Massive quads are rarely achieved through ingenuity. Rather, what will get you there is a willingness to move heavy weights through full ranges of motion on basic movements—repeatedly.
Unique exercises have their place in any program, but many people focus on them too much when they should really be stressing rep ranges, volume, intensity, and frequency with basic moves.
Work harder to understand and manipulate these variables, while placing less emphasis on esoteric exercises, and you’re bound to see shocking results. The workout below represents “multi-rep range training,” with strength training rep ranges on squats, hypertrophy ranges on leg presses and lunges, and high reps on extensions to finish it off.
The Workout:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
Barbell Squat
3*
3-5
2-3 Min
Leg Press
3
6-8
1-2 Min
Leg Extension
2
0-25
45-60 Seconds
Dumbbell Lunge
2
8-10
1-2 Min
* not including two warm-up sets of 5 to 7 reps each with light to moderate effort.
How To: Stand with a barbell resting on your shoulders and traps with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Maintain the natural arch in your lower back and keep your head directed forward. Bend at the knees and hips, letting your glutes track backward to lower yourself. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, reverse direction, driving up forcefully through your heels to a standing position. Repeat for reps.
Classic Tip: Your heels should never come off the floor when squatting. Push the weight up through your heels, not the balls of you feet.
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Leg Press
How To: Adjust the seat of the machine so that you can sit comfortably with your hips beneath your knees and your knees in line with your feet. Remove the safeties and lower your knees toward your chest until they’re bent 90 degrees and then press back up. Be careful not to go too low or you risk your lower back coming off the seat (which can cause injury).
Classic Tip: There are no half reps allowed on the leg press. Travel through a full range of motion on every rep.
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Dumbbell Lunge
How To: Stand with your feet hip width, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Step forward with one leg and lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
Classic Tip: Short strides on lunges target the quads, while longer strides will hit your hamstrings and glutes.
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Leg Extension
How To: Sit at a leg extension machine with pad on top of lower shin and knees bent 90 degrees. Using quads, extend legs as you exhale, keeping rest of body still. Pause 1 count at peak contraction, then slowly bend knees to lower weight back to start.
Classic Tip: Make sure to emphasize the squeeze at the top of the motion. Don’t let momentum take over at any point.
