Quad Workout: Quads built at home
In this installment of the at-home workout series, we’re going to show you a quad workout! Quads are basically the main “meat” of your legs and are composed of the four main muscles on the front of the thigh. Along with hamstrings and glutes, strong quads provide you with a solid foundation or, as bodybuilders call them, “wheels!” For this quad workout, all you need are dumbbells but they can all be done as bodyweight exercises as well!
Get your quad workout on
Dumbbell Squat
This is the normal go-to quad workout/exercise for strengthening your legs. Start by standing straight (head looking forward) with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed out. Lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel with the ground while keeping your head up and back straight.
One way to make sure your knees don’t go too far past your toes is to push up through your heels. Ideally, you could draw a straight line down from your knee to your toes.
To make it easier you can hold a chair or even a door frame in front of you as you lower yourself down.
Dumbbell Plie Squat
This is another great exercise to help improve the strength of your foundation. Having an extra-wide foundation (toes pointed out) will help work different areas of your thighs. As with the normal squat, lower your butt like you are sitting in a chair, going down all the way to parallel!
Once again, keep your weight on your heels and push up through them to return to the starting position.
Lunges
Gotta love lunges! Start by standing straight up, step forward around two feet, and lower your body down to where your forward leg is around a 90-degree angle. Make sure your knee doesn’t extend far past your forward toe, if so step out farther. Push off your forward foot and come back to the resting position. Start the process again with the other leg.
Step-up
Maybe the simplest of all the exercises. Make sure you find a sturdy platform that won’t roll or more (safety first) that is about 16 inches off the ground.
Start with your foot on the platform and push up through it to raise your body to the top of the platform, hold that position for a second before lowering yourself back down. You can use the opposing foot for balance but don’t rest it on the platform.
Wall-sits (curl optional)
I usually perform this exercise last to totally crush my legs. With your feet shoulder-width apart, lower yourself down into a seated position with your thighs parallel to the ground. Make sure your back is pressed against the wall and hold that position. Perform 3 sets for one minute long each.
Wrap-Up
Most of these exercises not only work the quads but also the hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Now you have a number of exercises that will provide you with a solid foundation. As usual, perform each exercise for 12-15 repetitions for 3 sets or create your own killer quad workout!
Now that you have an at-home quads workout, you can start combining upper and lower body exercises to get a full body workout!
What are you waiting for? It’s time to start beefing up your “wheels!” Get started with this quad workout!
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