Quads
Quads earns a place on leg day, and pure bodyweight leverage keeps the focus on front-thigh strength you can use.
How to do Quads
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if sitting on a chair.
- Keep your chest up and your back straight.
- Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Quads Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 6-8 reps at your hardest clean leverage, resting 2-3 minutes. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Endurance
3 sets of 25-30 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Common Quads Mistakes
Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work
Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.
Cutting depth once the weight gets heavy
Pick a load that lets you reach the same depth on every rep.
Easier and Harder Than Quads
Swap Quads For
Quads — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Quads?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if sitting on a chair. Keep your chest up and your back straight. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Quads work?
The Quads primarily targets the quads. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Quads should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Quads good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic legs patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Quads?
Try the Lever Leg Extension, Barbell Single Leg Split Squat or the Smith Single Leg Split Squat. Each trains the quads with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
