14 Best Quad Exercises At Home With No Equipment

Table of Content

• Pistol Squats
• Terminal Knee Extensions
• Best Quadriceps Exercises You Can Do At Home Without Equipment
• Bulgarian split squat
• Wheels of Steel quad exercises program: The bottom line

Your heels should be on the floor or bed. Lift the lower end of one leg until it is straight while keeping the back of the knee on the towel or roll. Hold it straight for about 6 seconds. Slowly bend the knee and bring the heel back to the floor or bed and repeat 8 to 12 times.

Start small and gradually increase your movement. This will ensure you have a better chance at remaining injury-free. So, any exercise that is difficult for you and when performed in a proper manner is going to be the most effective. There are so many great variations of the lunge and this is the most basic. Squat down to parallel or just above while bringing your arms down by your sides. Squat down until your upper leg is parallel or slightly below and then drive back up through your heel.

Pistol Squats

As you exercise daily and you get stronger and fit, the goal is to do this exercise without touching the floor between each lift. Put your left or right foot on the stair or on the chair, depending which leg you want to work first. Then, move on to the step put lunge.

That means your quads assist in loads of everyday movements, like walking, running, lunging, squatting, and climbing stairs. By regularly performing quad exercises you will feel many different benefits. First, you will notice that it’s a lot easier to flex your hips and extend your knees. During the pandemic lockdown, this was the go-to quad exercise for mass for myself and my wife at home when we had no equipment. The bodyweight squat isn't very challenging, but the burn is unreal when performing ultra-high reps. Step-ups are a compound movement that strengthens your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

Terminal Knee Extensions

But in general, both squats and lunges are among the best quad-strengthening exercises out there, says Fagin. That’s because they involve knee extension and hip flexion, which are the primary actions of the quadriceps. This quad exercise is a great way to literally force the quads into a longer range of movement, because the weight forces your knees into a deeper bend. It also has a genuine athletic crossover. It’s a very simple exercise to set up, requires very little in the way of equipment and is super effective at targeting the quads.

Step onto your box with your left foot, then follow with your right foot. Pause for a moment when both feet are on top of the box, hip-width apart. Driving through your left heel, stand back up to starting position. Stand with your back to your step or bench. With your left foot on the floor a few feet in front of the bench, place the top of your right foot on the bench, shoelaces down.

Best Quadriceps Exercises You Can Do At Home Without Equipment

The hamstrings are located in the back of the thighs and consist of multiple muscles. They are connected from the end of the pelvis to the lower leg to help us extend our thighs backward as well as bend the knees. Wall slides are a great exercise that help strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Find a bench, stairs, or very secured chair. Place the left foot on the bench and hold dumbbells at your sides.

Sports injuries are a frequent cause of weak quadriceps, with many quadriceps sports injuries often damaging the rectus femoris muscle. Continue "walking" as you lunge for a total of 10 to 12 reps on each leg. Bend the right knee, lowering yourself down so that your thigh is parallel to the ground and your knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. You can place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Be sure to lift and lower your leg in a slow, steady motion.

What else should you know about quad exercises before getting started?

Engage core, then step left foot up onto the box. Once seat taps box, press through left foot to return to standing position. Start small even if you’re used to training hard on leg day at the gym because bodyweight movements offer something unique.

As soon as you land, bend your knees to cushion the landing, transitioning immediately into a full squat to begin the cycle again. Complete 25 split squats and then switch sides. Engage your core and glutes as you step up onto the stair or chair with your right foot. Certain injuries and conditions can cause weak quadriceps. Quadriceps paresis is one of the more serious conditions that affects the quads since it can cause drastic instability.

Bulgarian split squat

Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then press through your heels to quickly return to standing. The longer you pause at the bottom, the harder it will be. That’s 1 rep. Your quadriceps form one of the key muscle groups needed for knee function. They are the primary muscles of knee support, and weakness of your quads can lead to instability of the knees. If your knees have instability, you are at a higher risk of developing additional wear and tear to your joints.

As you gain strength, rather than rest your knee on the floor as you squat, simply tap your knee to the ground and immediately lift yourself without a break. Even so, do not rush or "bounce" as you go up and down. When first starting out, use a very low step , particularly if you have stability issues or are recovering from an injury. You can also place the step next to a wall or the back of a sofa so that you can hold on for stability. Bring the right foot down—with control—to meet the left foot on the ground. Bring your left foot up to meet your right foot.