The muscles that help straighten your knees and support your knee joints are called quadriceps. They’re found at the front of your legs, between your hips and knees, according to Women’s Health.
Having strong legs makes it easier to do everyday things like walking and climbing stairs, which helps us stay independent.
Why are quad exercises good?
- Make your legs stronger.
- Support your knees and legs.
- Improve your body’s composition.
- Add variety to your workouts.
Here are 5 exercises to train your quads:
- Squat: This works all your major leg muscles, including the quadriceps, and mimics common movements.
- Step-Up: Good for building quad strength needed for various daily activities like climbing stairs.
- Reverse Lunge: A beginner-friendly exercise that strengthens one leg at a time for a balanced lower body.
- Walking Lunge: Challenges your quad strength and improves balance, posture, and flexibility.
- Bear Crawl: A bodyweight exercise that targets quads, core, and shoulders, and adds a cardio benefit when done faster.
If you’re wondering about the best quad exercise, fitness trainer Kristina Earnest recommends the “back squat” as the most effective for building quad strength, power, and size. It allows for a variety of weights, promoting muscle growth and strain on your muscle fibers.”