Big, strong, muscular legs are cool. They show a lot more than just muscle, they show dedication. It is no secret that legs are highly neglected in gyms all around (insert public service announcement about “friends don’t let friends skip leg day” here). There are many excuses on why people do not train legs, but the fact of the matter is many do not like to put in the hard work required to get great legs.
A big part of alluring legs is the quads. The quads are made up of course of 4 muscles that that are on the front of the thigh. It is the great extensor muscle for the knee and possesses this large, fleshy look. When developed, the quads help a person fill out a pair of shorts (the right way) and also display strength and power. Many cyclists display decent size quads do to the spinning motion and pushing down on the pedals when riding a bike. Sprinters also have nice sized quads because of the power and explosiveness needed when they are kicking their feet forward during a race.
Many lifters today focus too much on getting a wider back to have the appearance of a smaller waste, when having thick quads can give the same appearance. By having both a thicker back and thicker quads, your waist will look even smaller.
Do you see why having big quads is a must?
So, how do you get them?
Well, squats are good and so are leg presses, but isolating them more can really help bring them up and show serious development. The following are the best isolated quad exercises you can do (Google or YouTube any you are not familiar with):
- Hack Squats
- Barbell Front Squat
- Close Stance Barbell Back Squat
- Close Stance Leg Press
- Sprints (yes sprints-remember the “kick”)
- Dumbbell or Barbell Lunges
- Bulgarian Split Squat
- Goblet Squat
- Leg Extensions
As you can see, the stance or foot position play a role in the emphasis and isolation of the quads. Regular squats and leg presses do hit the quads, but by bring the feet closer in, the hamstrings and glutes are taken out of the movement more and the quads are called to take up the slack. Simple little tweaks like that can make a world of difference in your quad and overall leg developments.
So, do not skip leg day. Give yourself a “Quad” day if you will.
