Being x Doing = Having
The secret to achieving your goals is the combination of doing and being. Attaining quadricep hypertrophy requires doing the targeted resistance training, and being intentional with your approach in the gym, focusing on how and when you exercise. If your quad growth has plateaued, you are looking to build powerful legs or want to optimise your training - these three actionable tips will guide you to achieving exponential progress.
If you want to make the most of leg day, all you need to know is the anterior thigh is mostly made up by a structure called the ‘quadriceps femoris’. ‘Quad’ meaning it is composed of four individual muscles, the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and rectus femoris. ‘Femoris’ means they aid the movement of the femur (the long bone from your hip to knee) and gets their blood supply from the femoral artery.
Step One - Muscle Isolation
‘Isolating’ the muscle in resistance training means to specifically contract and fatigue a subset of muscles during a movement. Quadricep engagement primarily results from extension at the knee (ie straightening the leg) and therefore performing this movement under resistance leads to targeted growth. Try incorporating these quad-focussed exercises into your workouts for tree trunk legs.
• Seated single leg extension drop sets - a set to failure on a Leg Extension Machine, aiming for 10-12 reps, immediately followed by another set to failure using half the resistance.
• Sissy squat - Keep your weight balanced over your ‘midfoot’ ie the balls of your feet for extra quad emphasis and exaggerate the descent then powerfully explode to standing. Try drop sets, and if you're advanced - hold a Hand Weight in a goblet position.
• Narrow stance barbell squat - Plant feet hip width apart, toes facing forwards, push until failure (as long as you have safety bars installed.)
Step Two - Train with Intention
The mind muscle connection is often underestimated for muscle growth, and has significance within the being aspect of the equation. If you are distracted, pondering about dinner plans or your to do list - you are not maximising your potential in the gym. Training with intention can be just as important as performing the exercises themselves.
A personally helpful strategy to stay present throughout training is the use of an external focus. This means to direct your attention to the effect of your movement on the environment with each repetition.
Put simply, in a back squat with an Olympic Weight Set, this would mean to focus on feeling the pressure through your ‘midfoot’ and driving the bar up with controlled speed and maximal efficiency. Placing your attention on the environment rather than the muscle contraction in the exercise can reduce the rate of perceived exertion, and therefore will allow you to perform more repetitions, leading to greater hypertrophy over time.
Step Three - Consistency
Analysis of the body’s circadian rhythm (our internal clockwork) proves that strength naturally peaks in the late afternoon due to variations in our mitochondrial capacity throughout the day. To lift heavier weights and therefore stimulate more muscle growth, this would be the ideal time for resistance training.
However, the most important principle surrounding training timings is consistency. Our bodies thrive on routine and therefore training at the same time each day helps it adapt and prepare itself to undergo stress. Consistently training in the morning or evening is going to give you better results than intermittently training in the late afternoon.
Now go and hit the gym and start building those juicy quads!
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Tags: Exercise Type > Strength
