muscles, one of which crosses at the knee, but both attach to the Achilles tendon and provide your ability to move.

We touched on a large amount of information at once. Let's quickly and briefly repeat everything from the beginning again. So you have the calves, the hamstrings, we also looked at the glutes, the quads, and the adductors (muscles of the inner thigh). We have devoted a lot of time to studying these muscles, now let's move on to the bones and ligaments, which are also included to perform various movements.

Bones and ligaments

Bones

The first bones we want to talk about are the hip bones. If you imagine, then the pelvic bones are located on both sides of our body and, like a bowl, give shape to our muscles and hold them together.

Following the pelvic bones in a downward direction is a large femur. Even lower is the large bone of the lower leg, the so-called tibia. It is located in the center, one of the two in this area and is located in front. Next to the tibia is the last, slightly smaller in size - the fibula.

All these bones make up only 10% of a person's weight, but when most people talk about the bones in the lower body, they mostly refer to the tibia and fibula.

Now that you've improved your understanding of bones, let's take a look at how they work together through ligaments.

Bundles

When we talk about the bones of the pelvis, everything is very simple. They are responsible for two basic movements - this is the displacement of the body forward (tilt in front of you) and, on the contrary, its displacement back. That is, the bones of the pelvis are actually responsible for the movement back and forth. And now we are talking about the ligaments of the pelvis, which are attached to the femur. In this place in the bones of the pelvis there is a recess in which the ligament is attached. It is due to this deepening and ligament that you get the whole range of movements, for example: bend the leg, stretch it, take it to the side, turn it in and back. Let's note its importance. These ligaments are the key point of our body, because they expand our possibilities in terms of movement so much.

We move down and consider the ligaments of the knee.

Most generalize all the ligaments in the knees with the name popliteal ligaments, but this opinion is erroneous. The hamstring cruciate ligaments are responsible for rotation, although hardly anyone in the gym will purposefully train them.

Mostly when we talk about knees, we mean knee flexion (pulling the leg back), such as in the hamstring leg curl, as well as leg extension, which we do in exercises such as squats, deadlifts and leg extensions in the machine.

And in conclusion, let's mention the important ligaments of the ankles. They mainly perform two main functions.

Flexion of the sole (occurs when you stand on your toes)
Flexion of the foot back (when you arch the foot in the direction of the toe towards you)

What will be required

Leg muscles are the largest in the human body. Quadriceps exercises are performed by representatives of almost all sports disciplines. Without these exercises, neither strength, nor mass, nor endurance of the legs and body as a whole can be achieved. The article discusses the best basic and isolated movements for quadriceps for men and women, training programs for guys and girls are presented.

Anatomy of the quadriceps

Quadriceps (quadriceps femoris) includes four muscle bundles:

the lateral broad muscle is the largest bundle involved in all movements that are associated with extension at the knee, and forms the lateral region of the thigh;
wide medial muscle (“droplet”) - also involved in movements associated with extension in the knee joint, is responsible for the formation of a rounded, filled frontal surface of the knee;
intermediate wide muscle - located between the two previous bundles, actively involved in the work during extension, jumping, running;
rectus muscle - the longest bundle, giving the thigh a rounded shape, is involved not only in extension, but also in flexion, the only area of \u200b\u200bthe quadriceps that is not directly attached to the femur.

Features of working with quadriceps

Correct technique plays a huge role in the work of quadriceps. The health and condition of the knees and lower back depends on it. Sinning with the technique of performing exercises, the athlete transfers the main load to other muscle groups.

Like all large muscles, the quadriceps takes a long time to recover. In most cases, it makes no sense to train her more than once a week.. A variant with two leg workouts is allowed, but then they are separated: the quadriceps are worked out first, the back of the thigh in the second.

The basis of the training program should be basic (multi-joint) exercises. They are designed for mass and strength, as they load the legs and body in a complex way. Isolated movements help to detail the muscles, give them a "cut", they can also be used to warm up before heavy basic exercises.

For this reason, in the first few years of systematic training, you need to focus on the "base". And only then, having gained mass and strength, you can start polishing your legs. This does not mean that beginners should ignore single-joint movements. They are also needed, but priority is given to the basic ones. This also applies to women striving for weight loss and a spectacular silhouette. Basic movements performed in a repetitive style are the main secret of success.

Quadriceps exercises

Hundreds of leg exercises. It makes no sense to list everything: those described in the article are enough in abundance. Moreover, most movements are variations of the basic ones.

Basic

This section describes the main exercises for quadriceps. Beginners often try to stay away from them, but without a "base" they are nowhere.

Squats

The main and most "terrible" exercise for beginners. most of the muscles of the body are involved - the legs, buttocks, back and abs work. Even arms and shoulders can be connected - without strong ligaments of hands, it is difficult to hold a heavy barbell.

At the very beginning, focus on the execution technique. Squatting incorrectly can lead to problems with your knees, lower back, and neck. To load the quadriceps more, train with relatively small weights. By bending the stick with pancakes, the athlete will not be able to avoid the powerful inclusion of the buttocks and back.

Squat pattern:

Starting position (IP) - the bar lies on the trapezium (in no case on the neck), hands hold the bar with a narrow grip (as far as flexibility allows), the chest is forward, the back is even. It is strictly forbidden to hunch over during the entire movement. The legs are shoulder-width apart, the socks are slightly apart. To get into the IP, you need to sit down under the neck, lying on the racks, remove it and take a step back.
You need to start the squat by pulling the pelvis back. The knees are in line with the feet - you can not wrap your knees inward. Try also not to bring them forward with your feet.
Lower yourself to a position where your thighs are parallel to the floor. Not sitting down, you underwork, squatting deeper, you take the load off the quadriceps and load the gluteal muscles more.
Smoothly, but powerfully, as you exhale, return to the PI. At the top, the knees should remain slightly bent - this is a necessary condition to reduce the injury risk of the exercise.

The position of the legs can and should be varied - from narrow to a position slightly wider than the shoulders.

At home, the barbell can be replaced with dumbbells. In this case, the arms with shells are lowered down.

- a similar exercise in which the barbell is located not behind, but in front. Due to this, the load on the quadriceps is more targeted - the buttocks are involved much less.

Go to the bar lying on the racks and fix it on the front delts. Hands are arranged crosswise, helping to hold the barbell - this is IP.
Keeping your back absolutely straight, sit down to parallel.
Return to IP.

The position of the hands may be different. Trained lifters often lock the bar with their hands positioned like a weightlifter doing a clean and jerk. To do this, you need to have a certain flexibility, strong ligaments and a powerful grip.

leg press

Eliminates the work of the back and buttocks, as far as possible. At the same time, the simulator makes it possible to work with much more weight than in squats. In order for the load to fall on the quadriceps, you need to press when setting your feet shoulder-width apart.

Technique:

IP - the back and head are firmly pressed against the back of the simulator, the legs are almost completely straightened and rest against the bed, the hands firmly hold the handles.
Bend your knees until a right angle is formed between your thighs and shins.
Return your legs to the IP.

A variation of this exercise is the single leg press. In this case, the weight is taken much less.

Hack squats

Since the back in this exercise is also tightly pressed against the back of the simulator, the quadriceps muscles of the legs receive the main load. The exercise is an inverted bench press - not the feet go up, but the body.

Execution scheme:

IP - standing on the platform, setting the legs - shoulder width apart, the body is straight, the shoulders rest against the pillows, the hands hold the handles.
Go down to parallel, feeling the load on the quadriceps.
Return to IP.

Lunges with barbell and dumbbells

Lunges can be done in different ways - in the Smith machine, walking around the hall and standing still. Consider options in which the athlete stands in one place, using either a barbell or dumbbells.

Grip technique:

IP is similar to the position for squats with a barbell on the back.
Take a step forward with your right foot. The lunge should be such that the thigh of the working leg at the bottom point is parallel to the floor. At the same time, the knee of the left leg almost touches the floor and also forms a right angle.
Return to IP.
Switch legs - lunge with your left foot.

The disadvantage of this option is that it does not always allow you to work with a suitable weight.

Squats on one leg

No access to the gym? . This is a great quadriceps exercise that can put a load on your legs without even using additional weights. True, you should not expect a significant increase in mass or strength from him. © Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com

Unlike regular squats, this variation does not require the back to be kept straight. A little rounding is normal. It is important to get up with the effort of the four-headed, minimizing the inclusion of the buttocks.

Isolated exercises

These movements will not make the legs more massive, but they will bring to mind the accumulated “base”.

Leg extension in the simulator

This exercise draws the front of the thigh. Suitable for warming up before a heavy squat (in the format of 15-20 reps with light weight without failure), and for "finishing" at the end of a leg workout.

Training programs

You can train quadriceps on the same day as the hamstrings, or separately. There are many complexes on the legs. As examples, we give the following (all of them are suitable for both men and women):

a program for mass and relief, designed for work in the gym;
home program;
weight loss program.

Complex for the hall - to the mass:

Complex for home training:

The number of approaches can vary depending on the degree of preparation.