Spatts...question

[Debaser]

I was curious what exercises you suggest for quad work. I too condone the powerlifter-style squat, but for quads (particularly the vastus medialis) what are safe movements that you recommend? Are narrower squats okay as long as your knees don't travel very far (i.e. not past your toes)?

 

[spatts]

In a narrow stance, if you don't have the balance and flexibility, the shins are going to need to travel forward some. Oly's do it all the time, but it's not the excessive forward bend of an untrained lifter. Generally speaking, the more vertical the better (in terms of safety).

Personally I used to just follow up my squats with an isolated move like extensions.

The thing that hit the VL hardest for me was sprints, and anything like a heavy step or lunge. Perhaps some others that have really had to work for this will have a better answer, as I've always had large quads, but those types of things seemed to bring the sweep out for me.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Front squats. Bar on the clavicles forces torso and shins to remain somewhat vertical - you can't lean too far forward without the bar wanting to roll off. I've been doing those lately and they really hit the quads hard with less butt action than regular squats. Be warned - they are tough and you can't use anywhere near your back squat weight.

 

[spatts]

Oh, I can think of tons of stuff that killed my quads, but I was focusing on VL work. I don't really feel OHS and FS in my VL, do you?

 

[Exodus]

im not spatts, but overhead squats kill my quads. and like spatts said either sprints, or my favorite, jeep sprints.

X

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Oh, I can think of tons of stuff that killed my quads, but I was focusing on VL work. I don't really feel OHS and FS in my VL, do you?

Sorry, I don't know what a vastus whatever is - I just think of the whole front of my legs as "quads". If it's the muscle on the side that gives the "sweep" then I guess I shouldn't try to answer that question because mine seem to grow no matter what I do.

 

[spatts]

lol...I hear ya. I haven't thought about my "sweep" in a long time.

 

[spatts]

Could be. I have had big quads my whole life. Very lower body dominant. Even though I've been squatting using more hammies for a while now, I still have flat hammies and huge quads (comparitively). I don't know what I did to make them grow, because they've always been there. I have always sprinted too, though. Not sure which came first....cart or horse.

 

[Debaser]

What's weird though is I've been doing this style of squats and my quads are one of my best bodyparts. I could be genetically dispositioned for big thighs from the get-go, perhaps.

 

[Debaser]

Could be. I have had big quads my whole life. Very lower body dominant. Even though I've been squatting using more hammies for a while now, I still have flat hammies and huge quads (comparitively). I don't know what I did to make them grow, because they've always been there. I have always sprinted too, though. Not sure which came first....cart or horse.

Stiff-legged deadlifts work wonders for my hamstrings...but then again I think they grow quickly anyway. I really miss doing them in this training cycle. But I've neglected standard deadlifts for quite awhile and so I've gone back

The strange thing is that my lower frame is pretty big (10.5" ankles) whereas my upper body is the opposite (7" wrists, maybe less). I've never seen anyone else with such a contrast. Maybe this means I'm a natural deadlifter, big hips/ass/legs with long arms, who knows...

 

[spatts]

I have almost a 3.5 inch difference between mine too, but I intend to make all three lifts look natural.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Wow, my wrists are 6.75 inches and my ankles are 9. You should have seen me when I was 6 feet tall and 125 pounds in 10th grade. Wish I had pics of that.

Back on topic, why do you want to change your quad workout Debaser, since you are making good gains?

 

[overhead]

My wrist are a tad under 7 and my ankle is 10.5, maybe it is a normal difference. I stopped direct quad work a couple of months ago and I can tell a difference all ready.

 

[Zander1983]

Split squats (bulgarians), lunges, reverse lunges, step-ups.

 

[spatts]

Split squats (bulgarians), lunges, reverse lunges, step-ups.

Exactly. I think the unilateral stuff that requires recruitment for stabilization is the difference.

Also, have you ever tried to just hold up your legs? Like a pike or stradle hold? I know that sounds fitness chick'ish, but DAMN that burns the quads. If you're not trained for it, it will knot them up stright away!

 

[Mike_Rojas]

What about one legged squats. Those are killer too.

 

[Zander1983]

What about one legged squats. Those are killer too.

They are the same thing as a bulgarian/split squat

 

[Mike_Rojas]

They are the same thing as a bulgarian/split squat

okay, I don't know all the terminology . It's nice if you're lower back is burnt out 'cause you don't have to have 300 pounds on your back to work you quads real hard.

 

[Exodus]

could just be me but my vastus medialis is what always hurts the most on me. mainly after overhead squats.

i think i may be naturally that way, thats what part of my quads always hurts the worst.

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