Everyone who trains at the gym on a regular basis knows what separates the greats from the rest of the pack — leg day! It’s the most challenging day of the week, and the more intense the workout, the better. Whether you train quads and hamstrings together or separately, these are the workouts that matter the most.
Proper quadriceps training isn’t just about what you do. How you do it is important too. This is why we have relied on a few of the all-time greats in bodybuilding and fitness to share their best quad training tips for you, the M&F readers. Follow their guidance, and try the workout at the bottom on your next leg day so you can have quads that are so awesome, you’ll wear shorts in winter.
Stan Efferding and Flex Wheeler – Control the negatives during leg extensions
Flex Wheeler is a legend whose advice should be followed by anyone that wants to grace a stage. Fellow IFBB Pro and powerlifting great Stan Efferding knew that, and that is why he sat under Wheeler’s learning tree. He shared insight on a leg day workout starting with leg extensions. The key to maximizing the movement was how he performed the negatives at the beginning of their leg training.
“We always used a controlled descent and a brief hold at the top, aiming for four sets of 20 reps with 90 seconds of rest.”
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Chris Lund
Branch Warren – Focus on positioning during squats
The two-time Arnold Classic champion and 2009 Mr. Olympia runner-up is best known for the size of his quads and the intensity of his training. So who better to ask about leg day training? Warren relied on squats as the meat and potatoes of his quad workout, and his secret was how he performed this old-school movement.
“I keep a pretty narrow stance when I squat compared to most guys, and I keep the bar high on my traps.”
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Bill Dobbins
Alina Popa – Changing execution during leg press
You may know Popa as a co-host of Femme Flex Friday, but she won the Rising Phoenix World Championship in 2018, and her quad development was a big reason why. One of her secret weapons was the leg press. An advocate of variety, she told M&F readers that she would change up how she performed the movement often to take advantage of the different benefits that come with each option.
“I always change and adjust the speed and/or weight from one workout to another, or I try the same exercise on a different machine to hit my quads from different angles.”
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Chris Nicoll
Heather Dees – Use sissy squats as a finisher
Taking the easy way out of a workout does not create champions. Heather Dees knows this, so she opts for a difficult movement to use as a finisher – sissy squats. Holding on to a Smith Machine for support, she focuses on a long range of motion and a lot of volume to finish off her quad training!
“I do the standing version, butt to ankles, focusing on using my quads and glutes to power my body back to the standing position.”
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FXQuadro / Shutterstock
The Ultimate Champions’ Quads Workout
Now comes the hard (and fun) part, adding the expertise of the champions into your own training. Below is a great sample workout for you to apply their knowledge and reap the benefits. Yes, you’ll probably be sore, but pain is weakness leaving the body, right? Give this workout a go and get better today!
Leg Extension – 4 sets of 20 reps
Squat – 5 sets of 6-10 reps
Leg Press – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
Sissy Squats – 7 sets of 15 reps
*90 seconds rest between sets for the first three exercises, 30 seconds of rest between sissy squats.
