Flex Those Quads for a Better Foundation

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Strong quads will make you sturdy like steel.

Technically speaking, your legs are only comprised by muscles right below your knees. If you only work the literal legs, well, you’ll have strong pushing power, but you probably won’t be able to lift them. This is why you can never discount the quads. The quadriceps are the basis for all major forms of leg movement: running, jumping, squatting, kicking, and whatever else. Strong quads also allow you to firmly ground yourself, which is vital for weightlifting. If you didn’t have your quads to brace you when lifting weights, you’d crumple like an accordion.

When leg day rolls around, you’ve always got to remember to give some love to those quads. Just walking and standing, while they do utilize your quads, won’t limber them up and work them out. You need full-on quad exercises to limber up the correct muscles and start building mass. Form is especially important in quad exercises; if your form’s off, you might activate your muscles improperly and pull something, which can lead to some really unpleasant pain in nearby muscles and joints.

So how do you get those quads all greased up? The tried and true exercise is, of course, the squat. Bend down, squeeze those glutes, and stand back up. It’s a very simple form, one that we utilize frequently in our daily lives. You know how they say to lift with your legs? Yep, that’s what squats do for you.

Different squat variations will work your muscles differently. Split squats, for example, are slower and more deliberate, which can help you to perfect your form. Social justice squats, despite being on the difficult side, reward you with work in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings at the same time. Lunges are also important, as they help you to build strength in your legs. Jump lunges, in particular, are an excellent choice, as they combine the quad-working nature of lunges with beneficial cardio.

Power up those quads, and nothing will be able to knock you down. Nothing makes people go “whoa” like taking a hard shove and remaining standing.