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 laborious you’re coaching—it’s how sensible you’re coaching.

Many individuals follow the identical leg workout routines irrespective of which muscle tissue they need to emphasize, however that’s a mistake.

To construct larger quads, that you must prioritize knee-dominant (or “quad-dominant”) workout routines—particularly people who can help you raise heavy weights by means 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 methods to flip them into extremely efficient quad-focused exercises.

Key Takeaways

• Knee-dominant trains primarily prepare your quads and contain bending your knees by means of a full vary of movement.
• The six greatest 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 prepare your quads by means of a wide range of movement whereas permitting you to raise heavy weights safely.
• Knee-dominant trains construct decrease physique mass, enhance athletic efficiency, and assist cut back damage danger.
• Whereas body weight knee-dominant trains may be efficient, you’ll want so as to add progressively heavier weights over time to proceed making positive aspects.

What Are Knee-Dominant Trains?

Knee-dominant trains are strength training actions the place you bend your knees as a lot as attainable after which straighten them once more. Since your quads deal with many of the workload in these workout routines, they’re usually referred to 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 burden. Right here’s an illustration that can assist you visualize the distinction:

The 6 Finest Knee-Dominant Trains for Quad Mass & Energy

They’re additionally good for making use of progressive overload—steadily rising the burden you raise 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 a fantastic 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 protection-bar squat is one other glorious knee-dominant train for building your quads, providing most of the similar advantages because the entrance squat.

The primary 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 take care of a extra upright posture. This takes stress off your decrease again and helps you squat deeper, which is important for maximizing quad progress.

It’s additionally a fantastic 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 Cut 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 doubtless higher than bilateral knee-dominant workout routines (people who prepare each legs concurrently) for enhancing athletic efficiency. As an example, research from the Shanghai College of Sport reveals that single-leg workout routines are barely simpler than bilateral knee-dominant workout routines for enhancing leaping potential, 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 means of an extended vary of movement with out inserting stress in your knees and decrease again.

One other profit is that the hack squat doesn’t require a lot stability or coordination, so it’s nice for freshmen. It’s additionally useful for skilled weightlifters who need 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 simply 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 a fantastic 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 primary benefit of the sissy squat is that it trains your quads by means of a full vary of movement and whereas totally stretched, which is crucial for maximizing muscle progress.

Though many individuals think about it a body weight train, it’s simple 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, ensure you’re consuming sufficient calories and protein, and your quads can 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 laborious 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 simpler quad-dominant exercises:

• Begin with a free-weight barbell squat variation: Entrance squats and safety-bar squats are glorious selections, however high-bar back squats are a worthy various.
• Do a unilateral quad-dominant train second: Bulgarian break up squats and step-ups are nice, however lunges and split squats work properly, too.
• Do a machine knee-dominant train third: The hack squat is right, however leg presses, belt squats, and pendulum squats are additionally efficient.
• End with a quad isolation train: Sissy squats work greatest, 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 stability 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, lowering the chance of damage.

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

Sure, body weight knee-dominant trains may be efficient, particularly in the event you’re a beginner. Actions like sissy squats and body weight Bulgarian break up squats and step-ups prepare your quads with none tools and may help you construct power initially.

Nevertheless, as you acquire power, your progress will gradual in the event you don’t make these workout routines tougher. At that time, you’ll both want to include more difficult body weight workout routines, similar to pistol squats, shrimp squats, or reverse Nordic curls, or add further weight to proceed making positive aspects.

FAQ #3: How do you get quad separation?

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

Reaching this requires a mixture of power coaching and calorie-controlled weight-reduction plan. In order for you 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.