Killer Quad Exercises
You squat or run almost every single day. These types of movements rock your quads. You probably train your quads without even knowing you are doing so.
When you go to the gym, you can do many exercises that hit your quads. You don’t even know how many possibilities squat offers. Overhead, air, split, low-bar, sumo, goblet… each of them is excellent to toast your quads. But there are quad killer exercises which need your bodyweight and nothing else! Yeah, you don’t need a set of weights to give yourself a real challenge!
These exercises need very little or no equipment. The only pieces of equipment required are dumbbells. Building Superman quads are possible without even going to the gym. Train outside and enjoy looking your quads grow!
Pistol Squat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NvOuty_Fnc
This exercise is very hard. You might have to follow progressions, some of you won’t be able to perform it in the first place. Yet, when you succeed, you will be the proudest person in your training team. This exercise has been the trademark of long jumpers and triple jumpers for a very long period of time.
Performance:
· Lift right leg off the floor. Look straight ahead of yourself. Your left knee and your hips are a bit flexed. It’s your starting position.
· Squat down flexing the knee. Make sure you extend your left leg in front of you as you go towards the ground. When you reach bottom position, inhale.
· Return to the starting position exploding through your heels and knees. Exhale when you reach the top position.
· Switch your legs when you finish the desired number of repetitions. Continue until the remainder of the set.
Tips:
· Do not lift on your toes, this spoils the technique.
· Your arms need to be in the level of your shoulders.
· Hold on to something if you are a beginner. The exercise is tough as hell. Use wall, plyobox, chair… Be creative!
Sissy Squat
The name doesn’t describe the real nature of the exercise. You will see how your quads will turn into a firecracker after 4-6 repetitions. Of course, if you do the exercise properly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUiFlZ2FsKA&t=77s
Performance:
· Start with your legs shoulder-width apart. Hold on to something if this is the first time you are doing the exercise.
· Go down slowly. Push your knees forward and down with control. Lift your heels off the ground as you decrease the distance between your knees and the floor. Your back must go backward. Inhale in the bottom position when your quads are parallel to the floor.
· Slowly return to the starting position. Exhale while you go up.
· Continue until the rest of the set.
Tips:
· Do not bounce, do the exercise slowly.
· Keep your spine and neck flat.
· You can touch the floor with the tips of your knees.
· You can keep dumbbells under your heels to improve balance.
Dumbbell Split Squat
You will see how this exercise affects balance and power at the same time. You will have to balance like a Picadilly circus artist when your leg is locked on the top of an elevated surface!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C-uNgKwPLE
Performance:
· Assume the staggered stance. Your right foot is on the top of an elevated surface (we recommend plyobox). Your left foot stands forward.
· Make sure the dumbbell is put in both hands. You start from that position.
· Descend down flexing your hips and knees. Inhale at the moment your knee touches the floor.
· Drive through the heels at the bottom and go up. Exhale as you reach the top position.
· Switch your legs and perform the same movement pattern until the finish.
Tips:
· Use light dumbbells if you are a beginner.
· Do the exercise slowly.
· Your spine and neck must remain flat all the time.
Enjoy your monstrous legs!