Best Quad Exercises

The quadriceps on the front of the thigh straighten the knee, which makes them the main driver in squats, lunges, leg presses and step-ups. Exercises where the knees travel well forward — front squats, heel-elevated squats, hack squats and leg extensions — put the most stress on the quads, while single-leg work such as split squats also builds balance and fixes side-to-side differences. Let your knees track in line with your toes, keep your whole foot planted, and go as deep as you can while keeping your back neutral. Leg training is demanding, so two sessions per week with 10–20 total sets for the quads is a practical target for most lifters.

Pick exercises from this list, log your sets and weights in ForceIndex and track your progress — free, start right away.