11 Quad-Focused Exercises for Strength and Muscle Building

Plus Exercises for People With Knee Problems

The best quadriceps (quad) exercises target all four of the muscles that make up this muscle group. Located at the front of your thigh, your quads work together to help raise the thigh and extend and straighten the knee. Strong quads make for better hip flexion and knee stability, allowing you to walk, run, jump, squat, and climb stairs with greater ease.

Examples of quad exercises that strengthen all four quad muscles include:

  • Straight leg raises
  • Short arc quads
  • Wall slides
  • Chair pose
  • Terminal knee extensions
  • Step-ups
  • Split squats
  • Walking lunges
  • Sissy squats
  • Banded Spanish squats
  • Kneeling leg extensions

While quad exercises are important for everyone, they are especially so for those with knee weakness and balance issues due to age, injury, surgery of the lower leg or thigh, or an orthopedic condition such as iliotibial band friction syndrome or patellar tendonitis/tendinosis.

This article provides a step-by-step guide to each of these simple quad exercises and offers tips to help you get the most benefit from them.


If you are recovering from an injury or surgery, it is crucial that you learn how to strengthen your quads appropriately and safely, ideally with the help of a physical therapist (PT).

Straight Leg Raises

The straight leg raise is a simple way to get your quad muscles working properly. Here is how it's done.

  1. Lie on your back on a flat surface.
  2. Bend the knee of your uninvolved leg (the one that wasn't operated on or injured) to a 90-degree angle. Keep your foot flat on the surface. Keep your other leg straight without the knee bent. Point your toes toward the ceiling.
  3. Slowly lift the involved leg 12 inches off the floor by contracting the front thigh muscles. Hold for 5 seconds.
  4. Slowly lower your leg to the floor. Relax, then repeat 10 to 15 times.

Things to Keep in Mind

The knee of the raised leg should remain totally straight throughout this exercise. Focus on lifting by using the muscles on the front of your hip joint.

Want a bigger challenge? Place a 2- or 3-pound cuff weight on your ankle before you lift. You could also place a resistance band around both ankles.

Short Arc Quads

Ben Goldstein

The short arc quad exercise is a great way to focus on properly contracting your quadriceps muscles. Here is how you do it:

  1. Lie on your back. Use a yoga block or basketball to prop up your knee.
  2. Slowly straighten your bent knee until it is straight.
  3. Tighten your quad muscle with your toes pointed toward the ceiling. Hold it tight for five seconds.
  4. Slowly lower your leg.
  5. Repeat 15 times.

Things to Keep in Mind

Be sure to lift and lower your leg in a slow, steady motion. Make sure the back of your knee stays against the bolster. When your knee is fully straight, try to contract your quad and straighten your knee all the way.

To get the most out short arc, be aware of your body position. Ensure that your hips are square to the ground as you lift your leg. In fact, make an effort to draw your hip down as you lift your leg.

You can also make this exercise more challenging by adding a small 2- or ​3-pound cuff weight to your ankle.

Wall Slides

Ben Goldstein

The wall slide exercise works multiple muscle groups, including your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Here is how you do it:

  1. Stand upright with your back against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Slowly bend your knees, sliding your back down the wall for a count of five until your knees are bent at a 45-degree angle. Do not bend too much further than this, as it will put too much strain on your knees. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
  3. Straighten your knees by slowly sliding up the wall until you are fully upright with knees straight.
  4. Repeat 10 more times.

Remember, stop if you feel any increased pain or difficulty with this exercise.

Things to Keep in Mind

Lower and lift yourself in a slow, steady way. Make sure you do not squat too low; doing so may place too much strain on your knees. Squatting too low can also make it difficult to rise back up.

Holding onto two dumbbells while you do the wall slide can make the exercise more challenging.

Chair Pose

The chair pose is a yoga pose that may look simple but can be extremely effective in strengthening the quad muscles and lower back. Even bodybuilders can find the pose challenging when held for longer periods.

To do the chair pose:

  1. Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides.
  2. Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squatting position (similar to sitting in a chair) while lifting your arms straight to the sky.
  3. Keeping the weight on your heels, lengthen the lower back.
  4. Hold this position for five to 10 breaths.
  5. Straighten your legs to return to the starting position. 
  6. Repeat this three to four times.

Things to Keep in Mind

When doing the chair pose, aim to get your thighs and buttocks parallel to the floor. This can take time. Until you get there, try lowering your buttocks to the optimal position for several moments and ease back a little when things get tough. With time and persistence, you'll eventually get there.

Do not lower your buttocks below your knees. This shifts the resistance to the hamstrings and can place undue stress on the knees.

Terminal Knee Extensions

Ben Goldstein

Terminal knee extension (TKE) is a simple yet effective way to strengthen your quads in a standing position. The TKE is considered a functional exercise. Your quads will be working while supporting your body weight.

To do this exercise, you'll need a resistance band, like a Theraband. You can buy one at a big box retail store or get one from your PT.

Here's how you do it:

  1. Tie your resistance band around a stable object so it is anchored. You want it to be about the same height as your knee. (The leg of a heavy table is a good place, but make sure it will not move.)
  2. Step into the loop with the leg you wish to exercise.
  3. Face the anchor point with the resistance band looped around your knee. Bend your knee slightly.
  4. Slowly straighten your knee, placing tension on the band. The band should provide some resistance as you try to fully straighten your knee.
  5. Once your knee is straight and the band is tight, hold the position for three seconds.
  6. Slowly bend your knee a bit once again.
  7. Repeat the exercise 15 times.

Things to Keep in Mind

Move in a slow and steady way. Be sure your knee stays directly over your toes; it should not shift forward so that it juts out over your toes. Doing so can place excessive strain on your knee.

You can make the TKE more challenging by placing a small foam pad underneath your stance foot. You can also make this a balance exercise by doing it while standing only on one foot.

Step-Ups

The step-up is an excellent exercise for strengthening not only the quads but the hamstrings and gluteal muscles (hips and buttocks).

This exercise requires a stable platform, box, or bench that you can step up and down on.

Here's how to do the step-up exercise:

  1. Stand 6 inches back from the platform, box, or bench.
  2. Step up with the right foot, pressing through the heel to straighten your right leg.
  3. Bring your left foot up to meet your right foot.
  4. Bend your right knee and step back down with the left foot, planting your foot solidly on the floor.
  5. Bring the right foot down—with control—to meet the left foot on the ground.
  6. Repeat eight to 12 times.
  7. Switch legs and repeat steps 1 through 6.

As you get stronger, you can increase the height of the platform and/or hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand.

Things to Keep in Mind

When first starting out, use a very low step (6 to 8 inches high), particularly if you have stability issues or are recovering from an injury. You can also place the step next to a wall or the back of a sofa so that you can hold on for stability.

Be mindful of your posture as you step up, tightening your core muscles with each movement. You should never have to "lunge" up. If you feel the need to, the step is too high and should be lowered.

Split Squats

The split squat is an excellent quad exercise that strengthens one leg while stretching the other, improving not only your strength but also your overall stability. For comfort, you can do this exercise on a carpeted floor or an exercise mat.

The split squat simultaneously works the quads, glutes, and hamstrings of the front leg while stretching the quad and hip flexors of the back leg.

To do the split squat:

  1. Kneel with your back knee on the floor. Plant your front foot on the floor with your knee directly over your ankle at a 90-degree angle.
  2. Drive your body up smoothly to a standing position with your front leg as close to straight as possible. Pause.
  3. Bend your knees and lower yourself—with control—to the starting position.
  4. Repeat eight to 12 times.
  5. Switch legs and repeat steps 1 through 4.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you're new to this, do this exercise next to a wall or chair so that you can hold on to balance. For added stability, tuck your toes under your back foot so that you are on the ball of your foot.

If you experience knee pain, check your foot position; your forward foot may be too far forward or too far backward. Only go down as far as is comfortable.

As you gain strength, rather than rest your knee on the floor as you squat, simply tap your knee to the ground and immediately lift yourself without a break. Even so, do not rush or "bounce" as you go up and down.

Walking Lunges

This is a more advanced exercise for people whose balance and knee strength have improved. Walking lunges strengthen the leg muscles as well as the core, hips, and glutes.

The exercise should be done with a pair of good walking shoes on a flat surface long enough to allow you to take 10 to 12 lunging steps.

To do the walking lunge:

  1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. You can place your hands on your hips or by your sides.
  2. Step forward with your right leg, placing your foot flat on the floor.
  3. Bend the right knee, lowering yourself down so that your thigh is parallel to the ground and your knee is bent at a 90-degree angle.
  4. Without moving your right leg, step your left foot forward, repeating the same movement.
  5. Continue "walking" as you lunge for a total of 10 to 12 reps on each leg.
  6. Perform two to three sets.

Things to Keep in Mind

It is important to maintain control while doing walking lunges. Keep your core muscles tight, your shoulders slightly back, and posture upright. If you ever feel wobbly, hold your arms out for balance.

Avoid taking overly long (or overly short) steps, as this can place excessive stress on your knees. You need to ensure that your thigh and calf are at a 90-degree angle during the lunge to avoid injury.

Sissy Squats

Sissy squats are challenging for any fitness level and something you can do without equipment. They may take time to master but are great for building core strength and improving balance.

To do sissy squats:

  1. Stand with feet slightly wider than your hips. with your toes facing forward.
  2. Place your hands on your hips (or hold onto a wall or the back of a chair for balance).
  3. Engaging your core, bend at the knees and lean slightly backward, creating a straight, solid line from your knees all the way to your head.
  4. Continue bending at the knees as close to the ground as possible while maintaining your backward lean.
  5. Pause at the bottom before standing up.
  6. Do 10 to 12 reps.

Things to Keep in Mind

To get the most out of sissy squats, think about your body as a solid plank from your shoulders to your knees. You should not be bending at the hips. By engaging your core muscles, you can better stabilize yourself as you lower your body to the ground.

You can increase the intensity of the exercise by holding a weight plate against your chest with one arm and holding onto a wall or the back of a chair for balance with the other.

Banded Spanish Squats

The banded Spanish squat also requires a resistance band. It is ideal for people who experience knee pain while doing heavy lifts. The resistance band helps stabilize the knees by ensuring that the shins remain in a rigid, perpendicular position to the ground as you move into your squat.

To do a banded Spanish squat:

  1. Loop or tie a resistance band to a solid base (like the leg of a table) at knee level.
  2. Step into the band so that it rests around the back of your knees.
  3. Take a few steps back until there is strong tension from the band.
  4. Keeping your feet in a narrow stance, push your hips back and lower yourself into a deep squat.
  5. Pause at the bottom before standing back up explosively.
  6. Do 10 to 12 reps.

Things to Keep in Mind

To better protect the knees, move back far enough so that the tension created by the band keeps your knees from moving in front of the feet. As you squat, your lower leg should be perpendicular to the ground at a 90-degree angle. Squatting in a knee-forward position places undue stress on the knee joint.

If done correctly, banded Spanish squats can isolate the quads as effectively as a leg extension machine.

Kneeling Leg Extensions

Kneeling leg extensions are simple yet powerful. They require no equipment (other than a floor mat or carpet) and are ideal for people who have balance issues. The aim is to use your own upper body weight to exert appropriate resistance against your quad muscles.

To do kneeling leg extensions:

  1. Kneel on a mat or carpeted floor with knees roughly shoulder-width apart and your toes tucked under your feet.
  2. Sit on your heels, and cross your arms on your chest.
  3. Engaging your core, lean backward slowly, keeping your body rigid from your knees all the way to your shoulders.
  4. Go back as far as you can go without losing balance.
  5. Hold momentarily before returning your body to an upright, rigid position.
  6. Do 10 to 12 reps.

Things to Keep in Mind

As with sissy squats, remember that your body should be solid like a plank as you lean back. If you collapse at the hips. you're leaning too far back. The same applies if you feel any knee pain.

Over time, gradually increase how far you lean back and how long you hold. With perseverance, you'll find your quads becoming more flexible and your knees becoming stronger more stable.

Summary

Strong quads are essential for maintaining your mobility and balance. If you've been injured or had surgery, you can do targeted exercises to rebuild strength in your quads.

Working to keep your quads strong can also help to maximize your ability to move and lower your risk of overuse injury in sports.

Straight leg raises, short arc quads, wall slides, terminal knee extensions, step-ups, and split squats are simple but effective. You may want to work with a physical therapist to be sure you're doing the exercises correctly at first.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What causes weak quadriceps?

    Certain injuries and conditions can cause weak quadriceps. Quadriceps paresis (muscle weakness) is one of the more serious conditions that affects the quads since it can cause drastic instability. Sports injuries are a frequent cause of weak quadriceps, with many quadriceps sports injuries often damaging the rectus femoris muscle.

  • Where are the hamstrings located?

    The hamstrings are located in the back of the thighs and consist of multiple muscles. They are connected from the end of the pelvis to the lower leg to help us extend our thighs backward as well as bend the knees. Wall slides are a great exercise that help strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

1 Source
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Shamus J, Shamus E. The management of iliotibial band syndrome with a multifaceted approach: a double case reportInt J Sports Phys Ther. 2015;10(3):378–390.

Additional Reading

By Laura Inverarity, DO
 Laura Inverarity, PT, DO, is a current board-certified anesthesiologist and former physical therapist.