Master the Top 9 Quad Exercises Suitable for Every Fitness Level

Strong, muscular legs are a point of pride, but they also make daily life tasks easier and protect your knees, hips, and back from strain and injury. Every training plan should include exercises that target all four parts of the quads, which help your knees straighten and hips flex. If you're a runner, cyclist, or play a sport like soccer, training your quads will also help improve your performance.

Strong quads have numerous benefits, but Nobbe believes the primary advantage is that strong quads make everyday movements—including walking, squatting, climbing stairs, and kneeling—easier. “For athletes, strong quads are a must for explosive movements such as running or sprinting,” adds Nobbe.

Because the quads facilitate knee extension, strengthening them improves knee stability and balance and reduces the risk of injuries. Research also shows that stronger quadriceps help protect the knee joint from damage and osteoarthritis. The following exercises will work your quads to improve strength and function and protect you from injuries.

Nobbe notes that the following basic movements are go-to's for building leg strength, stability, and balance. “Beginners should start by fine-tuning form without any weight, but adding weight to these movements in the form of dumbbells or kettlebells is a simple way to make them more challenging,” he advises.

If you’ve got the basics down, the following movements are classics that can help you challenge yourself but aren’t overly complicated.

These more advanced exercises work the quads through movements that are a bit less straightforward from a form perspective, so Nobbe recommends making sure you master the technique without weight first.

If using a barbell, stand with the bar just behind your ankles, lowering into a narrow-stance squat to grab hold of it with your palms facing behind you. Keeping your torso upright and spine neutral, stand up until your legs are extended, keeping the bar close to your body.

A well-rounded routine that includes work on all the lower-body muscles (not just the quads) is also key to avoiding injuries and building overall strength. The core and upper body also play important parts in maintaining good form throughout lower-body exercises and everyday activities, so it's wise to train the entire body.