Leg Day Is the New Arm Day

Yes, you could just train your biceps everyday but there isn’t much that’s more impressive than a big pair of legs.

The quadricep is one of the strongest muscles in the legs. Building strong quadriceps is essential for whole body strength development and functional capacity.

And they look good in your summer holiday short shorts… Ready to get buff? Check out our guide: What is a superset?

Why Do You Struggle to Train Your Quads?

Our body is very smart in the way that it can self-organize to favour body parts that are stronger than others to create an advantage in a movement. For example, if you have a strong back and weak quads, you may use your back more than normal in your back squat or any lifting to compensate.

While this isn’t inherently a functional issue, if we are trying to target a specific muscle, in this case the quads, then contextually, it is an issue.

Therefore, it is important to use physical constraints that force us to use the targeted area. For example, we may use a front-loaded movement to bias the quads…

The Ultimate Quadricep Superset

1 - Single Leg Squat to Box

• Stand on one leg, with a Plyo Box behind you and a Kettlebell in your hands if you are strong enough.

• Keeping your hips and shoulders level ‘as if balancing a pint on your head’, slowly sit down onto the plyo box.

• Stand back up, finishing all your reps on your weaker leg before swapping over.

Key Tip - Push the Box Right Up Against Your Standing Foot

If we push the box right up against your heel, then you don’t have to reach back with your hips to find the box, making the movement more hip-dominant. Instead, you can squat straight down, allowing your knee to drive forward, loading the knee musculature more, as is intended.

2 - Barbell Front Squat

• With your hands wrapped around the Barbell, outside the width of your shoulders, secure the barbell across the front of your shoulders, over the top of your collar bones.

• Step away from the squat rack, with your feet approximately shoulder with your feet facing slightly outwards.

• Sit between your knees, while keeping your elbows as high as possible throughout, so that the weight stays on your shoulders and not your wrists.

• Stand back up, with your hips and shoulders rising at the same rate.

Key Tip - Cross-Grip If Your Wrists Hurt

Some people struggle with the traditional front squat rack position due to mobility restrictions. If this is you, instead of wrapping your hands under the barbell as you put it on your shoulders, put the bar on your shoulders first, then cross your arms in an ‘X’ shape, before holding onto the top of the bar to keep it secure.

Give this Quad Burner a go on your next leg day to build more robust knees and stronger legs! Remember share your efforts and tag us on Instagram!

Written by guest author Ewan Hammond.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars and Weight Plates ; Equipment > Plyo Jump Box ; Exercise Type > Strength