6 Knee-Dominant Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Quads

In case your quads aren’t rising as a lot as you’d like, the issue in all probability isn’t how onerous you’re coaching—it’s how sensible you’re coaching.

Many individuals keep on with the identical leg workout routines irrespective of which muscle tissue they wish to emphasize, however that’s a mistake.

To construct larger quads, that you must prioritize knee-dominant (or “quad-dominant”) workout routines—particularly those who will let you carry heavy weights by way of a full vary of movement with out placing pointless pressure in your physique.

On this article, you’ll be taught the most effective knee-dominant trains for constructing quad mass and power, why these actions are so efficient, and find out how to flip them into extremely efficient quad-focused exercises.

Key Takeaways

• Knee-dominant trains primarily practice your quads and contain bending your knees by way of a full vary of movement.
• The six finest knee-dominant trains for gaining quad mass are entrance squats, safety-bar squats, Bulgarian break up squats, hack squats, step-ups, and sissy squats.
• These workout routines are so efficient as a result of they practice your quads by way of a wide variety of movement whereas permitting you to carry heavy weights safely.
• Knee-dominant trains construct decrease physique mass, enhance athletic efficiency, and assist scale back damage danger.
• Whereas body weight knee-dominant trains could be efficient, you’ll want so as to add progressively heavier weights over time to proceed making positive factors.

What Are Knee-Dominant Trains?

Knee-dominant trains are strength training actions the place you bend your knees as a lot as potential after which straighten them once more. Since your quads deal with a lot of the workload in these workout routines, they’re usually known as “quad-dominant” workout routines.

Knee-dominant trains stand in distinction to hip-dominant workout routines (e.g., deadlifts), which contain much less knee bending and rely extra in your hips and glutes to maneuver the load. Right here’s an illustration that can assist you visualize the distinction:

The 6 Greatest Knee-Dominant Trains for Quad Mass & Power

They’re additionally good for making use of progressive overload—progressively rising the load you carry over time—which is important for constructing muscle and power.

Incorporate these into your quad-focused exercises and watch your quads develop.

1. Entrance Squat

Moreover, the entrance squat trains your quads simply as successfully because the again squat, even whenever you lift as much as 20% much less weight. It additionally reduces pressure in your knees and decrease again, making it an awesome choice for constructing quad mass with out placing extreme stress in your joints.

READ MORE: How to Front Squat: Form, Benefits & Alternatives

2. Security-Bar Squat

The security-bar squat is one other wonderful knee-dominant train for building your quads, providing most of the identical advantages because the entrance squat.

The principle benefit of the safety-squat bar is that it holds the plates in a barely offset place in comparison with a straight barbell, permitting you to keep up a extra upright posture. This takes stress off your decrease again and helps you squat deeper, which is important for maximizing quad development.

It’s additionally an awesome choice for anybody with restricted higher physique mobility or those that discover it uncomfortable to relaxation a barbell on their entrance or rear delts.

READ MORE: The Safety Bar Squat: How to Use the Safety Squat Bar to Gain Muscle & Strength

3. Bulgarian Break up Squat

The Bulgarian break up squat trains every leg independently, so it helps you construct symmetrical lower-body mass.

What’s extra, it’s possible higher than bilateral knee-dominant workout routines (those who practice each legs concurrently) for enhancing athletic efficiency. As an example, research from the Shanghai College of Sport exhibits that single-leg workout routines are barely more practical than bilateral knee-dominant workout routines for enhancing leaping capability, agility, and velocity.

READ MORE: How to Perform Bulgarian Split Squats for Glutes, Hamstrings & Quad Growth

4. Hack Squat

The hack squat is a top-tier quad-dominant train for mass as a result of it trains your decrease physique by way of an extended vary of movement with out putting stress in your knees and decrease again.

One other profit is that the hack squat doesn’t require a lot steadiness or coordination, so it’s nice for learners. It’s additionally useful for knowledgeable weightlifters who wish to add extra quantity (units) to their quad-dominant exercises with out the fatigue that comes with extra free-weight squatting.

READ MORE: How to Do the Hack Squat: Alternatives, Form, and Benefits

5. Step-up

The dumbbell step-up is a stable addition to any quad-dominant leg day as a result of it trains your total decrease physique and improves your squat efficiency whereas additionally addressing power and measurement imbalances between your legs.

An enormous benefit of the step-up is that you just don’t want to make use of heavy weights to see outcomes, which makes it simpler in your knees and decrease again in comparison with many different lower-body workout routines. In different phrases, it’s an awesome selection for anybody trying to construct their quads with out placing extreme pressure on their joints.

READ MORE: Weighted Step-Ups Guide: How to Do Dumbbell Step-Ups

6. Sissy Squat

The principle benefit of the sissy squat is that it trains your quads by way of a full vary of movement and whereas absolutely stretched, which is crucial for maximizing muscle development.

Though many individuals take into account it a body weight train, it’s straightforward to make it more difficult. As soon as you are able to do 20 reps per set utilizing simply your physique weight, merely maintain a weight plate or dumbbell to your chest to proceed progressing.

READ MORE: How to Do the Sissy Squat: Alternatives, Benefits, and Muscles Worked

An Instance Quad-Dominant Leg Day Exercise

Right here’s a easy quad-dominant exercise utilizing the workout routines above. Observe this plan for the following 8-to-10 weeks, be sure you’re consuming sufficient calories and protein, and your quads might be larger, stronger, and extra highly effective than ever:

After 8-to-10 weeks of coaching, take a deload to recuperate. When you’re able to resume onerous coaching, you’ll be able to both repeat the identical quad-dominant leg day exercise or create a brand new routine utilizing the workout routines listed above.

Right here’s a heuristic you should use to create more practical quad-dominant exercises:

• Begin with a free-weight barbell squat variation: Entrance squats and safety-bar squats are wonderful decisions, however high-bar back squats are a worthy different.
• Do a unilateral quad-dominant train second: Bulgarian break up squats and step-ups are nice, however lunges and split squats work nicely, too.
• Do a machine knee-dominant train third: The hack squat is good, however leg presses, belt squats, and pendulum squats are additionally efficient.
• End with a quad isolation train: Sissy squats work finest, however leg extensions and reverse Nordic curls are stable options.

FAQ #1: What are the advantages of quad-dominant workout routines?

Many new weightlifters (and a few skilled ones) prioritize higher physique coaching whereas neglecting their legs, which regularly implies that their higher our bodies dwarf their decrease our bodies.

Doing quad-dominant train helps to steadiness your higher and decrease physique, stopping weak factors in your physique and efficiency. 

Sturdy quads additionally enhance athletic efficiency by rising power, speed, and strength, which advantages actions like running, jumping, and climbing. Moreover, constructing your quads enhances decrease physique stability, decreasing the chance of damage.

FAQ #2: Are you able to do knee-dominant train with no gear?

Sure, body weight knee-dominant trains could be efficient, particularly for those who’re a beginner. Actions like sissy squats and body weight Bulgarian break up squats and step-ups practice your quads with none gear and will help you construct power initially.

Nevertheless, as you achieve power, your progress will gradual for those who don’t make these workout routines tougher. At that time, you’ll both want to include more difficult body weight workout routines, reminiscent of pistol squats, shrimp squats, or reverse Nordic curls, or add additional weight to proceed making positive factors.

FAQ #3: How do you get quad separation?

Keep in mind, although, that irrespective of how developed your quads are, you received’t see separation except your body fat percentage is low sufficient. This usually means getting your physique fats to round 10% for males or 20% for girls. 

Reaching this requires a mix of power coaching and calorie-controlled weight-reduction plan. If you’d like assist deciding the most effective weight-reduction plan and coaching program for you, take the Legion Diet Quiz and Training Quiz to get a custom-made weight-reduction plan and coaching plan in lower than 60 seconds.